Category: Daily Monitor

I saw something that would be difficult to explain to most Americans. A boda was carrying another boda. If you grew up in the US like I did, you were raised inside a world engineered for convenience. When something breaks, someone with a truck, a crane, a flatbed, a specialised tool or a laminated safety protocol appears to fix it. We have entire industries built around not having to improvise.

Spend a little time in Kampala and you start to realise how quickly convenience can soften a person. For example, here are a few things many Americans would struggle with if the power went out for a week; building a fire, growing food, sitting still long enough for boredom to produce a useful idea. Meanwhile in Uganda, a power outage is not a civilisational crisis. It is more like an ordinary Tuesday. People adjust. Phones are charged where power exists. Charcoal is lit. Conversations continue.

Someone finds a way.

Yesterday I was walking through our neighbourhood when I saw the kind of logistical solution that makes Kampala endlessly fascinating. A boda had died. Its mechanical spirit had clearly departed this earth somewhere between Kabalagala and wherever its rider had hoped to end up. In the US, this would trigger a sequence involving a tow truck, flashing lights, insurance details, paperwork and a bill large enough to make you reconsider vehicle ownership.

In Kampala, the solution was simpler. Another boda arrived. A short conversation took place. Within minutes, the deceased motorcycle was carefully balanced across the back of the rescue boda like some kind of mechanical piggyback ride. Problem solved. I watched it disappear down the road, and I could not decide whether I was witnessing recklessness, brilliance or a category for which English has no adequate word. The longer I live here, the more I suspect the answer is often all three. Kampala runs on improvisation. Not the cute, decorative kind people celebrate in leadership books, but the practical kind. The kind born from imperfect systems, limited tools and immediate need. If the road is blocked, someone creates a new lane. If the truck will not start, someone finds a rope. If the motorcycle breaks, another motorcycle becomes the recovery vehicle.

There is something humbling about that. In places where convenience is guaranteed, we often confuse comfort with convinience. We assume we are capable because the systems around us rarely ask much of us. But when those systems disappear, many of us are exposed. We know how to call someone. We do not always know how to solve the problem in front of us. Uganda has made me admire a different kind of intelligence; the intelligence of adaptation. The ability to look at the resources available and make something work anyway. It is not always tidy. It is not always safe by American standards. But it is often astonishingly effective.

That boda carrying another boda was not just funny. It was a small moving parable. When the systems around you are imperfect, creativity becomes a daily survival skill. And sometimes that creativity looks like a motorcycle carrying another motorcycle through Kampala traffic. Honestly, it worked beautifully. I am now convinced that if civilisation ever collapses, the global recovery effort will begin with a Ugandan boda rider.

Four people have been charged and remanded to prison over their alleged involvement in an online sex trafficking syndicate that authorities say exploited young women and girls in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District.

The accused, identified as Vivian Kobela, Martha Lubango, Juma Oguti, and Irene Naziwa, appeared before Kira Grade One Magistrate Ivan Seguya on Friday and were charged with multiple counts of aggravated trafficking in persons involving 22 victims.

Court heard that between September 2025 and May 2026, the accused allegedly operated as part of a criminal syndicate in Mbalwa, Kira Municipality, where they recruited, transported, harboured and received victims through fraud, deception, abuse of power and exploitation of vulnerable circumstances.

According to the prosecution, the victims were subjected to sexual exploitation and harmful child labour.

Because the offences are capital in nature and can only be tried by the High Court, Magistrate Seguya did not allow the accused to enter pleas. He instead read the charges to them before remanding them to Luzira Prison until July 2, when the case will return to court for mention.

The court also issued criminal summons against two other suspects, Aminah Nalubega and Madinah Namatovu, who remain at large.

The charges stem from a police operation conducted about two weeks ago at a residence in Mbalwa following intelligence reports about suspected criminal activities.

During the night raid, police arrested at least 28 people and recovered what investigators described as extensive digital broadcasting equipment.

According to preliminary police findings, officers discovered 27 young women aged between 17 and 26 years, as well as one male, inside a heavily enclosed three-bedroom house.

Investigators suspect the premises were being used to produce commercial online adult content.

Police also recovered several exhibits, including laptops, cameras, and 10 specialised adult devices believed to have been used in the alleged operation.

If convicted, the accused could face severe penalties under Uganda’s anti-trafficking laws, with death by hanging being the maximum punishment.

Police in Mpigi District have arrested a traditional healer accused of exploiting and allegedly sexually abusing some of his female clients, following a raid on his shrine prompted by complaints from residents.

The suspect, identified as Yusufu Kaweesi, also known as Jjaja Isabirye, was arrested on Thursday during an operation at Kitavujja Cell in Ward C, Mpigi Town Council.

The raid was led by the head of operations at Mpigi Central Police Station, Bumaali Lugona, and the Mpigi Town Council supervisor of traditional healers, Nalongo Nambi Nakasujja.

Speaking during the operation, Nakasujja said authorities had received complaints about the healer’s conduct, prompting a joint operation involving police and local residents.

Kaweesi’s shrine was subsequently closed by Nakasujja in the presence of police officers and community members.

Investigators recovered several items from the premises, including a machete, a dagger, documents believed to contain details of deceased persons, a hair dryer and other items that police said would form part of ongoing investigations.

Lugona said all recovered exhibits had been secured to aid inquiries into the allegations.

A woman who claimed to have narrowly escaped abuse at the shrine told this reporter that she had sought the healer’s services in a bid to resolve a dispute with her landlord.

‘I had gone there looking for help because my landlord was putting me under pressure over rent fees. What happened there left me frightened,’ said the woman, who requested anonymity.

Kaweesi denied all allegations against him and insisted he had done nothing wrong.

‘These accusations are part of a scheme to tarnish my name and destroy my reputation,’ he said.

Nakasujja said the decision to close the shrine was intended to prevent any further alleged wrongdoing while investigations continue.

Police have appealed to members of the public to provide information that could assist detectives handling the case.

The suspect remains detained at Mpigi Central Police Station pending further investigations.

President Museveni’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) yesterday painted a rosy picture of a country transformed by four decades of NRM rule, highlighting economic growth, wealth creation, and peace. However, several critical issues currently dominating public discourse were conspicuously absent from his address. The speech delivered at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds to officially open the first session of the 12th Parliament, largely focused on agriculture, wealth creation, and economic transformation. But many Ugandans had expected the President to provide guidance on pressing national challenges.

One of the most notable omissions was the Ebola outbreak. The disease has already claimed lives and triggered public health measures across the country, including restrictions on large gatherings. The President delivered his address under strict attendance controls aimed at preventing the spread of Ebola. Yet throughout the speech, he did not mention the outbreak or outline government efforts to contain it. Beyond Ebola, stakeholders had anticipated updates on broader challenges in the health sector, including concerns surrounding medical interns, staffing shortages, and healthcare financing. These issues were not addressed. Corruption, another issue that has dominated national debate in recent weeks, also received limited attention.

Corruption

Although the President reiterated his commitment to fighting corruption, he did not directly address ongoing investigations involving former Speaker Anita Among. Critics argue that while corruption continues to cost Uganda trillions of shillings annually, the President stopped short of outlining concrete measures his government intends to implement to tackle the vice. Security matters similarly received little attention. Unlike previous State of the Nation Addresses, where the President detailed security priorities and regional stability efforts, this year’s speech mentioned security only briefly in the context of political and economic integration within Africa.

The tourism sector, which the government views as a key driver of the country’s Tenfold Growth Strategy aimed at expanding Uganda’s economy to $500 billion by 2050, was also left out. Industry players had hoped for assurances on government plans to boost tourist arrivals and strengthen the sector’s contribution to national development.

Education stakeholders were equally left unsatisfied . The sector continues to face numerous challenges, including inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortages, salary disparities, and overcrowded classrooms. Yet the President offered no detailed assessment of the sector’s status or priorities for the next five years.

The word “education” appeared only three times in the speech, with references largely linked to historical accounts and proposed legislation.

Observers also noted the absence of discussion on science, technology, and innovation, sectors that the government has consistently identified as central to economic transformation. Significant public resources have been invested in scientific research and innovation projects, but the President did not provide updates on progress or future plans.

Oil sector

Another major omission was Uganda’s oil and gas sector. The President has frequently used public addresses to update citizens on the progress of oil projects. With first oil production expected in the coming weeks and fuel prices remaining a concern, expectations were high that he would address developments in the sector. However, the President made no mention of oil production timelines, fuel prices, or the broader energy sector.

Infrastructure development also received less attention. While the President provided updates on ongoing projects, he did not announce any major new road projects or transport infrastructure initiatives. Environmental concerns also failed to feature prominently in the address. As the President spoke at Kololo, authorities were reportedly carrying out evictions of residents from wetlands in Busabala. Despite his longstanding advocacy for wetland conservation, the issue was not mentioned. Questions surrounding human rights and the rule of law also remained unaddressed.

The speech came amid continued public concern over allegations of abductions, prolonged detention of political opponents, and broader governance issues. Critics had expected the President to comment on these matters, particularly given the continued detention of Opposition figure Kizza Besigye following his arrest in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2023. Other areas that received little or no attention included natural resources management, agro-industrialisation, and unemployment.

President Yoweri Museveni on Friday broke ground for the construction of the Kidepo International Airport in Karenga District, emphasising that it will improve access to Kidepo Valley National Park, boost tourism, attract investors and create jobs for young people.

”The airport will improve access to Kidepo Valley National Park, boost tourism, attract investors, create jobs for our young people and expand markets for local products.” Said Mr Museveni.

According to him, already, more than 1,600 Ugandans are employed on the project.

Mr Museveni noted that Karamoja has come a long way from the days of insecurity, cattle rustling, and lawlessness, saying that the restoration of peace has created the conditions for the region to develop.

The works will be funded by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry from the United Arab Emirates, which the President recognized the immense opportunities that exist in Uganda and Africa.

The facility, worth Shs269 billion, includes a 3.6 kilometer runway, 7,408-square-metre passenger terminal, 74,200 meter cargo terminal.

According to Uganda Wildlife Authority, Kidepo Valley National Park is Uganda’s most remote and least explored national park, yet it is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most breathtaking wilderness areas.

Located in the semi-arid valleys of Karamoja, the park borders South Sudan to the northwest and Kenya just 5km to the east, sitting approximately 700km from Kampala.

It has a variety of big game, unique landscapes, and rich birdlife. It is home to over 77 mammal species and 476 bird species.

Dear Diary,

A friend, let us call her Zara, has been dating someone for three weeks. Nice guy. Shows up. Texts back. By all available data, completely normal. Maybe even good. Naturally, this is utterly destroying her. Zara is in the group chat daily, not to share good news, but to build a federal case. ‘He was very calm when I cancelled on him. Is that normal?’ ‘He has not posted a story in four days. What is he hiding?’ ‘He said he had a good childhood. Do we believe that?’ She is practically begging for a red flag. Last week she sent me a TikTok titled ’10 signs you are dating a covert narcissist.’ She had circled three of them. The man’s unspeakable crimes? He sometimes takes an hour to reply to a text. He does not share his deepest feelings unprompted. He is, on occasion, in a mood.

I watched the video. Then the next one. Then six more. And what I discovered is: I am also a narcissist. Actually, we all are. The algorithm has diagnosed us. Every single one of us. If you have spent time on the internet, you have been assigned a disorder, a trauma response, an attachment style, and at least one toxic trait. You are either the narcissist, or you are healing from one. There is no third option. The TikTok algorithm does not allow you to just be a regular person who forgets their keys sometimes.

And the flags. The flags are a psychological hazard at this point. Bad communication one time? Red flag. Being emotionally unavailable on a Tuesday afternoon? Red flag. Having a complicated relationship with his mother? Red flag. Posting too much on Instagram? Red flag. Not posting? Highly suspicious. Texting back too fast? Desperate. Texting back too slow? Avoidant. Being in a good mood is ‘masking,’ and being in a bad mood is ’emotional immaturity.’ There is quite literally no correct way to be a human being anymore. We have successfully pathologised existing. Now, I am not saying real red flags do not exist. If he raises his hand at you, that is not him ‘having a bad day.’ We are not confused about those. Run.

But somewhere between actual abuse and ‘he took three hours to reply,’ we lost the plot. Completely. Here is what is actually happening; psychology discovered the internet, repackaged itself in a ring light, and now hunts us down when we are at our most vulnerable. Usually at 2am, right when the algorithm predicts we are the prime demographic for ‘signs he does not actually love you’ content. This stuff is not designed to help us build healthy relationships. It is designed to keep us watching. Anxiety keeps you scrolling. Certainty does not. A woman who has her life figured out closes the app. A woman who is actively spiralling hits play on the next 16 videos. So the content just keeps expanding the definitions.

It keeps making ordinary human messiness look like severe psychological damage. It keeps producing Zaras. Women who walk into a perfectly good situation and spend months trying to find the catch. Women who are not falling in love, they are conducting forensic investigation. Women who have been so thoroughly convinced that everyone is broken that they cannot recognise a functioning person when he shows up. And the truly unhinged part? We do it to ourselves too. We are diagnosing our triggers, our patterns, our wounds. We are trapped in therapy, buried in journals, drowning in meditation apps, and unpacking ourselves into microscopic pieces. And somewhere in all that unpacking, we forgot to just live.

So here is where I leave you. Not with a checklist, or a worksheet for your ‘healing era.’ Just a question: Before you opened the app, before the group chat weighed in, before the podcast that felt like it was personally attacking your life choices… what did your gut say? We have not lost our instincts. We have just buried them under five gigabytes of content and called it self-awareness.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Uganda’s latest masterclass in fiscal gymnastics, where the budget is on a diet but only certain people are allowed to lose weight. In a dazzling display of governmental genius that would make circus contortionists weep with envy, Uganda’s leadership has once again proven that when it comes to cutting costs, nothing is too sacred except, of course, the ever-expanding waistline of the political class.

While medical interns are being told to work for the love of humanity and perhaps a complimentary plate of posho if the hospital kitchen feels generous, the noble art of creating more ministerial positions, bloating Parliament, and generously adjusting allowances continues with the urgency of a man late for his own wedding.

These are people who have survived years of medical school, exams that read like ancient spells, and hospital shifts that make military training look like a wellness retreat. After all that, just when they finally reach the finish line, the system looks at them and says: congratulations but your payment is experience.

Apparently, producing more doctors is now a budgeting emergency, we may soon declare education itself as a luxury item.

In the same Kampala, cabinet expansion talks continue like a landlord discovering vertical construction. Ministers, ministers of state, assistant ministers, deputy assistants of ministers.

Each one comes with fuel, convoy, office, allowances, furniture, and at least one mandatory benchmarking trip to a country that has already solved the problem we are travelling to study. Parliament, of course, is fully operational in its natural habitat: the national allowance distribution centre. Constituencies keep multiplying like software updates and committees appear like side quests.

Every session introduces a new form of facilitation allowance yet when someone mentions paying interns, the national budget suddenly behaves like it has seen a ghost.

A medical intern at Mulago is on hour 30 of a shift, surviving on tea, adrenaline, and sheer spiritual resilience.

He has delivered babies, handled emergencies, and made life-or-death decisions without sleeping. At the exact same time, somewhere in a heavily air-conditioned office, a newly appointed official is approving fuel for a convoy that will attend a meeting about improving efficiency. Both are serving the country, no doubt !

And that is Uganda’s real talent: selective austerity. We tighten belts where it hurts least, but the pattern is simple: those who hold scalpels and chalks are always told to understand, while those who hold microphones and budgets are told to increase allocation. Uganda, once again, remains undefeated in the art of financial illusion.

Nine people have been rescued as the search for more continues after a building under construction collapsed in Kisota Zone, Kibaaye Parish, Kawempe Division, Kampala on Friday afternoon.

Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Rachel Kawala, said the nine people were successfully evacuated for treatment after the incident, which occurred at 3pm.

”Rescue operations are still ongoing to establish whether there are additional persons trapped under the debris and to determine if there are any fatalities.” She said.

Ms Kawala explained that investigations into the circumstances under which the collapse occurred have commenced.

”Police have commenced investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collapse.”

By press time, efforts were underway to trace and apprehend the site supervisor and other persons who may be held responsible to assist with the ongoing investigations.

Health officials in Busoga Sub-region have raised concern over persistent water-borne diseases, saying poor sanitation and inadequate access to safe water continue to contribute to preventable illnesses and deaths, particularly among children under five.

The concerns were raised during a stakeholder meeting organised by Jinja Regional Referral Hospital to discuss the role of community leaders in promoting improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices.

Dr Alfred Yayi, a senior executive consultant at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, urged political, religious, cultural and community leaders to intensify public awareness campaigns on hygiene and sanitation.

“We need community leaders to educate the public on the importance of safe water, proper sanitation and good hygiene practices. Their voices are respected and can help change behaviours that contribute to disease outbreaks,” Dr Yayi said.

Data presented at the meeting showed that diarrhoeal diseases remain a major public health challenge. According to the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH), diarrhoea accounted for about 10 percent of deaths among children under five in Uganda in 2022.

In Busoga, more than 40 percent of outpatient visits in 2023 were linked to WASH-related illnesses, including diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid.

Mr Joseph Oposhia of the Busoga Regional Emergency Operations Centre said several disease outbreaks reported in the region have been linked to poor sanitation and contaminated water sources.

He cited cases of cholera, viral conjunctivitis, mumps and food-borne illnesses reported in Jinja and Luuka districts in 2024, which investigations associated with the use of contaminated water from shared sources.

Mr Oposhia said open defecation remains common in some communities, particularly on islands in Namayingo District and parts of Jinja City, increasing the risk of disease transmission.

Jinja City Health Officer Dr Fredrick Isabirye said health authorities are also monitoring cases of schistosomiasis, commonly known as bilharzia, in Kisima I and Kisima II islands and neighbouring communities along the shores of Lake Victoria.

More than 100 stool samples have been collected for laboratory testing to confirm infections and guide treatment, he said.

“The parasite enters through the skin when a person comes into contact with infested water and, if left untreated, can cause severe complications,” Dr Isabirye said.

Assistant Resident City Commissioner Paul Balidawa called on local leaders to enforce hygiene measures at household level, including regular handwashing, proper waste disposal and protection of water sources.

He also urged residents to boil drinking water to reduce the risk of infection.

Health officials warned that inadequate investment in water infrastructure, sanitation facilities and public awareness programmes continues to undermine efforts to control preventable diseases across the region.

According to available data, safe water coverage in Busoga remains below 65 percent, compared with the national target of 85 percent. Sanitation coverage is estimated at below 50 percent in several districts, while about 30 percent of households lack access to improved sanitation facilities and handwashing stations.

A 2021 Ministry of Health assessment further found that only 38 percent of health facilities in the region had an on-site basic water supply, while fewer than 25 percent had functional handwashing facilities at points of care.

More than 500 villages across five sub-counties in Namisindwa District are facing increased risk after large ground cracks widened following heavy rains, damaging homes, farmland and infrastructure.

The affected areas include Buwabwala, Bumumali, Tsekululu, Mukoto and Luwa Town Council, where residents reported fresh destruction after rainfall on Wednesday triggered landslides and flooding.

District Chairperson Emma Bwayo said an assessment conducted with local leaders found that the cracks were expanding, increasing the threat to lives and property.

“The cracks are expanding rapidly, and the risk to lives and property is very high. We are working with local leaders to assess the most urgent needs and coordinate support,” Mr Bwayo said.

Residents said several homes have developed deep fissures, while large sections of farmland planted with maize, beans and bananas have either been buried by landslides or washed away by floodwaters.

Timothy Nashimolo, a resident, said some families have already been displaced while others remain in areas considered vulnerable to further ground movement.

Local leaders are calling for emergency relief assistance and longer-term measures to address recurring landslide risks in the mountainous district.

Environmental expert David Okot warned that continued rainfall could worsen the situation if no intervention is undertaken.

Mr Bwayo said the district was compiling a report for submission to central government seeking emergency support and long-term mitigation measures.

“It is time for the government to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves. We should not wait for people to lose their lives before taking action,” he said.

Betty Nandutu, the district councillor representing Tsekululu and Bungati and secretary for social services, said many residents were spending nights in fear as floodwaters continued to enter homes.

“If government does not intervene quickly, hunger will become another disaster facing our people,” Ms Nandutu said.

She added that the destruction of crops could undermine household incomes and recovery efforts under the Parish Development Model, as many families rely on farming as their primary source of livelihood.

Several affected residents, including Khaukha Cassim, Makati Patrick and Elvis Wamono, said they had nowhere to relocate despite living in homes threatened by widening cracks.

“We are sleeping in houses that could collapse at any time. Every day we fear for our lives, but we have nowhere else to go,” Mr Wamono said.

Namisindwa lies within the Bugisu sub-region, which has experienced repeated landslides over the past decade. Districts including Bududa, Bulambuli, Sironko and Namisindwa have recorded numerous disasters that have killed hundreds of people and displaced thousands.

Among the deadliest incidents was the 2010 landslide in Nametsi village, Bududa District, which killed more than 100 people. Other major landslides occurred in Bududa in 2012 and 2018, while Bulambuli District recorded fatalities in both 2023 and 2024.

The government launched a resettlement programme in 2010 targeting communities living in high-risk areas. However, many households remain in landslide-prone zones, while some relocated families have struggled to adapt due to limited access to suitable agricultural land.