Category: Daily Monitor

The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has raised alarm over severe congestion at Kirinya Prison in Jinja City, where the inmate population has risen to nearly 2,000 despite the facility being designed for only 397 prisoners.

Busoga region human rights officer Farouk Nyende said the prison, meant for 390 inmates, is now holding over 1,900.

‘Kirinya Prison in Jinja was constructed to hold about 397 inmates, but when we visited Friday afternoon, the number was close to 2,000,’ Mr Nyende said.

According to Mr Nyende, the overcrowding violates United Nations standards on prisoners’ rights. He told a stakeholders’ meeting at the UHRC regional office in Jinja that court delays are worsening the crisis.

‘When we were in prison, some inmates told us they filed appeals 10 years ago but they have not been heard. Why are court processes so slow?’ Mr Nyende wondered.

He noted that some suspects arrested during the Covid-19 lockdown are still on remand at Kirinya.

UHRC Acting Chairperson Lamex Omalla urged police, courts, civil society and the media to respect and promote rights.

‘Your presence here demonstrates continued commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights in Uganda. Let us respect the freedom of everybody,’ Mr Omalla said.

He added that UHRC depends on partners for information and reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to monitoring violations, noting there has been improvement by security operatives in Busoga.

To reduce congestion, the Kiira Regional CIID officer in charge, Mr Daniel Batte said police have adopted pre-arrest investigations.

‘We have instructed our officers to conduct thorough investigations before making arrests in order to reduce congestion in police cells. Where appropriate, suspects are granted police bond, while those whose case files are complete are promptly produced in court to prevent violations of their rights,’ Mr Batte said. He said community members including boda boda riders and traditional healers are now providing information to speed up investigations.

Mr Batte added that police are encouraging reconciliation for minor disputes due to prison congestion.

‘Due to congestion in prisons, police often encourage parties involved in minor disputes to pursue reconciliation and other lawful alternative dispute resolution mechanisms so that matters can be resolved without court convictions,’ he said.

Jinja Assistant Resident City Commissioner Mr Michael Kasedde appealed to UHRC to attend local government security meetings and pledged land for permanent offices.

‘I will engage the City Clerk on the allocation of land to the commission so that it can construct permanent offices and reduce expenditure on rent, considering the important work you are doing,’ Mr Kasedde said.

Kirinya’s population is nearly five times its approved capacity, a level that falls far below Uganda’s constitutional guarantees and the UN Nelson Mandela Rules requiring humane, safe detention.

The congestion strains inmates, staff and the justice system, reinforcing calls for urgent reforms in case handling, sentencing alternatives and timely court processes to reduce remand numbers.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has suspended the issuance of all new visas for Ugandan nationals and banned travelers from the country, citing proactive measures to counter the spread of the Ebola virus.

According to a joint statement by the UAE’s National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority (NCEMA) and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), the directive takes effect at 1pm on Saturday, June 6, 2026. The suspension applies to all new visas, including visit visas, and affects Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and South Sudan.

“The measures are part of the UAE’s proactive and preventive efforts to strengthen national preparedness and respond to developments related to the Ebola virus,” the UAE authorities stated, adding that the decision remains subject to extension.

Under the new guidelines, travelers arriving directly from the three blacklisted nations, or those who have transited through them, will be denied entry into the UAE. The only exception applies to individuals who have spent more than 21 days-the maximum incubation period for the Ebola virus-outside the affected countries prior to their arrival. However, transit flight operations through the UAE and cargo flights will continue uninterrupted.

The UAE authorities noted they are working with international partners to monitor the situation and will adjust restrictions based on ongoing risk assessments.

Uganda’s Ministry of Health, reported a cumulative total of 19 confirmed cases as of Saturday, June 6, 2026. This total comprises 14 imported cases and five Ugandan nationals, although encouragingly, there are 0 new cases reported in this specific update.

Out of the total recorded cases, the health system currently has 13 active admissions under medical care. On a positive note, 4 individuals have been successfully discharged, while two deaths have been registered, both of which were from the imported cases category. The Ministry of Health reassures the public that the situation is controlled and Uganda remains safe.

A Justice of the Court of Appeal, Geoffrey Kiryabwire, has issued a stark warning that Uganda’s judicial system faces imminent collapse unless the public embraces alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms.

Speaking on Friday while delivering a keynote address during an ADR workshop in Mbarara City, Justice Kiryabwire cautioned that the judiciary lacks the capacity to handle every societal misunderstanding through formal litigation.

‘If people stop talking and mediating, choosing court as the only option to resolve their disputes, then the judicial system will collapse and prisons will turn into remand homes,’ Justice Kiryabwire warned.

He urged the public to reflect on how communities maintained harmony before the introduction of formal courts in Uganda in 1902. He argued that traditional, community-led mediation options should be exploited to prevent the lasting hatred and wastage of resources associated with formal court battles.

Justice Kiryabwire further advised litigious citizens to prepare for long delays, revealing that the judiciary is severely overstretched.

‘In the Court of Appeal, we are only 18 justices, yet we have 14,000 cases before us. We sit in quorums of between four and five judges. Even if we chose to sit every single day, we would not finish this work. Yet, you have a case, refuse an alternative resolution, choose to appeal, and still expect to get timely justice?’ he questioned.

To illustrate the magnitude of the crisis, Justice Kiryabwire presented findings from the National Court Case Census report. The data highlights a staggering nationwide case backlog, defined as cases that have remained unresolved in the court system for more than two years.

According to the report, the Central region leads with 65,668 pending cases and a backlog of 16,224. The Western region follows closely with 48,525 pending cases and 15,375 in backlog. The Eastern region has 36,182 pending cases (11,028 backlog), while the Northern region has the lowest numbers with 16,978 pending cases and a backlog of 3,915.2

Reacting to the crisis, senior advocate Francis Butagira noted that the formal judicial system remains too expensive and slow for ordinary Ugandans. He called on the judiciary to urgently integrate traditional justice systems into formal court processes.

‘In the past, there were clear mechanisms on how conflicts were resolved in communities and people lived in harmony. Today, it is all about power and ego. If we integrate the traditional justice system into formal courts, we will have timely delivery of justice,’ Mr. Butagira said.

In response, Justice Kiryabwire revealed that major structural reforms are underway to ensure that formal courts become a last resort for conflict resolution.

‘All cases and disputes will start with dialogue at the grassroots. The government has already approved a White Paper on Alternative Dispute Resolution, and we are soon going to have an ADR Act,’ he revealed.

However, members of the public attending the workshop expressed skepticism about the implementation of ADR, accusing legal practitioners of sabotage.

‘The lawyers fuel cases to be resolved in courts because they know this is how they will earn. They actively frustrate efforts to resolve cases amicably out of court,’ said Mr Polly Muyambi, a participant.

One of the most iconic scenes in Ugandan women’s football is from a moment in the 2022/23 Fufa Women Super League season when Shamirah Nalugya and Cissy Nantongo fixed each other’s armbands.

At the height of the battle between their respective clubs Kampala Queens – which eventually won its first league title that season – and She Corporate – whose title defence that season slipped into relegation, the captains chose to show us that there is more to life than football and Fufa’s Stephen Mayamba captured the moment.

This week, that message was even clearer when Nantongo was pronounced dead on Wednesday night.

The combative midfielder whose football journey was full of so many comeback stories, unfortunately lost a quiet battle to breast cancer. The death, like its cause, shook women’s football to the core.

“She did not want to make public (her illness),” She Corporate chairman Richard Kaweere, shared.

Daily Monitor learnt that Nantongo has battled the ailment for over a year. She put up such a brave fight that it was hard to tell she was ailing in any way. From time to time, her name appeared on the She Corporate match sheets as a substitute.

In some cases it was surprising that she was an unused substitute but largely, She Corporate have enjoyed a rich vein of form this season that selection decisions rarely became a question.

But even those close to her kept anticipating her return because whenever Nantongo could, she was present for her club.

“It is so sad to lose her. We treated her and she even got out of danger. In fact, she even started training and from nowhere, she got some kind of paralysis,” Kaweere further shared.

Nantongo’s last battle was quiet too and took over a month at the Uganda Cancer Institute in Mulago. She was briefly involved in matchday squads during the title run-in in March.

“If anyone was keen, they would have noted that she did not even warm-up for those games (in late March). After that, she fell ill and was re-admitted.

“She left us top of the table and I would not be surprised if she did not know how the season ended. We tried to keep football issues away from her.

“But last weekend, we (club officials and captains) visited her before our Fufa Women Cup match (which they lost to Wakiso Hill on penalties). She was very weak,” Lutwama added.

Passion and drive

Nantongo, who are friends called Kajozi, wore her passion on her sleeves.

Off the pitch, Nantongo was an endearing innocent personality. She always wore her smile and interacted freely with those she knew. That is perhaps why tributes have flown from teammates, opponents, and fans across the divide in equal measure.

On pitch she spoke when she had to. But she was more about actions. What she did in each moment signified the intent of the team. If she wanted them to get a bit physical, Nantongo was not afraid of sticking a boot where it hurt for a troublesome opponent. If she wanted control, she took a few extra touches on the ball.

She was of medium height and had an athletic body frame that she used well. She specialised in breaking down attacks in front of her defence and even though she had commendable passing range, she excelled more in possession when she was picking out more creative teammates that were close to her.

Interestingly, when she was younger, she took penalties – even in a team that had a striker like Fazila Ikwaput who loves to score goals like her breathing depends on it. That was the story of the inaugural 2017 Fufa Women Cup final.

Nantongo had joined Olila High School, alongside her long time friend Vanessa Edith Karungi, on loan from She Corporate.

The duo met years earlier at St. Mary’s College Kitende but after girls’ football had been banned there, they joined Kakungulu Memorial School, where they played with Nalugya. Kakungulu’s girls’ football team also fell into trouble so Nantongo and her friends moved to Mukono High School, which they led to the 2017 Uganda Secondary School Sports (USSSA) title with Nantongo as captain.

She Corporate loaned Nantongo and Karungi to Olila which they also led to Cup glory in Busia at the expense of Asubo Ladies – then Gafford. After the latter took a first half lead through Evelyn Kakayi, Ikwaput was fouled in the box at the start of the second half.

Nantongo dispatched the penalty for the game to end 1-1 in regulation time. Olila won 3-1 in the shootouts as Karungi saved against three takers from Gafford.

Eventually, they returned to She Corporate. But while Karungi moved to Denmark in May 2021, Nantongo inspired a She Corporate side that barely had weaknesses to the Fufa Women Super League title in the 2022 season.

Such was how good they were that they also made it to the finals for the Cecafa region’s Caf Women’s Champions League qualifiers in Dar-es-Salaam that year.

Unfortunately, She Corporate could not establish a dynasty. They struggled to manage their success and were relegated in the 2022/23 season.

Nantongo captained them in the second tier Elite League in the 2023/24 season leading them to the title and the Fufa Women Cup before going to Nepal for a short stint with Wailing Municipality. At about the same time, she established her CN18 brand.

Tribute

Unfortunately, her health issues started surfacing in the 2024/25 season and they deprived She Corporate of her leadership qualities for a long time. We will never know if they would have lost the 2025/26 FWSL title to Kawempe on the final day if she had been actively involved in the squad.

“There is a lot I can say about you naye muganda wange ogenze naye tondese kyekiimu (but your departure has not left me the same). It hurts more that I won’t be able to pay my last respects to you but I will always cherish you… Cissinho,” Karungi posted after paying homage to the journey they enjoyed together through their teenage years. Her eulogy was one of many that came from Nantongo’s now former teammates and opponents alike.

Ronah Reginah Nantenge, who played with Nantongo as a partner in midfield or on the wings, posted: “Thanks for fueling us. The kind and harsh words that shaped me (us), captain. I remember we once wanted to fight when we lost a game against Lady Doves 5-0. It was out of passion and we won the next game 5-0. Thanks for giving your best for the team. All evident in what you’ve won,” while their left back then Miriam Ibunyu added that it is “very sad! A soldier that would never quit or give up on herself, a fighter and a strong woman. Cissy, you have left us with broken hearts, wounded souls.”

Molly Naava, She Corporate’s current keeper, said “it is hard to take that you are no more, Cissy. We shall always remember your leadership both on and off pitch for you have been one of our strongest pillars.”

Photojournalist Asha Kamira said “Cissy was one of the few people who showed me kindness when I was finding my way as a club photographer and later a media officer of She Corporate. Today, I came across her words: If you don’t see me tomorrow, tell my mum her name is my password. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them.”

Nalugya said, “You fought the battle but from Allah we come and we shall return. Rest with Angels my sister. I am speechless” while Hasifah Nassuna added: “Rest with angels Kajjozi. It is very unfortunate that we could not help you. We are late…”

Lots of tributes continue to flow for a life lost so young but Nantongo will be fondly remembered for her passion, leadership, and making her craft look so easy. Rest in peace, Cissy!

In August 2016, a relatively unknown MTN Uganda executive stepped up to a podium in Kampala to deliver an announcement that would permanently alter the DNA of Uganda’s financial ecosystem.

Phrase Lubega, then the General Manager for Mobile Financial Services, quietly revealed that telecom giant MTN and the Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) had just launched MoKash. It was a micro-savings and loans product designed to allow registered mobile money users to borrow up to Shs1 million directly from their handsets.

There was no grand banking hall required. There were no stacks of intimidating paperwork, no traditional collateral, and no patronizing loan officers. It was financial inclusion reduced to a short-code on a basic feature phone.

‘The speed at which MoKash is growing,’ Lubega noted with characteristic calm at the time, ‘demonstrates the gap and indeed the opportunities that lie in pursuing a true financial inclusion strategy.’

What followed surprised even the most optimistic industry analysts. Within 70 days, MoKash signed up one million customers. Within three months, that figure climbed to 1.2 million. Total loans disbursed topped Shs2.3 billion before the product had even fully found its footing.

To put those numbers into perspective: at that time, the entire Ugandan formal banking sector possessed roughly five million bank accounts. In under a quarter of a year, Lubega’s team had effectively expanded the reach of Uganda’s formal financial system by an astonishing 20 percent.

Nearly a decade later, on June 4, 2026, MTN Uganda announced that Lubega would return home to become the Managing Director of MTN Mobile Money (U) Limited. It is an appointment that feels less like a traditional corporate hiring and more like a homecoming for an architect taking custody of the skyscraper he designed.

A builder, not a passenger

There is a distinction, often underappreciated in corporate appointments, between executives who arrive to manage an institution and executives who are the institution. Mr. Lubega belongs emphatically to the latter category. His career at MTN Uganda is not a mere résumé of roles held, but a timeline of the company’s structural transformation.

Long before he ran mobile financial services, Lubega served as MTN Uganda’s Chief Information Officer (CIO). In that role, he led the sweeping overhaul of the company’s IT infrastructure at the exact historical moment mobile money was shifting from a niche, peer-to-peer transfer product into a mass socioeconomic phenomenon.

The digital rails, complex software integrations, and technology backbone he helped construct became the foundation upon which millions of Ugandans would eventually conduct their daily financial lives.

When he transitioned to General Manager for Mobile Financial Services, he did not just maintain the infrastructure; he expanded its geography. Lubega pioneered the launch of MTN’s international mobile money transfer corridors to Kenya and Rwanda, breaking down regional silos.

“Technology is helping us eliminate national borders,” Lubega said during the regional corridor launch. “Enabling a unified digital and mobile financial services world.”

MoKash, his signature project, was not a banking product in the conventional sense. It was a complete radicalization of what banking could mean for ordinary citizens. It was designed for a street vendor in Gulu, a university student in Mbarara, or a smallholder farmer in Kasese-people for whom a micro-loan limit of Shs30,000 was often the razor-thin margin between a successful school term and a lost year.

The global odyssey: The years away

Lubega’s subsequent departure from the Ugandan operation to MTN Group-level roles was not an exit, but rather a scaling up of his strategic ambitions.

As Group Executive for Fintech Commercial Operations and later General Manager for Commercial and Go-To-Market strategy, Lubega sat squarely at the epicenter of MTN’s broader mobile financial strategy across 14 diverse African markets. His portfolio included driving continental customer growth, optimizing user retention, and scaling fintech ecosystems across highly fragmented regulatory terrains.

However, his most recent assignment as the Interim Managing Director of MoMo Payment Service Bank (PSB) in Nigeria served as the ultimate crucible.

Nigeria represents MTN’s largest and most volatile market. It features an intensely complex regulatory environment and stands as one of the most fiercely contested fintech battlegrounds on the continent. The fact that MTN Group leadership trusted Lubega with the interim stewardship of this vital crown jewel speaks volumes. Under his watch, the Nigerian operation delivered robust revenue growth, enhanced operational efficiencies, and rolled out key new products despite severe macroeconomic headwinds.

Consequently, Lubega returns to Kampala with a continental perspective that very few African executives can claim. He possesses a highly specialized, Group-level understanding of how MTN’s multi-country fintech ambitions fit together-a corporate intelligence asset that will matter enormously in the months ahead.

The complex marketplace of 2026

The MTN Mobile Money operation that Lubega returns to lead is, from a purely financial standpoint, a juggernaut.

For the vast majority of Ugandans, this expansive digital web is far more familiar, accessible, and trusted than any traditional brick-and-mortar bank branch. Yet, the strategic context facing Lubega is infinitely more complex than these soaring numbers suggest.

First, MTN Mobile Money (U) Limited is currently mid-separation. The business is undergoing a massive corporate restructuring to spin off into a standalone fintech entity known as MTN New FinCo, operating under a new ownership structure within MTN Group Fintech.

This proposed mega-transaction is currently undergoing stringent regulatory review by the Bank of Uganda (BoU). This structural pivot will fundamentally reshape how the fintech business is governed, capitalized, and positioned for future external investment. The Managing Director steering this ship cannot simply be an operational manager; they must be completely fluent in cross-border corporate governance and Group-level legal strategy.

Second, the competitive landscape has evolved dramatically. Uganda’s mobile money market, valued at approximately $920 million in 2026, is projected to grow at a 12.4 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) through 2035. However, the comfortable duopoly once enjoyed by MTN and Airtel is officially over.

Today, the Bank of Uganda has licensed an unprecedented 54 mobile money operators. Agile, well-funded fintechs are aggressively chipping away at market share:

Wave Transfer Limited has officially achieved Large Funds Transfer status, threatening traditional agent dynamics.

Chipper Cash, Onafriq, Interswitch, and Cellulant are fully licensed, well-capitalized, and rapidly deploying innovative solutions.

Airtel Money is mounting an aggressive regional campaign, with its user base growing at 24 percent year-on-year, outstripping MTN’s still-formidable 16 percent growth rate.

Furthermore, the Bank of Uganda is aggressively enforcing strict interoperability mandates. These regulatory shifts will inevitably compress margins, reshape traditional fee structures, and force operators to compete purely on product utility rather than ecosystem lock-in.

While MTN’s dense rural agent network and years of consumer habit formation represent a massive defensive moat, it is a moat that can no longer be taken for granted. It must be actively maintained, defended, and modernized.

Why the board bet on an insider

In announcing his appointment, MTN Uganda Board Chairperson Sylvia Mulinge underscored exactly why Lubega was chosen for this high-stakes moment. She noted that his ‘deep understanding of the business, strong governance experience, and proven leadership across the MTN footprint’ position him uniquely to navigate the headwinds.

This delicate transitional phase does not call for an ideological outsider arriving with generic corporate frameworks or disruptive, experimental restructuring agendas. Instead, it demands an executive who knows exactly how the underlying engines run, understands the historic intent of the platform, and recognizes the immense economic stakes tied to getting this next chapter right.

“It is an honour to lead MTN Mobile Money Uganda at such an exciting time in the evolution of digital financial services,” Lubega stated upon his taking office.

The language remains characteristically measured and precise. Yet, the operational mandate behind his appointment is monumental. The corporate builder who laid down the digital rails of Uganda’s fintech revolution has officially been handed the keys to the entire empire. How he maneuvers through the coming regulatory restructurings and rising competitive tides will ultimately define the next decade of digital finance in East Africa.

For the latest arrivals from Planet Mars, here’s what’s trending. The Appointments Committee of Parliament rejected Dr Lawrence Muganga’s (PhD) nomination as Minister of State for Internal Affairs.

The committee argued that his appointment would offend the law on Ugandan citizens with dual citizenship.

Whereas some ministers-designate are said to have had dual citizenship, Dr Muganga’s case is said to have been different: he is said to have held the citizenship of a third country.

Now, according to those who care to know about such things, a bona fide Ugandan citizen is not allowed to hold citizenship of two other countries. In short, triple citizenship is not allowed.

Rejecting the appointment, the committee cited Dr Muganga’s ‘unresolved citizenship concerns’.

And boy, oh boy, that’s how we missed having a minister who openly speaks ‘our language’. Reports from the committee say Dr Muganga denied having held (any) Rwandan passport.

Then the committee asked: When you went to Canada for studies, did you use a Ugandan passport (denoting Ugandan citizenship)? There are media reports from Rwanda depicting you as a Rwandan-Canadian citizen, how do you respond to that? You seem to have held a dual citizenship of Rwanda and Canada, did you not?

The constitutional provision excluding dual citizens from serving as ministers in Uganda is frozen in Article 15(7) of the Constitution.

It states ‘Parliament shall, by law, prescribe the offices of State which a person who holds the citizenship of another country in addition to the citizenship of Uganda is not qualified to hold.’

In pursuit of this constitutional provision, Section 19D of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act and the Fifth Schedule says: a person holding dual citizenship is not qualified to hold the office of ‘Cabinet minister and other ministers.’

This restriction ensures holders of sensitive State offices owe undivided allegiance to Uganda in matters of national governance and security.

The restricted positions include President, vice president, prime minister, Cabinet ministers and other ministers, Inspector General of Government (IGG) and Deputy IGG.

Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and service commanders of the armed forces. Others are heads and deputy heads of Intelligence and National Security agencies, Commissioner General of Prisons, Inspector General of Police (IGP).

It is my understanding that Ugandans holding dual citizenship must officially renounce their foreign citizenship if they are willing to serve in the positions they are nominated or appointed into.

All ministers-designate (including Dr Muganga) with dual citizenship are said to have shown the committee evidence of their respective renunciation of their dual citizenship status.

However, the problem with Dr Muganga was that he could not clearly explain his citizenship relationship with the Republic of Rwanda.

Yes, I said it. Ugandans should amend the law to accommodate Dr Muganga’s double or triple citizenship. Mbu no ki? Isn’t it how you, Ugandans have been doing stuff? You amended the law (oba Constitution, mwe mumanyi) to increase the number of Cabinet ministers.

And by the way, some clever friend has just told me the ‘first amendment’ of the 1995 Constitution was carried out in order to validate an intended breach. What was the breach?

The President’s proposed Cabinet ministers exceeded the number provided for in the Constitution. The Constitution was amended to accommodate that.

So, I implore those who always generate legislations or constitutional amendments to do the needful in order to accommodate Dr Muganga’s dual or triple citizenships.

Otherwise, the appointing authority could just let him keep the job. The sky will not fall because Dr Muganga (with dual or triple citizenship) is a minister.

Throughout the different coffee farming districts, coffee seedlings ready for supply to farmers are on display, possibly catch the eye of the suspecting farmer.

Farmer experts now claim that not all coffee seedlings on display at the different nursery beds meet the standards.

Mr Eriya Ssembajwe Ssuubi, a retired agriculture officer and coffee farmer based at Namakofu village in Zirobwe Subcounty, Luweero District says the existing gap between the farmer extensionists and the farmers, coupled with the increasingly high demand for the coffee seedlings is a time bomb for coffee farmers that could easily plant substandard coffee seedlings.

‘A section of the coffee nursery operators have little knowledge about the different coffee varieties, soil conditions and are simply setting the suspecting farmers in a future irreversible trap that will be realized after a long period.

While the science of grafting and setting up the coffee nurseries is not very complex, a nursery operator should plant the standard seedlings.

Farmers are unable to differentiate between the right and wrong seedlings without help of coffee experts,’ he says.

It is now common to find a coffee nursery bed with ready seedlings set up within a period of one week at a section of the road reserve.

While the explanation could be that the seedlings were possibly transferred from mother seed beds, standards traceability is often compromised.

The coffee nursery operators are supposed to be licensed and supervised by representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) but a likely loose supervision is blamed for the reported uncertified coffee nurseries, Mr Ssembajwe tells this publication.

But Mr Abdul Kato Ssembiro, a farmer based at Namayumba Subcounty in Wakiso District is among several of the unlucky farmers forced to replace more than 800 coffee tree plants at his coffee garden on the advise of a farmer extension worker after he fell victim to poor coffee variety seedlings purchased from a nursery operator.

‘After a period of three-years, despite application of fertilizers and ensuring that the plants remained disease free, the coffee trees yielded a few coffee beans. Independent coffee farmer experts that visited my garden explained that my garden had a mixture of coffee varieties that were not likely to give a good yield. I was advised to uproot the coffee trees and purchase seedlings from a certified nursery operator,’ he told this publication.

Ssembiro had spent at least Shs6m on the coffee garden that failed his plans. But he luckily owns separate coffee gardens earlier planted on a 3-acre piece of land with good coffee yields.

He now reminds farmers to seek expert advise from extension workers and experienced coffee farmers that can help locate the certified coffee seedlings’ nursery operators.

For Robusta Coffee nursery seedlings (Clonal) variety, farmers are advised to identify nursery operators with well established premises that include the working coffee nursery shed, nearby water source, coffee rooting shed, coffee hardening shed, office and store, rubbish pit, coffee working shed, coffee demonstration plot and a mother garden.

Mr Edward Bazira, a former supervisor staff under the defunct Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) says establishment of coffee nurseries must follow particular procedures that are later inspected by designated officials from the MAAIF.

‘For clonal coffee propagation, the operator should meet the standards before a certificate for propagation is issued. One must identify land near a water source, identify a mother garden for cuttings, and establish a working shed, propagation shed, hardening shed, a rooting shed, rubbish pit among other essential facilities,’ he says.

A certificate issued by MAAIF for certification must be displayed at the coffee nursery office while the different coffee varieties must be clearly marked at the nurseries, Bazira explains.

The government had a coffee seedlings distribution programme launched in 2014 where coffee seedlings sourced from certified coffee nursery operators were distributed to farmers.

But through the years and possibly because of the big demands that the government could not fulfill under the NAADS and Operation Wealth Creation, the seedlings distribution was scaled down.

Over 280 tea nursery bed operators in Kanungu District have denied allegations that they were defrauded by their lawyers and association leadership. The farmers clarify that a 30 percent deduction from their recent Shs14.9 billion government payout was a voluntary contribution, not an illegal extortion scheme.

In a signed petition addressed to President Museveni, dated May 26, 2026, the farmers under the Kanungu Tea Nursery Bed Operators Association clarified that they received their full entitlements on their respective bank accounts. They noted that the 30 percent deduction was willingly remitted to cover legal fees, administrative expenses, and operational costs incurred during their multi-year legal battle with the government.

The statement, witnessed by the lead plaintiff, Mr. Frank Byaruhanga, was a direct response to an earlier petition dated November 12, 2025. In that petition, eight individual farmers accused the association’s leadership and legal counsel of executing unauthorized deductions from the farmers’ compensation.

“On May 10, 2018, during our association’s general meeting held in Rukungiri District, it was unanimously agreed that members make a contribution of 30 percent of the money demanded from the government,” the farmers’ statement reads in part. “This was to meet legal fees, administrative costs of the lead plaintiffs, and the daily running of the association activities.”

The dispute traces back to 2019 when the nursery bed operators sued the government for failing to pay Shs143 billion for tea seedlings supplied under a state-backed agricultural transformation initiative.

While Kanungu is one of southwestern Uganda’s primary tea-producing hubs, delays in government clearing of arrears have frequently sparked friction between local suppliers and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.

Speaking on Saturday, Mr Byaruhanga, who also chairs the association, dismissed the fraud allegations as malicious and unauthorized fabrications that do not reflect the position of the wider membership.

“In 2019, we sued the government. After a long court battle, a consent judgment was reached in 2021 where the government committed to paying the money,” Mr. Byaruhanga explained. “In the 2021/2022 financial year, the government paid only Shs39 billion. We returned to court for redress.”

Mr Byaruhanga added that following a lengthy legal standoff, President Museveni intervened in 2025 and ordered the release of the remaining Shs112 billion, which the farmers are yet to receive.

“However, in December 2025, the government paid us Shs14.9 billion, which accumulated as a 10 percent interest on the principal amount. Following our 2018 agreement, each farmer voluntarily paid 30 percent of what they received to cater for our legal and administrative costs,” he said.

The internal rift caught the attention of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) late last year after the breakaway faction of eight farmers petitioned the President, prompting detectives to launch an investigation into the management of the funds.

Mr Byaruhanga welcomed the ongoing probe, expressing confidence that the association would be cleared of any wrongdoing.

“I am happy that officials from the State House Anti-Corruption Unit have started investigations. So far, 310 out of the 313 legitimate members of our association have signed to confirm they voluntarily paid the 30 percent,” Mr Byaruhanga said, adding that the members are eagerly awaiting the unit’s final report.

In a landmark judgment set to shake up the financing of multi-billion-dollar infrastructure developments across East Africa, the Tax Appeals Tribunal (TAT) has ordered Bujagali Energy Limited (BEL) to pay nearly Shs157 billion ($41.5 million) in additional taxes to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).

The ruling not only hands a massive financial victory to the government treasury but effectively plugs a lucrative tax loophole previously exploited by large-scale infrastructure developers to aggressively minimize their tax obligations through currency manipulation.

In Application No. 4 of 2024 (Bujagali Energy Limited vs Uganda Revenue Authority), a three-member tribunal comprising Mr. Siraj Ali, Mr. Willy Nangosyah, and Ms. Christine Katwe upheld a revised assessment by the URA. Consequently, BEL-the special purpose vehicle that operates the 250MW Bujagali Hydroelectric Power Station-must now pay Shs155.3 billion in Income Tax and Shs298.3 million in Withholding Tax (WHT).

The core of the dispute

At the heart of the high-stakes legal battle was a disagreement over how to calculate the capital cost base of the Bujagali dam in Uganda Shillings to claim tax deductions, specifically “depreciable asset allowances.”

Because the dam was constructed over several years using foreign currency (primarily US dollars), the project was heavily exposed to macroeconomic shifts and exchange rate fluctuations.

BEL argued that it should be permitted to aggregate its total US dollar expenditures over the entire construction period and convert the lump sum into Uganda Shillings using the exchange rate prevalent on the exact day the project was officially commissioned in 2012.

However, because the Uganda Shilling had depreciated significantly against the dollar between the start of construction and 2012, using the later exchange rate artificially inflated the recorded asset cost in local currency. In the world of corporate taxation, a higher asset cost translates directly to larger depreciation deductions, which aggressively slashes a company’s taxable profits-and by extension, the tax revenue paid to the state.

The URA objected to this accounting methodology during a subsequent audit. The tax body argued that because capital was injected incrementally over many years, BEL was legally required to use the historical, date-specific exchange rate for the exact day each individual expenditure was incurred.

The tribunal’s verdict

The tribunal firmly sided with the tax authority, rejecting BEL’s attempts to retroactively “reverse-engineer” past costs using a later, more favorable exchange rate.

The panel ruled that for tax purposes, the ‘original cost’ of an asset must be established in local currency progressively as the project is built, rather than being recalculated at the end of the project or during commissioning.

“Entities executing infrastructure projects in Uganda can no longer group past expenses together to convert them using a later exchange rate,” the tribunal noted, cementing a principle that prevents artificial tax deductions caused by currency fluctuations over long construction periods.

Furthermore, the tribunal reaffirmed the URA’s legal mandate to issue fresh tax assessments whenever new, vital information is uncovered during routine or forensic audits. BEL must now meticulously audit its historical books, identify the exact dates funds were spent, and apply the corresponding Bank of Uganda exchange rates for those specific days.

A major precedent

Legal and financial experts have described the ruling as a structural game-changer for project financing in developing economies.

According to a detailed technical analysis by MRT Tax, a specialist tax advisory firm, the decision establishes an uncompromising precedent for foreign-funded infrastructure assets.

“The ruling speaks directly to the tax assumptions that sit beneath project finance models,” noted Mr. Mark Ruhindi, a prominent corporate and tax lawyer and the Founding Managing Partner of MRT Tax.

“Moving forward, the TAT ruling ensures URA taxes projects based on real, historical costs at the time they were incurred, rather than later revaluations. Developers can no longer group years of construction costs together and apply a single, later exchange rate-such as the project’s commissioning date-to artificially lower their tax bill,” Ruhindi explained.

Regional reverberations

While the judgment is grounded specifically in Uganda’s Income Tax Act, its financial waves are expected to reverberate well beyond Uganda’s borders, impacting the wider East African Community (EAC).

Across East Africa, mega-infrastructure ventures-ranging from Kenya’s standard gauge railways and Tanzania’s standard gauge rail networks to regional oil pipelines, deep-water ports, industrial parks, and hydro-power plants-share identical commercial DNA. They are almost exclusively offshore-funded, heavily reliant on Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) or private equity, structured via Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), and managed by Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) that maintain accounts in US dollars.

Tax analysts argue that the Bujagali decision will quickly become a central reference point for international engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors, financial lenders, and regional governments.

By drawing a hard line on foreign currency conversion rules, Uganda’s Tax Appeals Tribunal has signaled to international investors that financial modeling for African infrastructure must adapt to stricter transparency standards. Project models will now have to factor in real-time local currency conversion from day one, shifting how financial risk and tax obligations are calculated in the region for decades to come.

BEL has yet to formally indicate whether it intends to appeal the tribunal’s decision to the High Court.

Residents and business owners in Mukono District are witnessing major changes in their livelihoods following the ongoing construction of the Ntenjeru-Bule Road.

During an inspection tour by district officials on Thursday of the 7.8-kilometre road project under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Programme (GKMA-UDP), leaders said the project is already sparking revival in the area.

Alice Nakimuli, a resident of Bujiji village, said for years the area struggled with poor accessibility, especially during the dry season when deep gullies caused by erosion made roads nearly impassable. Transporting goods to nearby markets such as Ggaba, 2.5 kilometres away, was costly and unreliable, eating into traders’ profits.

‘We could barely move vehicles or even motorcycles,’ she said. ‘Most of the money they earned went straight into transport costs.’

However, since construction works began, the situation has dramatically improved. Mobility has eased, businesses are reopening, and new opportunities are emerging.

The community liaison officer, Mr. Emmanuel Mbonye, said the improved road network has triggered a rapid increase in population, with local leaders estimating that the number of residents has nearly doubled within months of the project’s commencement.

Education institutions are also benefiting. Kamda Secondary School, which previously had about 230 students, has seen enrollment surge to approximately 700. New private schools are also being established in response to the growing population.

Mr Mbonye said tourism and hospitality businesses, once crippled by poor road conditions, are bouncing back. Beaches such as Mutora, Mutima, and Adventure Park, along with Lagoon Resort, had previously shut down operations but are now undergoing renovations in anticipation of renewed business.

Rental housing demand has also skyrocketed. ‘Previously, the cost was between Shs20,000 and Shs70,000, but now better rentals range from Shs150,000 to Shs200,000,’ he said.

The area has been earmarked as a future satellite city, an extension of Kampala, due to increasing urban pressure in the capital.

Local leaders are now advocating for additional infrastructure, including a ferry docking site to enhance connectivity. Discussions are ongoing with landowners to secure land for the proposed facility.

‘If the road ends here without a ferry connection, it will look incomplete,’ Mr. Mbonye said. ‘But with the ferry, this will become a major transport link.’

According to Martha Rwaboona, a representative from China Railway No. 5, the contractor handling Phase One of the 7.8 kilometres, the project began on July 9, 2025, and is scheduled to run for 18 months.

As of now, the project stands at approximately 30 per cent completion, slightly below the expected 32 per cent progress mark.

Key infrastructure components such as culverts are nearing completion: 12 out of 13 cross pipe culverts are completed, 2 out of 6 box culverts are completed, with 1 midway.

Despite minor delays caused by heavy rains and challenges related to physical cultural resources, contractors remain confident the project will be completed within schedule. Phase One of the road is valued at Shs35.7 billion, funded by the World Bank.