Category: Daily Monitor

We were having a chat with someone about what lies behind this Arsenal euphoria, particularly their recent English Premiership Cup victory, and we concluded that this love was mostly formed in the early years, when the team was very strong and popular. In fact, it was at the same time that Manchester United was also dominant. It makes sense that this almost unusual team attachment, at least from England, tends to fall between these two teams, even here in Uganda.

Why share such a background? The attachment to these two teams, even though they are foreign, grew among supporters here over time, and I imagine your husband may fall under this category.

So, you are dealing with a fairly serious attachment, and understanding it would help you determine the best way to approach it.

First though, let us analyse the basics. I do not imagine Arsenal matches and the drama happen every day. The Arsenal emotional issues come and go. I wonder how he is when there is nothing to do with Arsenal, unless it is a general football problem which you did not point out. The point is that by the pattern you now know, his behaviour is predictable. What is predictable will usually give you a way to deal with it. If you can adjust your mind to this, you are not going to be caught off guard or even surprised. Do not allow your mind to be destabilised by what you know is coming.

This is something you can teach yourself if you choose to. Just like you learn to predict a teenager’s dramatic behaviour and start to choose not to be affected until the episodes pass. It is applying the principle of dealing with what you can control against what you cannot.

This will, therefore, help you deal with the apparent irritation you seem to have for the Arsenal subject and thus manage your irritation. Once you can manage your feelings, then you will preserve your emotional peace and, interestingly, besides giving you peace, it may have an unintended effect on him when he notices you no longer mind his dramatic displays. It would be helpful if you found things you like to do that will occupy your mind and give you a positive feeling.

It is important too to address this issue with him, not with the intent of making him stop supporting the team or make him feel guilty for it, because this approach would make him defensive. Choosing the right tone and the right timing can help in this regard. For example, you may express yourself like:

‘When you are watching matches, it feels difficult for the family to get your attention,’ as opposed to ‘You care more about football than us.’

In the second instance, it is an attack; in the first, it is raising an issue.

You raised the issue of him not listening to an issue about your son’s education during an Arsenal match. This is where your insight comes into play. By now you know that this would not be the right time for serious discussions with him. I would say you hold it off until the Arsenal Euphoria passes. It spares you the irritation and thus the tension thereafter.

Juliet, would you say on the whole that your husband is neglectful? It is not clear in your letter, but it seems he has these very intense moments which overshadow you, and it starts to feel like this football thing is in competition with you. But perhaps that is a viewpoint. If, on the whole, he is still responsible and cares about the family, then a different viewpoint will enable you to reserve your emotional energy for the right thing, which may be only when there is an emergency; then you step up. But if not, see him beyond his football craze. See him holistically; preserve your inner peace by not choosing to be offended, and step up if there is a need to interrupt this craze.

You have the power, once you are not being controlled by his Arsenal mood, to help everyone else not be dominated by the same mood. So, you have a key role to play to disarm yourself and the household of his Arsenal craze and the moods that come along. As said earlier, he may notice that you can live free of his football craze, and this can create room for you to discuss this issue more. Being evidently irritated might serve to deepen his dramatic football craze.

Please contact us on sssetumba@ug.nationmedia.com

Reader advice

Learn to prioritise

Rosie Prince. Financial matters such as school fees should not be mixed with football discussions. Create balance in the home, keep meals, fun, and football light-hearted, and handle responsibilities in a calm, focused setting.

Why talk after a loss?

Dëly George. If you want an Arsenal fan’s attention and affection, avoid raising serious issues immediately after a loss. Give it two or three days. Emotions run high after matches, so waiting helps ensure calm communication and avoids unnecessary tension or misunderstandings.

The season has ended

Ronald K Davis. You should probably have his full attention now that the football season has ended. This is a good opportunity to revisit important conversations, settle pending discussions, and reconnect without the distraction of weekly match emotions.

Football loyalty is okay

El Tazorla Lweso. Football loyalty is normal and part of passion. However, relationships should also be handled with understanding, patience, and respect so that neither partner feels replaced or less important than hobbies.

Be more assertive

Joel Jolikiba Anguyo. Instead of becoming invisible or withdrawing when issues arise, aim to become stronger and more assertive. Find ways to be heard clearly without conflict, ensuring your voice is respected while still maintaining peace in the relationship.

Communicate better

Martin Ssebyala. It is not easy to change someone’s long-standing habits overnight. Instead of constant complaints, try patience and understanding. If pressured too much, he may withdraw or develop other avoidant behaviours. Healthy communication and gradual adjustment work better than repeated confrontation.

Avoid overreacting

Faustine Oluka Jr. You are probably overreacting a bit. Allow your partner to enjoy football as part of his relaxation. Instead of conflict, try understanding what brings him joy and find better ways to share attention between personal interests and relationship responsibilities.

Understand his passion

Evas Kembabazi. Learn your partner’s interests and schedule important conversations wisely. Understanding his passion for football can help reduce conflict and improve harmony at home through better timing and communication.

Pause and reflect

Evelyne Nancy Atim. Sometimes all you can do is laugh at how seriously people take football discussions. The reactions are intense, but at the end of the day, it is just a game meant for enjoyment and shared excitement among fans.

In a bid to confront Uganda’s escalating environmental crises, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has thrown its weight behind a new private-sector initiative that uses the power of photography to demand climate action and drive policy reform.

Speaking at the official launch of the Safal Eye in the Wild Photography Competition 2026 in Kampala on June 2, Mr. Wilbert Ikilai, NEMA’s Assistant Commissioner for Environmental Education and Advocacy, emphasized that visual storytelling is a critical tool for triggering government accountability.

“If you take a picture of floods in Kampala, policymakers will be asking questions like, ‘What should we do about the floods?'” Mr. Ikilai stated. “One picture is worth a thousand words. If a picture is shared with the people out there, it will create awareness. When people are aware of what is happening, decisions can be made and responses can be sought from the concerned authorities.”

The 2026 competition is spearheaded by Uganda Baati Limited through its philanthropic arm, the Safal Uganda Baati Foundation. The initiative leverages photography to advance environmental conservation and education across East and Southern Africa, encouraging both professional and amateur shutterbugs to capture the complex relationship between nature, local communities, and sustainable development.

Mr Ikilai noted that NEMA-established in 1995 as the principal agency for environmental management and policy enforcement in Uganda-fully supports the campaign because it aligns directly with the authority’s core mandate.

The high-profile launch attracted key stakeholders from across the economic spectrum, including representatives from the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) and the Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA), signaling a unified front between corporate leaders and environmental regulators.

Ms Jackie Tahakanizibwa, Head of External and Corporate Affairs at Uganda Baati, underscored the transformative nature of the campaign, noting that the initiative bridges the gap between artistic expression and environmental survival.

“At Uganda Baati, we believe that great photography does more than capture images; it captures stories, inspires action, and deepens our connection to the world around us,” Ms. Tahakanizibwa said. “Through this competition, every image has the power to spark awareness and inspire us to protect our natural heritage.”

The competition features significant financial incentives, with winners poised to walk away with cash prizes ranging from $500 to $3,000. Beyond the prize money, every submission actively funds regional education initiatives, including building classrooms and providing scholarships.

The urgency of the photography campaign is underscored by the grim findings of the State of the Environment Report 2024. The report highlights that Uganda is currently battling a severe cocktail of ecological threats that jeopardize both its rich biodiversity and human livelihoods.

The competition is open to professional, amateur, and youth photographers using either professional rigs or mobile devices. Submissions must be uploaded via the official campaign platform before the June 20, 2026 deadline, where an expert panel will judge them on creativity, originality, and ecological impact.

Six years after being elevated to city status, Mbale City continues to face funding constraints, planning gaps and the absence of a tailored legal framework to manage rapid urban expansion, officials and stakeholders say.

Mbale was among the first municipalities elevated to city status in 2020 following Cabinet approval of new urban centres in 2018. It began operations alongside Arua, Gulu, Jinja, Mbarara, Masaka and Fort Portal, while Soroti, Hoima and Lira followed in 2021.

The reform was intended to promote urbanisation, improve service delivery and strengthen regional economic growth by decentralising services from Kampala.

However, local leaders say the transition has fallen short of expectations.

Abdallah Magambo, former deputy speaker of Mbale City Council, said the expansion of the city’s boundaries significantly increased administrative responsibilities without a matching rise in development financing.

The city absorbed seven sub-counties and two town councils, including Bukonde, Lwasso, Namanyonyi, Namabasa, Bukasakya and Bungokho-Mutoto, as well as Nauyo-Bugema and Nakaloke town councils.

‘People expected improved service delivery after city status, but the city inherited a much bigger administrative structure without a proportional increase in development funding,’ Magambo said.

Town clerk Assy Abirebe Tumwesigire said recurrent expenditure and staffing costs had increased, but development funding for infrastructure remained largely unchanged.

‘When Mbale was still a municipality, we received about Shs 1.3 billion for roads, and that is almost the same amount we receive today as a city, yet the road network has expanded from about 150 kilometres to more than 450 kilometres,’ he said.

City records show that Mbale Municipality previously operated on an annual budget of about Shs 26 billion. In the 2025/26 financial year, the city budget rose to Shs 50.3 billion, though officials say much of the increase goes to wages and recurrent costs.

Officials also say the expansion of administrative units has stretched service delivery in education and health.

Tumwesigire said urban road maintenance remains underfunded despite rising costs linked to drainage systems, crossings and higher construction standards.

He also said Mbale still operates under the Local Government Act, which he described as inadequate for urban governance.

‘We need a special law to regulate urban governance because cities face unique challenges such as waste management, traffic control, parking and urban planning,’ he said.

Former Mbale City mayor Kassimu Namugali said road maintenance funding had declined from about Shs 1.2 billion during municipality status to roughly Shs 380 million plus a Shs 1 billion special allocation after elevation to city status.

He said education infrastructure had also come under pressure due to the rapid expansion of the city boundary.

Ali Walusimbi, president of the Mbale City Development Forum, said weak physical planning had contributed to unregulated growth.

He said the city lacks key technical staff, including a substantive senior physical planner and a certified city engineer.

‘These staffing gaps have affected physical planning and guided urban development,’ Walusimbi said.

Mbale City Public Accounts Committee chairperson Rogers Kimaswa said decentralisation had weakened as financial control increasingly shifted to the central government.

‘Local governments no longer enjoy full autonomy because most financial decisions are controlled from the centre,’ he said.

Retired architect and former Budadiri East MP Cosmas Busima Mafabi said Mbale’s elevation to city status was not supported by a clear implementation framework.

‘There was no clear framework to guide urban expansion and service delivery. Some rural areas were added without proper consultations,’ he said.

Opinion leader Abas Wetaka blamed underdevelopment on weak revenue management and alleged leakages in local collections.

He said the city should invest more in revenue-generating assets rather than relying heavily on central government transfers.

City spokesperson James Kutosi said Mbale now depends on a mix of conditional grants, unconditional grants and local revenue.

He said the city approved a Shs 56 billion budget for the 2026/27 financial year, with about Shs 6 billion expected from local revenue.

He added that local revenue collection had improved significantly, rising from between Shs 500 million and Shs 570 million in 2019/20 to about Shs 3.8 billion by March 2026, attributing the growth to digital revenue systems that have reduced cash handling and leakages.

China’s deepening demographic crisis entered a more fragile phase this year as Beijing unveiled a nationwide elder care initiative that relied not on expanding professional welfare services, but on encouraging younger retirees to care for the country’s oldest citizens.

Presented by Chinese authorities as an innovative community-based solution, the so-called ‘mutual aid elder care’ programme quickly drew scrutiny from analysts and social policy observers who argued that the initiative reflected mounting financial pressure and structural weakness inside China’s ageing welfare system.

The policy framework, jointly introduced in late April by China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs and 10 other state departments, proposed a nationwide network of community-based support centres where relatively healthy retirees in their 60s would assist older residents with basic daily care and social support.

According to official plans published through state media, Beijing aimed to establish mutual-aid elder care facilities across 70 percent of urban and rural communities by 2030, before creating a more institutionalised nationwide system by 2035.

Yet behind the language of community solidarity lay a far more serious reality.

China was confronting one of the fastest demographic transitions in the world, with shrinking birth rates, a rapidly ageing population, widening pension inequality and growing pressure on local government finances.

For many observers, the new policy appeared less like a welfare expansion and more like an attempt to shift responsibility for elder care away from the state and onto already strained communities.

China’s demographic turning point

The scale of China’s ageing crisis became increasingly stark in official statistics released earlier this year.

Data published by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that the country’s population aged 60 and above had reached approximately 323 million by the end of 2025 – roughly 23 percent of the total population.

At the same time, China’s birth rate continued its long decline.

Only 7.92 million births were recorded during the year, while the country’s natural population growth rate remained negative.

For the first time in modern Chinese history, citizens aged 65 and older accounted for a larger share of the population than children aged 14 and under.

The figures reflected a profound demographic reversal for a country that spent decades relying on a massive working-age population to drive industrial growth and economic expansion.

Now, China faced the challenge of growing old before many parts of the country had achieved stable prosperity, particularly in rural regions where healthcare systems, pensions and social welfare remained deeply uneven.

The crisis was especially visible in villages hollowed out by decades of migration to urban centres.

Millions of younger workers had left rural communities in search of employment in cities, leaving behind ageing parents and grandparents with limited support structures.

In many parts of rural China, entire communities had become dominated by elderly residents living alone or caring for one another.

A welfare system divided by class and geography

China’s pension system revealed some of the sharpest inequalities within the country’s social structure.

Publicly available Chinese social security data showed enormous gaps between different groups of retirees.

Roughly 180 million rural residents and low-income citizens reportedly received basic pensions averaging around 200 yuan a month – equivalent to less than $30.

For many elderly villagers, the amount barely covered food costs, let alone medical treatment or assisted care.

At the other end of the system, retired government officials and public-sector employees received vastly higher benefits.

Approximately 23 million retirees from state institutions reportedly collected pensions and welfare packages exceeding 6,000 yuan per month, roughly 30 times the income of many rural pensioners.

Urban retirees generally received significantly larger pensions than their rural counterparts as well.

The imbalance reflected longstanding structural divisions inside China’s welfare model, where access to social benefits often depended heavily on employment status, residency classification and links to the state sector.

Critics argued that the disparities exposed Beijing’s broader spending priorities.

While Chinese authorities frequently emphasised ‘people-centred development’ and social stability, analysts pointed out that much of the country’s pension spending continued to favour entrenched bureaucratic and urban interest groups rather than vulnerable rural populations.

For elderly villagers without family support or savings, the situation had become increasingly precarious.

Fiscal pressure behind policy shift

The rollout of the ‘mutual aid’ programme came at a time when local governments across China faced worsening financial stress.

For years, municipalities relied heavily on land sales to property developers as a major source of revenue.

But China’s prolonged property downturn sharply reduced those income streams, leaving many regional administrations burdened with rising debt and shrinking fiscal capacity.

Official figures from China’s Ministry of Finance showed that revenue from state land-use rights sales fell by more than 25 percent year-on-year during the opening months of 2026.

At the same time, interest payments on government debt continued rising rapidly.

Against that backdrop, the large-scale expansion of professional elder care services would have required massive public spending.

Analysts estimated that providing comprehensive rural elder care nationwide could cost around one trillion yuan annually – a significant figure, though still relatively small compared with China’s total government expenditure.

Yet Beijing’s budget priorities increasingly focused elsewhere.

Reports from policy researchers, including analysts at the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Germany, indicated that China’s 2026 fiscal planning prioritised technology development, industrial policy and national defence spending, placing additional pressure on social welfare budgets.

The ‘mutual aid’ approach appeared to many observers as a low-cost alternative designed to manage a growing crisis without substantially increasing state expenditure.

Communities asked to carry the burden

The central premise of the programme – elderly citizens caring for even older citizens – raised questions about sustainability from the outset.

Chinese authorities framed the initiative as a revival of community solidarity and neighbourly support. But analysts warned that relying heavily on volunteers and informal caregiving networks exposed the weakness of the broader welfare system.

Many of the retirees expected to provide care were themselves approaching old age, often with limited income and healthcare support.

In rural areas already suffering from labour shortages and population decline, communities lacked sufficient trained personnel, medical infrastructure and financial subsidies to support long-term care needs.

Critics argued that the programme effectively transferred responsibility from the state onto local communities that were already under severe social and economic strain.

The challenge was expected to intensify dramatically in the coming decades.

According to figures cited by Chinese state media, China could have around 46 million disabled or partially disabled elderly citizens by 2035. By 2050, that number was projected to rise to roughly 58 million.

Such figures pointed towards a rapidly expanding care burden that informal volunteer networks would struggle to absorb.

Analysts also warned of a structural contradiction at the heart of the policy itself.

Today’s caregivers, they noted, would eventually become tomorrow’s care recipients.

A system dependent on ageing volunteers, minimal subsidies and informal relationships risked becoming increasingly fragile as demographic pressures accelerated.

A crisis becoming harder to conceal

China’s ageing population crisis was no longer merely a private family issue. It was evolving into a broader economic, fiscal and social challenge with implications for long-term stability.

For decades, elder care in China relied heavily on traditional family structures, where children cared for ageing parents. But urbanisation, migration, falling birth rates and changing economic realities steadily weakened that model.

Now, many elderly citizens find themselves living in communities with shrinking populations, limited welfare support and few younger relatives nearby.

The ‘mutual aid elder care’ initiative reflected Beijing’s attempt to manage that transition without fundamentally restructuring the welfare system or dramatically increasing public expenditure.

But critics argued that the programme also revealed how difficult it had become for local governments to cope with China’s demographic transformation.

Rather than solving the underlying pressures, they said, the policy redistributed them – shifting the burden from institutions onto ageing communities already struggling with poverty, isolation and shrinking resources.

And as China’s population continued to age faster than its economy adapted, the country’s elder care challenge appeared increasingly likely to become one of the defining social pressures confronting the Communist Party in the years ahead.

I have noted with concern the ongoing discussion about the positions of leadership in the three arms of government and the calls for gender parity at top levels, upon which I wish to convey the following views.

In British history, Queen Elizabeth I was one of the most prominent English monarchs, having reigned in the 16th Century.

Successive leaderships followed with both male and female crowns, including the notorious Victorian era in the 19th Century.

In all these reigns of the women as the Queens of England, the situation and treatment of women remained largely the same.

For example even when Elizabeth had executive powers, she never appointed fellow women even in advisory roles.

The oppression and exploitation of women remained prevalent in England until World War I when reforms started rolling out, with the prominent one being the 1928 reform that granted women voting rights.

In 1762, Czar Catherine became the Russian monarch after overthrowing her husband in a bloodless coup. Yet Catherine, with full executive powers, did not upgrade the status of women in Russia and they remained relegated to kitchen work.

Thanks to the Bolshevik Revolution, which ushered in communism that promoted free education for all (men and women).

21st Century Uganda has seen women as heads of government institutions. For example, women have headed Parliament for the last 15 years.

Women hold key positions in Cabinet, including the education and health docket. Yet Ugandan school girls are yet to have sanitary pads provided for them by government.

These anecdotes point to one key fact; elevating a few women in positions of power does not in itself improve the general status of women.

Instead, it creates a political ghetto for the elevated women and keeps the majority relegated.

Therefore, the war calling for appointment of the already elevated women into more powerful positions, seems to me, is a misguided approach to women empowerment as it sacrifices the greater cause of women to benefit a handful.

A deduction of the historical facts presented proves that women empowerment becomes possible only when proper laws and policies that promote inclusivity are pursued.

The problem of Uganda, as [Opposition activist Dr] Kiiza Besigye has always argued, is an institutional question – not personalities.

The call for inclusiveness necessitates a comprehensive institutional reform that promotes economic welfare of women and Ugandans in general – ensuring equitable access to education, employment opportunities, and an easier way to establish income generating vehicles.

Judging by the events in [President] Musevenic Uganda, it appears to me that only revolution with a targeted system and policy reform can help us arrive at that milestone.

I hope that with concerted efforts, we can focus on pursuing a socio-economic reform process to help us arrive in the promised land.

By necessity, this year’s June 3 celebrations had to be scaled down to minimise the risk of the spread of the deadly Ebola disease.

The clergy, Christian community and, the general public fully understand the implications of a mass gathering of this nature at this time, thus there have been few, if any, complaints on the matter.

This, however, should give us pause to reflect on how to hold Martyrs Day celebrations going forward, and how to commemorate the martyrs in light of modern-day challenges such as risks of disease outbreak.

A mass gathering such as that which has been hosted in Namugongo over the years, with the numbers of pilgrims in the hundreds of thousands, was always going to present several challenges: among them, security and health concerns.

According to the 2025 visitor analysis report by the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities, a total of 813,945 people visited Namugongo.

The report also noted the need for more and cleaner toilet facilities for pilgrims, including better facilities for persons with disabilities and a need for expanded infrastructure, facilities and amenities.

Over the years, the pull of the Namugongo pilgrimage has only grown, with more and more pilgrims trekking across districts and crossing borders to join in the Martyrs celebration.

This year’s scaled-back celebration is a demonstration that we can still celebrate the martyrs outside of a one-day mass gathering that stretches our facilities, risks health and threatens the environment.

It is time to think about decentralising the celebrations and providing for more and longer access at Namugongo, where pilgrims can visit the shrines at different times of the year.

This is not a suggestion to invalidate the significance of June 3.

The celebrations should go on in a different style, affording the different dioceses across the country a chance to host big events of their own, while saving on the public cost of putting on a mass show at Namugongo and spreading the benefits of income generation beyond the capital.

Namugongo should retain its historical value and remain open for scattered or themed celebrations across the year.

The church can determine what the new mode of celebration could look like. Going by the recent trend of visitor traffic growth amid limited space and facilities, something had to give.

Perhaps this is the perfect opportunity to rethink how we celebrate the Uganda Martyrs in years to come.

I have come to accept that I am in what might be called my technology discovery era. This is not a phrase I use lightly, but it describes my current willingness, even an eagerness, to try whatever applications my Apple-using friends and family recommend. You tell yourself that each new thing might be the one that works, the one that delivers on its promise.

You tell yourself this even when you know better. The latest experiment was the ‘Talk to Jesus’ app. You can also chat with the disciples, should that interest you. I did not download it expecting revelation. But I did not expect banality, either.

I came with questions. Not clever questions or performative questions, but the ones that have, over the course of my Christian journey, remained genuinely puzzling. Questions about direction.

About whether the small daily choices accumulate into anything legible. About what it means to please something larger than yourself. These are not original questions. They are the same questions people have been asking for 2,000 years. But I had hoped, perhaps naively, that a Jesus-themed app might have given some thought to the answers.

The first question I asked was how I was doing on my journey so far, and where I was likely to end up. ‘Jesus’ replied with something pedestrian. I am paraphrasing, but the response was along these lines: I am with you until the end of time.

This is not nothing, exactly. It is a sentiment. But it is also the kind of sentence you might find on a coffee mug or a motivational poster in a middle school classroom. It has no edges. It does not know you. It could have been generated by any large language model trained on a generic Christian platform.

I tried again. I asked how I could please him. The answer was vague; something to the effect that you cannot please God. I sat with this for a moment. There is a theological tradition that would agree with that statement. But a conversation is not a theological treatise. A conversation requires something more than a position. It requires attention. And there was no attention here, no warm, just a dry script.

By this point, I was bored. I was also, I admit, a little irritated by his persistent habit of calling me my child. Once might be tender. Twice might be pastoral. But after the fourth or fifth my child, the phrase begins to feel less like an address and more like a tic. It is the verbal equivalent of a stock photo; a smiling figure with no particular face, gesturing toward something you cannot quite see.

The app promised a great deal and delivered almost nothing. This is not an unusual story in technology. But it is worth saying clearly; if you are going to design a ‘Jesus app’, you might at least attempt to approximate the person as he has been described. Because the Jesus we know from the texts was not vague. He took large, unwieldy topics; forgiveness, wealth, the end of time itself, and made them simple enough for anyone to grasp.

He spoke in a language that everyone could relate with, using stories about seeds and sheep and debts forgiven. He communicated with ease, which is why his audience gathered and why he became one of the most sought-after teachers of his time. People walked for days to hear him. They did not do this because he called them my child in a flat, affectless tone.

This app is not that. This app is a flattening, a failure of imagination disguised as piety. It mistakes familiarity for wisdom and repetition for depth. I do not say this lightly. I simply note it as a fact, the way you might note that a faucet drips or that there is a crater-like pothole. The app did not work. It did not work because it had nothing to say, and worse, it did not know that it had nothing to say.

In the Gospels, Jesus often answered questions with questions, forcing people to look deeper into themselves and their own beliefs. This app did the opposite. It offered reassurance without insight, leaving the conversation feeling, in retrospect, oddly empty.

I suppose I should also blame myself for ever expecting truth from advertising. Still, I am glad I took that detour; got it out of my system. For now, I have resigned myself to my analog Bible reading and the original virtual communication; the Holy Spirit.

Moroto town is undergoing a striking urban transformation that local leaders say has elevated living standards and repositioned the Karamoja sub-region from a historically insecure frontier into an emerging industrial and investment hub.

Once defined by cattle rustling, gun violence, poor infrastructure, food shortages and limited connectivity, Moroto is now attracting investors in mining, manufacturing and hospitality as security stabilises and infrastructure expands.

Moroto District LC5 chairperson Angelo Pulkol said the town’s transformation is closely tied to the disarmament process that began in the early 2000s, which reduced armed violence and opened the region to development.

‘About 15 years ago, we had no tarmac here, and going to school outside Karamoja was a nightmare that involved sleeping on the roads for two days, especially during the rainy season. That has since changed,’ Pulkol said.

He said improved road networks linking Moroto through Soroti, Mbale and Nakapiripirit have eased transport of goods and improved trade flows into the region.

Pulkol said the town, once largely characterised by informal settlements, is now taking on a cosmopolitan character with growing investment in real estate, leisure and commerce.

He said apart from key public infrastructure such as Moroto Regional Referral Hospital, police headquarters, government offices, the Catholic diocese, prisons and a few commercial buildings, much of the town previously consisted of manyattas that he said had been associated with insecurity.

He added that improved stability has encouraged both local and foreign investors to explore Karamoja’s mineral resources.

‘Dollar hotels’

Ms Grace Sagal, 60, who has lived in Moroto since the 1970s, said the town has changed significantly over the past two decades.

‘At one point until early 2005, we only had Moroto Hotel as the only leisure place. Other accommodation had lots of bedbugs, including in police barracks,’ she said.

She said insecurity in the 1990s meant armed raids could occur inside town, especially during cycles of revenge attacks.

‘From previously having just Moroto Hotel, we now have hotels where payment is done in dollars. That is a milestone for us who know the Moroto we lived in three decades ago,’ she said.

She added that food shortages were common in the past, particularly during rainy seasons when transport routes from Katakwi, Nakapiripirit and other areas became impassable.

Another resident, Kassim Wesangala, said electricity access has also transformed daily life.

He said before Moroto was connected to the national grid about 13 years ago, the town relied on diesel generators that operated only between 6:00pm and 6:00am.

He said during the day, businesses relied on solar or private generators, and even charging phones or ironing required waiting for scheduled power hours.

Today, he said, new settlements, supermarkets and leisure facilities have emerged along major roads, including the Moroto-Soroti route.

Moroto’s on a development trajectory

Moroto Municipality Mayor Mark Sire said the town is now witnessing a wave of industrial investments, particularly in cement and construction materials.

He cited the Yaoboi Cement Karamoja factory in Nadunget, which is expected to create about 3,000 direct and indirect jobs, and a planned Tororo Cement plant in Tapac expected to employ more than 4,000 people.

He also pointed to a tile manufacturing plant in Rupa Sub-county owned by Chinese investors, saying such projects are reshaping Moroto’s economic outlook.

‘These plants are directing Moroto’s development trajectory,’ Sire said, adding that discussions for city status remain ongoing.

Mr Mike Longole, the public relations officer for Mt Moroto regional police headquarters, said security improvements have been central to the region’s economic turnaround.

He said sustained operations by the UPDF, territorial police and the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) have significantly reduced gun violence and cattle raids.

‘Sustained operations since 2021 have lowered the density of illegal firearms. A gun is now harder to get and riskier to use,’ he said.

He added that security forces have dismantled cross-border raiding networks that previously extended into Kitgum, Agago, Kenya and South Sudan.

Longole said permanent security detachments in sub-counties such as Kacheri, Rengen and Namalu have ensured continuous protection of schools, health centres and markets.

He said improved security has also shifted livelihoods, with more young people moving from cattle raiding into trade, boda-boda business, sand mining and recruitment into security forces.

President Museveni, recently speaking at the opening of the $300 million Yaoboi Cement Karamoja factory in Nadunget, said Karamoja’s future lies in industrialisation and infrastructure development.

He said the factory will produce more than 6,000 tonnes of cement clinker, adding that manufacturing will be central to transforming the region’s economy.

The new Kiryandongo District chairperson, Nelson Osaga, has taken office at a time when residents are demanding urgent improvements in health care, education, roads and job creation following a tense election period.

Osaga was sworn in on May 15, 2026, in a ceremony held at the district headquarters and administered by Chief Magistrate Samson Abiti Loum, who urged him to serve with integrity and accountability.

“Public office is for serving people. It must be used with honesty and responsibility,” Loum said.

The ceremony attracted district leaders, civil servants, religious leaders and residents, who welcomed the new administration with public celebrations.

However, the new leadership inherits a district facing deep service delivery challenges.

A key concern is post-election division, with some residents saying political tensions continue to affect cooperation in parts of the district.

Osaga called for unity among leaders and communities.

“We must work together, leaders, civil servants and residents, to improve our district. Without unity, development will be slow,” he said.

Unemployment remains another major challenge, particularly among young people engaged in subsistence farming, casual labour and informal businesses.

Muvuru Angenyo, a youth leader in Mutunda Sub-county, said young people want practical solutions.

“We need jobs and skills training, not just promises,” he said.

Osaga said youth programmes would be prioritised.

“I am aware that young people are facing unemployment and lack of opportunities. My administration will prioritise skills development and income generation programmes,” he said.

Health services continue to face staffing shortages and heavy patient loads.

A 2025 district health assessment shows that Panyadoli Health Centre IV operates at about 50 percent staffing capacity, with roughly 72 health workers instead of the required 130.

A June 2025 district report indicates the facility handles between 300 and 400 patients daily, far above capacity. Only about 30 staff are fully on the government payroll.

The shortages have resulted in long waiting times and pressure on service delivery.

Osaga pledged improvements in both health and education services.

“We are going to prioritise improvement of health and education services so that residents can access better medical care and children can learn in better conditions,” he said.

Education facilities are also strained, with overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages, especially in rural areas.

The 2025 education performance report shows some schools have more than 60 pupils per classroom, above the recommended ratio of 45:1, while teacher staffing stands at about 70 percent.

Road infrastructure remains another major concern, with many feeder roads becoming impassable during rainy seasons.

Osaga acknowledged the challenges and said the district would work with the central government and development partners to address them.

Mr Gerald Mwijukye, a farmer from Masindi Port Sub-county, said poor roads are affecting incomes.

“When roads are bad, it is hard to take our produce to the market. We lose money because traders avoid difficult routes,” he said.

According to the Kiryandongo District Development Plan (2025/26-2029/30), about 40 percent of feeder roads are in poor condition, affecting transport and market access.

More than 70 percent of households depend on subsistence farming, but incomes remain low due to limited value addition and productivity challenges.

Osaga also pledged tighter oversight of public funds.

“Every shilling must be used properly because it belongs to the people. Mismanagement of public resources will not be tolerated in my administration,” he said.

Kiryandongo District has approved a Shs 48.3 billion budget for the 2026/27 financial year, with Shs 18.1 billion allocated to education and Shs 9.3 billion to health, though officials say the funds remain insufficient to meet development needs.

The Ugandan government has sharply criticized the international community for imposing severe travel restrictions on its citizens, arguing the country is being “punished for its transparency” despite running a highly effective containment operation.

The protest comes as the Ministry of Health announced significant progress in managing the current outbreak, which involves mostly imported cases. On Thursday, health officials discharged four fully recovered Ebola patients and released 270 people who successfully completed their mandatory 21-day quarantine period.

Speaking at a joint press briefing with the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region and representatives from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Dr. Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary for Uganda’s Ministry of Health, expressed deep frustration over the diplomatic and economic isolation facing the country.

“Uganda has so far registered 15 positive cases; the index case died,” Dr. Atwine stated. “Four so far have been discharged as of this morning, and for the contacts, we have so far discharged 270 who have completed 21 days under quarantine, out of the 620 monitored.”

Dr. Atwine fiercely defended Uganda’s track record, reminding the international community of the nation’s extensive experience and specialized infrastructure for handling viral hemorrhagic fevers.

“Uganda has had nine Ebola outbreaks so far, but we have never exported any Ebola case outside our borders. We have the most effective contact tracing and management system. Our contacts are always quarantined, and so we are sure they will not leave to spread,” Dr. Atwine said.

To prevent cross-border transmission, Uganda has instituted a strict “no-fly” restriction at all major ports of entry.

“We share our contact list with all the people managing the travel industry, including immigration and foreign affairs,” she explained.

Despite these stringent measures, several Western nations have clamped down on travel from Uganda. Dr. Atwine suggested that the country’s open communication strategy has backfired internationally.

“We feel that we, as a country, have been a victim of transparency; the more we communicate, the more we are blocked, the more we are locked out, the more our citizens are stopped from travel,” she said. “For us, this is unfair… we do register dissatisfaction as a country because of the way we have been treated.”

The WHO has backed Uganda’s stance. Prof. Mohamed Yakub Janabi, the WHO African Region Director, appealed to global leaders to halt “blanket travel restrictions,” emphasizing that the medical context of Ebola does not warrant COVID-19-style lockdowns.

“Ebola Virus Disease is not an airborne disease like COVID-19,” Prof. Janabi stated, warning that arbitrary border closures inflict severe, unnecessary damage on local economies and civilian well-being.

The diplomatic friction intensified following a decision by the WHO on May 17 to declare the combined Ebola outbreaks in the DRC and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). Ugandan officials note that many international bodies are conflating the figures of both countries, worsening the panic.

In the wake of the PHEIC declaration, Western nations moved quickly to restrict travel.

On May 17, the U.S. State Department elevated its travel advisory for Uganda to “Level 4 – Do Not Travel,” citing the health situation alongside existing security concerns. By May 18, the U.S. government took the further step of temporarily pausing all visa operations at the U.S. Embassy in Kampala.

On May 26, the Canadian government issued its own alert, advising citizens to “avoid non-essential travel to Uganda due to the outbreak of Ebola disease.”

Ugandan health officials maintain that the outbreak is entirely under control domestically, calling on global partners to review their policies based on epidemiological facts rather than fear.