Category: Daily Monitor

Hello SB, for many car owners, especially in dusty environments or busy urban settings, washing a car feels like basic maintenance done as often as possible. In places such as Kampala, where roads can quickly cover vehicles in dust, mud, and pollution residue, some drivers even wash their cars daily. While cleanliness is important, there is a point where excessive or improper washing can begin to work against the vehicle rather than protect it.

On the surface, washing a car often seems harmless. After all, removing dirt should preserve the paint, not damage it. However, the issue is not just how often a car is washed, but how it is washed and what products or methods are used.

Modern car paint is protected by a clear coat, which is a thin transparent layer that gives the car its shine and shields the underlying paint. Each time a car is washed, especially with rough sponges, dirty cloths, or low-quality brushes, there is a risk of creating micro-scratches. Over time, these tiny scratches accumulate, leading to a dull, faded appearance commonly known as swirl marks.

Frequent washing also increases exposure to detergents. Some cheap soaps or strong household cleaning agents are not designed for automotive paint. They can strip away wax and protective sealants that help repel water, dirt, and UV rays. Without this protection, the paint becomes more vulnerable to oxidation, fading, and staining.

The hidden wear

Beyond the paintwork, over-washing can affect other parts of the vehicle. Rubber seals around doors and windows, for instance, can dry out or lose flexibility if constantly exposed to water and strong detergents. This may eventually lead to leaks, wind noise, or reduced insulation against dust and heat.

Underbody washing, while important for removing mud and corrosive materials, can also become harmful if done excessively or improperly. High-pressure water jets used too frequently may force moisture into areas that are meant to remain sealed, potentially accelerating rust in hidden spots if the vehicle does not dry properly.

Electrical components can also be affected if water is repeatedly sprayed into engine bays or sensitive areas without care. While modern cars are designed with some level of water resistance, they are not built for constant soaking.

So how often is too often?

There is no universal rule for how many times a car should be washed, because conditions vary. A vehicle driven on dusty rural roads or parked under trees where birds and sap are common may need more frequent cleaning than one used mainly on clean urban roads.

However, washing a car every day is generally unnecessary unless it is exposed to extreme dirt conditions. For most vehicles, a thorough wash once a week or once every two weeks is sufficient, provided it is done correctly.

The key is not frequency alone but technique. Using clean microfiber cloths, proper car shampoo, and plenty of clean water reduces the risk of scratching. It is also important to rinse thoroughly before wiping to remove abrasive particles such as dust and sand that can act like sandpaper on the paint.

Protecting the car while keeping it clean

Instead of focusing only on frequent washing, car owners should think about protection. Applying wax or modern ceramic coatings helps create a barrier between the paint and environmental contaminants. This means dirt is less likely to stick, and the car stays cleaner for longer.

Parking habits also matter. Whenever possible, parking under shade reduces exposure to UV rays, bird droppings, and tree sap, all of which can damage paint more aggressively than washing itself.

In conclusion, washing a car is not harmful in itself. In fact, it is essential for maintaining appearance and preventing long-term corrosion. However, like many aspects of vehicle care, balance is key. Over-washing with the wrong methods can slowly degrade paint quality and affect delicate components. The smartest approach is not to wash more, but to wash better.

Last weekend, I had a privilege of traveling with my mother, Adyeeri, on a long journey to Fort Portal. The winding roads, the green countryside, and the calm silence between conversations created the perfect atmosphere for reflection.

Somewhere along the journey, our discussion turned to one subject that has become impossible to ignore in modern society – parenting and the changing behaviour of children. Out of curiosity, and perhaps concern, I asked her a question many people have quietly asked themselves in recent years: ‘What is happening with children these days?’ Her answer came instantly and without hesitation.

‘Nothing is wrong with the children,’ she said calmly. ‘The problem is with the parents.’ That response caught me off guard.

For a moment, I expected the usual criticism directed at today’s generation – claims that children have become stubborn, disrespectful, entitled, or morally lost. Instead, my mother shifted the focus entirely. According to her, the real crisis lies not in children, but in the gradual withdrawal of parents from their sacred responsibility of raising them. Then she made a statement that stayed with me for the rest of the journey to-date: ‘These days, parents fear their children instead of children fearing their parents.’ This was a painful observation, but also an honest one.

Across many homes today, authority has quietly changed hands. Parents hesitate to correct their children. Discipline is often mistaken for cruelty. Guidance is replaced by negotiation. Many mothers and fathers now walk cautiously around their own children, afraid of confrontation, rebellion, emotional backlash, or being labelled ‘too harsh.’ Yet generations before us understood parenting differently. Parents were present. They guided firmly. They corrected lovingly. They invested time, values, and attention into shaping character. Children grew up knowing boundaries, respect, and responsibility.

Today, however, life has become, understandably, increasingly demanding. Parents are busier than ever before. Economic pressures force many to spend long hours away from home trying to provide better lives for their families. In the process, many homes have become more financially stable but emotionally disconnected. My mother pointed out another painful reality: children now spend most of their formative years in schools and institutions rather than under the influence of their parents. They wake up early for school, spend the entire day with teachers and peers, return home exhausted, and then disappear into phones, television, or social media. Others spend the entire school term in boarding schools.

As a result, the little time left for genuine parent-child interaction has kept shrinking. Meanwhile, teachers themselves are overwhelmed with academic targets and administrative responsibilities. Their role is increasingly centred on producing grades rather than shaping character. As a result, a dangerous gap has emerged: Children are growing up educated, but not necessarily guided. They are informed, but not always mentored. They are connected online, yet emotionally distant at home. And perhaps most tragically, many are growing up without deeply understanding discipline, resilience, empathy, or accountability.

This is not merely a family issue. It is becoming a societal issue. When parenting weakens, society eventually pays the price. We begin to see rising indiscipline, emotional instability, substance abuse, violence, entitlement, and growing disrespect for institutions and authority. Communities are becoming fragmented because the foundational unit, the family, has become fragile. My mother called it a ‘looming generational crisis.’ The more I reflected on her words, the more I realised she was right. No society can outsource parenting entirely to schools, churches, technology, or domestic workers. Children may learn mathematics in classrooms, but values are first learned at home. Respect is taught around dining tables. Integrity is modelled by parents.

Emotional security is built through presence, attention, and conversation. Parenting has never been easy. But perhaps the greatest challenge of modern parenting is not lack of love; it is lack of time, consistency, and intentionality. In chasing success, many parents are unknowingly becoming strangers to their own children. The solution may not require expensive programmes or complicated policies. Perhaps it begins with simple but intentional actions: parents becoming emotionally available again, families having conversations again, fathers and mothers reclaiming their role as guides and mentors, and homes becoming places of learning, not merely sleeping spaces.

As we approached Fort Portal and the beautiful hills emerged in the distance, our conversation slowly faded into silence. But my mother’s words continued echoing in my mind. Maybe the greatest inheritance we can give the next generation is not wealth, expensive schools, or modern gadgets. Maybe it is simply present, courageous, and intentional parenting.

The Uganda Volleyball Cranes will have no rest throughout the period of the CAVB Zone V Nations Championship Qualifiers matches.

Having opened their campaign against Burundi on Monday, the Cranes played South Sudan Tuesday night and now have to face a well-rested Kenya on Wednesday night in a potentially decisive clash.

Kenya played Tanzania on Monday but have had the luxury of resting before their toughest match of the qualifiers.

Tanzania will be waiting to face the hosts on Thursday, in what happens to be Uganda’s last match of the qualifiers.

Kenya and Uganda started the qualifiers as frontrunners for the lone ticket available and fans can expect a grueling contest between two of East Africa’s strongest volleyball nations.

Familiar foes

There is little to separate the two sides and a bit of familiarity, with some Kenyan players regularly playing with and against Ugandan opposition.

Gideon Angiro plays for Rwandan side Police Volleyball Club and is teammates with Kenya captain Brian Melly and opposite Elphas Makuto.

Nicholas Matui is the other familiar foe. He turns out for Rwanda Energy Group and was named MVP in the recently concluded season after edging Angiro’s Police 3-2 in the best-of-five series.

The receiver-attacker scored 16 points on Match Day One and will be one of those to keep a close eye on.

There have also been contests between Uganda and Kenyan teams in recent times.

Sport-S came from a set down to beat Equity in the CAVB Men’s Club Championship. They then lost to General Service Unit in classification games.

Nemostars also faced Kenyan opposition in the same competition, falling 3-1 to Kenya Ports Authority in the Round of 16.

Home advantage

Playing on home soil gives Uganda a significant advantage. The Volleyball Cranes have looked energized by the home support and will hope the crowd can influence momentum during crucial stretches.

The experienced group in Shilla Omuriwe’s squad will be expected to do the heavy lifting on the night.

At the start of the tournament, Omuriwe started with Muhamed Iga in the opposite role and he was Uganda’s top scorer but matches of this magnitude demand the experience and scoring rate of players like Daudi Okello.

However, Kenya arrives with a squad packed with experienced players competing both locally and abroad and their exposure at continental club championships could prove decisive in pressure moments.

Kenya’s experienced playmaker Brian Melly is expected to orchestrate the attack, while Uganda also has the tried and tested pair of Smith Okumu and Marino Oboke.

After Uganda’s win over Burundi, head coach Omuriwe highlighted reception and setting as areas requiring improvement.

If Uganda’s reception unit remains stable, it will allow the middle blockers to become more involved and allow setters the opportunity to vary their play.

Net dominance and blocking

Kenya traditionally excels in physicality and blocking, with players such as Brian Kamonde, and Levis Ogutu providing height at the net.

Uganda’s middle blockers must find ways to slow down Kenya’s attack while also converting quick balls in transition.

The team that wins the blocking battle could gain a significant psychological edge in what is expected to be a close contest.

Coaching chess match

The tactical battle between Uganda’s Omuriwe and Kenya’s Gideon Tarus could be just as important as the action on court.

Both coaches have shown confidence in their squads and will need to make key adjustments, when the stakes get high in the match.

Kenya’s structured system will be tested by Uganda’s athleticism and home-court energy.

With qualification hopes likely to hinge on the outcome of tonight’s encounter, Uganda can ill afford any lapses against a Kenyan side renowned for thriving in high-pressure situations.

The Cranes will draw confidence from the backing of the Lugogo faithful, but they must also overcome the physical and mental demands of a packed schedule.

If they can match Kenya’s intensity and execute their game plan effectively, Uganda will take a significant step toward securing the coveted ticket to the African championship.

The Uganda Volleyball Cranes continued their impressive start to the CAVB Zone V Nations Championship Qualifiers with a straight-sets victory over South Sudan at Lugogo Indoor Stadium on Tuesday night.

Uganda secured a 3-0 win (25-13, 26-24, 29-27) to register their second consecutive victory of the tournament and remain firmly on course for qualification.

Having opened their campaign with a commanding performance against Burundi, head coach Shilla Omuriwe’s side were made to work much harder by a resilient South Sudan team that pushed the hosts all the way in the second and third sets.

South Sudan arrived with several familiar faces to Ugandan volleyball fans, including former Sport-S opposite Michael Maguoung Mangon and KCCA setter Abraham Chol.

However, despite making a bright start, they struggled to maintain their intensity in the opening set as Uganda cruised to take the set quite comfortably (25-13).

The visitors responded strongly thereafter, passing better and blocking well on the net.

They stretched Uganda beyond the regulation 25 points in both the second and third sets, threatening to force the match into a fourth set.

Uganda, however, capitalised on South Sudan’s inconsistent passing and remained composed in the crucial moments.

Omuriwe retained the starting line-up that defeated Burundi but introduced experienced opposite Daudi Okello for Muhammed Iga in the second set.

Okello’s impact proved decisive, with the veteran attacker delivering key points late in the third set to help Uganda close out the contest and avoid an extended battle.

“I am glad we were able to hold on and not play another set,” Omuriwe told Daily Monitor after the match.

Omuriwe’s charges will play four straight matches in four days without rest, while their opponents on Wednesday will have had a full day’s rest.

Earlier in the day, Burundi claimed their first victory of the qualifiers, defeating Tanzania 3-1 (25-19, 26-24, 26-28, 25-22).

Uganda will now turn their attention to Wednesday’s highly anticipated clash against regional rivals Kenya in what is expected to be their toughest test of the tournament so far.

Match Day Two Results

Burundi 3-1 Tanzania (25-19, 26-24, 26-28, 25-22)

Uganda 3-0 South Sudan (25-13, 26-24, 29-27)

Upcoming Fixtures – Wednesday

Women

South Sudan vs Burundi, 4pm

Men

South Sudan vs Burundi, 6pm

Uganda vs Kenya, 8pm

Benjamin Ochan is laughing again.

Not the polite football laugh players use around microphones and sponsors.

This one comes from somewhere deeper, freer. The kind that bends the shoulders slightly forward.

‘With the way you’ve introduced me,’ he says, ‘I feel like I’m a full general now!’

The conversation dissolves into laughter. For a moment, the years fall away – the pressure, the grief, the airports, the goals conceded, the waiting behind greatness.

The goalkeeper’s burden

Then Ochan leans back into his chair and the conversation begins drifting toward places football interviews rarely go. Mental health. Depression. Grief. Fear. Faith. Purpose. Retirement. Humility.

And suddenly you understand something important about Ochan: the real story is not that he survived football. It is that football did not poison him.

That is rarer than people think.

For nearly two decades, Ochan lived the life of a goalkeeper – football’s loneliest position, one that can turn grown men paranoid because every mistake is scrutinised and vulnerability is rarely tolerated.

Every hesitation punished. Every error replayed endlessly in bars, WhatsApp groups and furious post-match calls.

‘There is virtually no room for error,’ he says, speaking to this writer on his Game of Life podcast.

But football pressure was only one battle. The harder struggle arrived quietly, privately, invisibly.

The airport floor

There was a time Ochan slept on the floor at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa wondering how football had brought him there.

Not metaphorically. An actual airport floor. His bags beside him. Hunger somewhere in the stomach. Exhaustion everywhere else.

Only months earlier, he had still been Benjamin Ochan the goalkeeper – Uganda Cranes international, continental footballer, league winner with KCCA.

Now football suddenly felt cold and transactional, stripping away certainty with frightening speed.

His father had died. Grief had invaded his performances. A close friend had been killed in a car accident.

His place in the team disappeared. Then came contractual confusion and the chaotic attempt to rebuild life through a move to Zambia.

The journey unravelled before it had even properly begun. Flights. Delays. No money. Waiting.

‘I was mourning inside,’ he says quietly. That sentence explains more than statistics ever could.

Because football rarely pauses for grief. Fixtures continue. Training continues.

Expectations continue. Players are often left to carry private pain into very public performances.

Eventually, help arrived. Friends rallied around him, stepping in quietly and helping him complete the journey to Zambia and eventually sign for Kabwe Warriors.

‘But God came through,’ Ochan says. He says it softly. Not performatively. More like a man remembering survival.

Football in this part of the world still struggles to make space for grief.

Players are expected to continue functioning as though trauma politely waits until the season ends.

Ochan could not. Few people truly can. And perhaps that is why one of the most powerful moments of our conversation arrives when he speaks not about trophies, but the mind.

‘Protect your mind,’ he says later, almost like a warning to younger footballers. Not your contract. Not your Instagram image. Your mind.

It is the voice of somebody who has travelled through emotional darkness and returned carrying perspective instead of ego.

The man – Onyango – deserved it

There is another moment that reveals him even more.

For years, Ochan and his peers existed inside the shadow of Denis Onyango, the towering figure who dominated Uganda Cranes goalkeeping for more than a decade.

African Player of the Year. Sundowns Champions League winning legend. National icon.

Many careers would have turned bitter in those circumstances. Football breeds resentment easily. Particularly among goalkeepers.

Ochan surprises you. ‘The man deserved it,’ he says of Onyango. No hesitation.

Then comes the line that feels almost radical in modern sport. ‘Sometimes you don’t have to be number one. It’s good to support and see others achieve.’

Football rarely teaches that kind of humility anymore. Young players are raised inside a culture screaming about branding, visibility, status and personal legacy.

Everyone wants to arrive. Few know how to stand beside greatness without feeling diminished by it.

Home shaped him

Ochan somehow learned. And maybe that wisdom came from home long before football arrived.

He grew up inside a deeply Christian family where structure shaped daily life. Early morning prayers at 6am. Evening prayers at 10pm. Sunday school every week.

Then he laughs again. ‘I would still sneak out to play football and come back to a beating!’

There is warmth in the memory now. His mother was a pastor. His father too. His eldest sister became a bishop.

Faith in Ochan’s life is not performative; it is foundational. Quietly woven into the architecture of who he became.

Even after all these years, he still remembers the question his mother always asked before every football move – local or abroad.

‘Will you be able to go to church where you are going?’ Years later, after a long illness, she too passed away.

And for all the countries football took him to – Kenya, Zambia, South Africa and Denmark – Ochan still speaks about her with the tenderness of a son who never quite stopped needing home.

That humanity runs through the entire conversation. It appears when he speaks about children from difficult backgrounds in landing sites on the shores of Lake Victoria.

It appears when he describes coaching young goalkeepers at SC Villa, where he is now a youth coach.

Mike Mutebi at 1am

It appears when he talks about Mike Mutebi. Ah, Mike Mutebi.

At some point, every Ugandan football conversation eventually arrives there.

Ochan’s stories about the legendary coach are delivered with equal parts admiration and disbelief.

‘He calls you at 1am and you must pick up!’ Another burst of laughter. ‘But that was only for the unmarried.’

Then another story. ‘He introduced evening meals because he didn’t want players eating rolex and chips.’

Only Mutebi could sound simultaneously absurd and visionary. But beneath the humour lies deep affection.

‘He cares about you as a human being first.’ Ochan also remembers the way Mutebi fiercely protected gifted players.

At one training session, midfielder Ivan Ntege kept barking instructions at a young Allan Okello during play.

Mutebi stopped the session. Then came the instruction. ‘Leave Allan alone. Let the boy think. Just block the attacks.’

To Mutebi, Okello was already the thinker on the pitch – the player seeing spaces and solutions before others recognised them.

Too much noise around certain talents became interference rather than leadership.

It was one of the defining traits of Mutebi’s management. He did not merely identify talent; he protected environments around gifted players.

‘He builds on your strengths,’ Ochan says. ‘He doesn’t take away what you have.’

Quiet retirement

Perhaps because Ochan knows what happens when football forgets that principle.

Retirement itself, interestingly, sounds almost peaceful in his telling. No panic. No existential crisis. No desperate clinging.

‘I no longer had the fire,’ he admits. Simple. Honest. Then comes perhaps the most revealing line of the entire interview.

‘I had meetings with the CEO of my brain.’ It is such a wonderfully self-aware sentence that the studio collapses into laughter again.

But beneath the humour is startling emotional intelligence. Ochan understood something many athletes never do: retirement begins mentally long before it becomes official publicly.

He prepared himself. And when the moment came? ‘It was almost a walk in the park.’

After the noise

These days, his life feels softer around the edges. There is community work through Play On Foundation, where he is an ambassador.

Visits to underprivileged areas. Mentorship. Football clinics. Conversations with vulnerable young girls growing up around poverty and desperation.

‘It’s not always about money,’ he says quietly. Then another sentence that explains where he is emotionally now.

‘The gratitude you get is priceless.’ There is also Lake Victoria, where Ochan now retreats for quieter moments around his boats, including one called MV Ginosar, named after the ancient ‘Jesus Boat’.

The symbolism feels fitting. Journeys. Faith. Survival. Stillness after storms.

By the end of our conversation, one thought keeps lingering. Ochan may never have owned the Uganda Cranes jersey the way Onyango did.

He may never become the loudest football personality of his generation. He may never dominate headlines long after retirement.

But perhaps there is something more enduring about the way he travelled through football.

No bitterness. No public score-settling. No performance of victimhood.

Just honesty. Humility. Perspective. Because football hardens people. Ochan somehow survived it without losing himself.

Quick glance at Ochan

Name: Benjamin Ochan

Place of Birth: Entebbe, Uganda

Position: Goalkeeper

Retired At: NEC – 2026 (after first round of the Uganda Premier League season)

Health authorities and local leaders in Bunyangabu District are increasingly turning to improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure to reduce infections and strengthen healthcare delivery amid growing patient numbers and longstanding sanitation challenges.

Officials say inadequate sanitation facilities, limited handwashing infrastructure and unreliable access to clean water have for years exposed patients, mothers, newborns and health workers to preventable infections, particularly in overcrowded public health facilities.

The push comes as Uganda continues to face a significant financing gap in healthcare sanitation. The Ministry of Health’s National Micro Planning Handbook for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene in Healthcare Facilities estimated that the country requires about Shs656 billion to establish adequate WASH systems across health facilities.

A 2024 WaterAid study estimated that healthcare-associated infections in Uganda reached 422,000 cases in 2022, contributing to about 43,600 excess deaths annually and imposing an economic cost of approximately $580 million, equivalent to 1.43% of the country’s gross domestic product.

At Kibiito Health Centre IV, Bunyangabu District’s main referral facility, officials say sanitation infrastructure has failed to keep pace with rising patient numbers.

The facility has been operating with only two toilet facilities shared by patients, caretakers and traders from the nearby Kibiito Trading Centre, creating significant pressure on sanitation services.

“Our number of patients has greatly increased, and the available toilet facilities have been inadequate. In April alone, we recorded 382 mothers delivering from this facility, and all these require sanitation services,” said Dr Robert Abiija, the facility’s in-charge.

“We also share the few available toilet stances with market vendors, which has made them fill up regularly. The facility has been spending a lot of money every month on emptying and maintenance,” he added.

To address the challenge, IRC Uganda this week commissioned a five-stance waterborne toilet facility at the health centre worth Shs43.7 million.

The facility includes separate sections for men and women, with the female wing comprising three stances and a bathroom to support menstrual hygiene management, while the male section contains two stances and a urinal connected to running water.

Dr Abiija said the project would significantly improve sanitation standards and infection prevention at the facility.

“This facility is going to greatly improve sanitation and infection prevention at our health centre. We appreciate IRC for responding to our urgent need,” he said.

Kibiito Health Centre IV receives about 1,500 outpatients each month in addition to hundreds of maternity admissions.

Ms Justin Namara, a nursing officer at the facility, said sanitation pressures had become increasingly difficult to manage.

“We previously had only two latrines serving all patients and caretakers. The situation was becoming difficult because of the high patient load,” she said.

According to Namara, the maternity ward alone handled 382 deliveries from 550 admissions in April, further straining the ageing sanitation infrastructure.

“The new toilets are better designed and easier to maintain. This is going to improve sanitation and the experience of patients visiting the facility,” she added.

At Rwagimba Health Centre III, which serves between 900 and 1,000 outpatients monthly, officials reported similar challenges.

Facility in-charge Josepha Kasule said the old pit latrine could no longer adequately serve the growing population seeking healthcare services.

“We are happy we now have an improved toilet facility because the old one was not enough for the number of patients we receive every month,” Kasule said.

However, he warned that limited access to water remains a major challenge.

“We depend on rainwater harvesting, but during the dry season water becomes scarce because the nearest water source is far away. These improved sanitation facilities require adequate water to function effectively and sustainably,” he said.

Bunyangabu District, which was carved out of Kabarole District in 2017, has 18 public health facilities, including one Health Centre IV, 12 Health Centre IIIs and five Health Centre IIs.

Over recent years, the district and IRC Uganda have implemented WASH projects across several health facilities, including the construction of incinerators to improve medical waste management.

Mary Ayoreka, IRC Uganda’s Regional WASH Officer, said the investments are aimed at strengthening sanitation standards in line with Ministry of Health guidelines.

“Quality healthcare cannot be achieved in an environment that exposes patients and health workers to infections,” Ayoreka said.

“These sanitation facilities are intended to improve hygiene and restore dignity for communities accessing healthcare services.”

She said the facilities were designed to accommodate women, children, older persons and people with disabilities, while strategically positioned handwashing stations would help reduce the spread of infections.

Bunyangabu District Health Officer Richard Obeti said sanitation and hygiene remain critical indicators of healthcare quality.

“When people come to seek healthcare services, they look at all parameters, including sanitation and hygiene,” Obeti said.

“With these improved facilities, we are confident the quality of healthcare is going to improve, and more people will feel comfortable seeking services.”

Obeti said the district’s next priority is extending reliable water supplies to health facilities, particularly those located in hard-to-reach areas.

He added that despite recent improvements, Bunyangabu still lacks a district hospital and continues to rely on Kibiito Health Centre IV as its main referral facility.

“The health centre is overwhelmed by the increasing number of patients. We appeal to the government to consider elevating Kibiito Health Centre IV to hospital status,” he said.

The 12th Parliament kicked off last week, with the leadership facing an uphill task of restoring public confidence in an institution beset by claims of corruption. The Parliament has also faced criticism over declining oversight of government spending, leaving many questioning the institution’s efficiency. But the biggest task of holding to account Parliament, the Executive, and the Judiciary will likely fall more on the shoulders of Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LoP).

Mr Ssenyonyi of the Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party, who retained his post barely a week ago, faces yet another task of ensuring Parliament regains its role as an effective watchdog. Speaking to Daily Monitor at the weekend, Mr Ssenyonyi contended that his 30-member Opposition Cabinet will focus on renewed efforts to expose corruption across the three arms of government. He said the 11th Parliament grappled with several corruption and bribery scandals, evidenced by diverting public funds to individual benefits.

‘The fight against corruption is still on. We are going to amplify it even harder, and when money is appropriated, we shall keep following it up,’ Mr Ssenyonyi said. ‘We will keep on following the money appropriated to different ministries and entities like Atiak Sugar Factory, which has not produced any significant sugar, Roko Construction Company, DEI Bio Pharma Ltd, and Inspire Africa Coffee Factory, being given nearly a trillion, among others,’ he added. The Nakawa West lawmaker also said they will increase scrutiny of alternative and supplementary budget requests, noting that it has generated significant controversy in recent years.

Bill on public participation

The March 2025 Afrobarometer report on democracy in Uganda found that only 49 percent of Ugandans have trust in Parliament, and only 15 percent of citizens think MPs listen to ordinary people, highlighting that great strides are still needed to restore public trust in the August House. Mr Ssenyonyi stated that the Opposition seeks to table a private members’ Bill, making public participation in parliamentary proceedings mandatory to enable the Parliament to involve Ugandans while processing Bills, approving the appointed government officials, among others, to promote transparency.

He noted that on many occasions, public views have been neglected on different Bills passed in Parliament, yet the people are always the victims of the laws enacted. ‘In countries like Kenya, public participation is taken critically. If it’s a Bill, they must participate; when somebody is appointed as a minister, the people must be given space to send in their views to be brought to the table,’ he noted. The LoP said he will also focus on human rights concerns, including cases of Opposition supporters and some government critics who have remained in detention for years without prosecution.

Many people, including religious leaders, have repeatedly raised concerns over alleged unlawful arrests, torture, abductions, and prolonged remand, demanding answers for several Opposition supporters arrested during and after the 2021 polls and still languishing in detention, with some of their cases unresolved in court. Mr Ssenyonyi heads the Opposition that has 48 legislators from NUP, 12 from Uganda Peoples Congress, nine from Democratic Change, six from the Democratic Party, two from the People’s Front for Freedom, and one from the Alliance for National Transformation. The ruling NRM party has 372 MPs, while Independents are 68.

Uphill task

The 11th Parliament was repeatedly criticised for excessive spending, including large cash allocations to legislators, controversial supplementary budget approvals, and expenditures that many citizens considered disconnected from the country’s economic hardships. Currently, the former Speaker, Ms Anita Among, is undergoing investigations over corruption allegations relating to the management of public resources, while former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs Agnes Nandutu was prosecuted and jailed over misappropriation of the iron sheets meant for the vulnerable people in the Karamoja Sub-region.

Another key issue is the stalled construction of the new parliamentary chambers, a project that has consumed billions of shillings over the years while legislators continue to operate from rented offices at a high cost to taxpayers. Mr Ssenyonyi has pledged to push for accountability for the delays and ensure the project is completed to reduce government expenditure on rent, arguing that the prolonged delay has become a symbol of wasteful public spending.

There also arises the task of uniting a fragmented Opposition, weakened by internal divisions and breakaway political groups.

The LoP is expected to bridge the differences and rally Opposition parties around a common agenda of accountability and democratic reforms. Whether the Opposition succeeds in restoring public confidence in Parliament by strengthening its oversight role, the image of the 12th Parliament will be tested ahead of the next electoral cycle.

SENYONYI’S PAST RECORD

Mr Ssenyonyi emerged as the LoP in 2024 after chairing the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase). During his tenure, Mr Ssenyonyi exposed irregular government expenditures in public institutions. He demanded scrutiny into the controversial Lubowa International Specialised Hospital project, where Parliament raised concerns over billions of taxpayers’ money injected into the project with little visible progress on the ground.

The hospital today remains unfinished.

He also became one of the strongest Opposition voices against the controversial coffee amendment proposals under the National Coffee (Amendment) Bill, 2024, with all amendments. Though it was passed by Parliament on November 6, 2024, he was at the forefront against it. In 2023, under his leadership of Cosase, Mr Ssenyonyi scrutinised the operations, expenditures, and management of Uganda Airlines, questioned several transactions and the airline’s continued dependence on government bailouts.

Uganda Airlines CEO Jennifer Bamuturaki was later removed from her position in February 2026

Within Parliament, Mr Ssenyonyi and other Opposition MPs also took one of the toughest positions to censure the former Parliament Commissioner Mathias Mpuuga over the controversial Shs1.7 billion service awards. Although this created divisions within the Opposition, it earned Mr Ssenyonyi praise from sections of the public.

As the Catholic faithful mark another Uganda Martyrs’ Day, the spotlight has also turned to the leaders who have guided the Diocese of Kasese since its creation nearly four decades ago.

Established in 1989 after being carved out of the Diocese of Fort Portal, the Diocese of Kasese has had only two bishops in its 37-year history – its founding bishop, Emeritus Bishop Egidio Nkaijanabwo, and the current Ordinary, Bishop Francis Aquirinus Kibira.

Together, the two church leaders have overseen the growth of Catholicism across Kasese District, strengthening evangelisation, education and social services in the Rwenzori sub-region.

Bishop Francis Aquirinus Kibira

Francis Aquirinus Kibira was born on April 16, 1958, in Buryansungwe Village, then part of Kagongo-Ibanda Parish in present-day Kitagwenda District.

He was baptised at Kagongo-Ibanda Parish on April 27, 1958, and received his First Holy Communion there in 1966. His father was Sefronio Nkende, while his mother, Costansio Bakamunaga, died in 1963 when he was only five years old.

The bishop traces his roots to a deeply Catholic family. His grandfather, Yozefu Ssali Makara of the Nkima (Monkey) Clan, was among the early catechists who helped spread the Catholic faith in western Uganda. His home became known as a centre for catechism instruction, shaping the strong Christian environment in which the future bishop was raised.

Journey to the Priesthood

At the age of 14, Kibira joined St Mary’s Minor Seminary, Virika, in Fort Portal in 1972.

He later enrolled at St Thomas Aquinas National Major Seminary, Katigondo, in 1977, where he studied philosophy. Upon graduating in 1980, he obtained a Diploma in Philosophy and a Diploma in Religious Studies from Makerere University.

After a pastoral placement at Butiti Parish in present-day Kyenjojo District, he proceeded to St Mary’s National Major Seminary, Ggaba, in Kampala, where he pursued theological studies.

Kibira graduated with First Class Honours in Theology from the Pontifical Urban University in Rome. He was ordained a deacon on April 29, 1983, at Virika Cathedral and later ordained a priest on September 23, 1984, at Bunena-Kitagwenda Parish by the late Bishop Serapio Magambo of Fort Portal Diocese.

Advanced studies and church leadership

After serving briefly at Bukwali Parish, Fr Kibira taught philosophy at Katigondo Seminary before travelling to Rome in 1987 for further studies.

At the Pontifical Biblical Institute (Biblicum), he specialised in Sacred Scripture and underwent extensive training in Greek, Hebrew, Latin and Aramaic, while also studying Arabic, Italian and German. He later travelled to Israel for studies in Biblical archaeology and modern Hebrew.

During his stay in Rome, he had the opportunity to celebrate Mass with Pope John Paul II, now Saint John Paul II.

He returned to Uganda in 1991 with a Licentiate (Master’s Degree) in Sacred Scripture and subsequently held several senior positions within the Church, including Rector of St Paul’s National Major Seminary, Kinyamasika.

On April 15, 2014, Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Kasese Diocese, succeeding Bishop Nkaijanabwo.

Although Kasese Diocese had been selected to animate the 2026 Uganda Martyrs’ Day celebrations, the event was scaled down due to public health concerns. The diocese is now expected to lead the national celebrations in 2027.

Emeritus Bishop Egidio Nkaijanabwo

Egidio Nkaijanabwo was born on August 29, 1935, in Rugazi, present-day Rubirizi District.

Raised in a devout Catholic family, he developed an early interest in the priesthood after attending an ordination ceremony at the age of 10. Inspired by the seminarians he saw there, he joined Kitabi Minor Seminary in 1948.

After his studies in Uganda, he was selected in 1958 to continue theological training in England. He was ordained a priest on May 28, 1961, at Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral in the United Kingdom.

Service to the Church

Following his ordination, Fr Nkaijanabwo returned to Uganda and served in various pastoral and administrative roles within the newly created Diocese of Fort Portal.

His ministry coincided with some of Uganda’s most turbulent political periods, including the years of military rule and civil conflict. Despite these challenges, he became known for his commitment to priestly formation and church administration.

In the 1980s, he chaired the board of St John’s Minor Seminary, Kiburara, playing a key role in nurturing future priests.

Founding Bishop of Kasese Diocese

On April 1, 1989, the Vatican established the Diocese of Kasese to cater for the growing Catholic population in the Rwenzori region.

Nkaijanabwo was appointed its first bishop and was consecrated on June 17, 1989.

The principal consecrator was Emmanuel Kiwanuka Nsubuga, assisted by Bishop Serapio Magambo of Fort Portal and Bishop John Baptist Kakubi of Mbarara.

Over the next 25 years, Bishop Nkaijanabwo spearheaded the expansion of the diocese through the creation of parishes, schools and health facilities.

One of his most significant projects was the campaign launched in 2008 to construct a new cathedral in Kasese Town, a project that is now nearing completion.

Retirement and legacy

After serving as bishop for a quarter of a century, Pope Francis accepted Bishop Nkaijanabwo’s resignation on April 15, 2014, in accordance with Canon Law.

On the same day, Bishop Kibira was appointed as his successor.

Since retirement, Bishop Nkaijanabwo has continued to reside within the diocese as Bishop Emeritus and remains a respected spiritual figure in the Church.

In recent years, he has been honoured for his decades of service, including celebrations marking his 60th priestly anniversary in 2021 and his 90th birthday in 2025.

Today, as Kasese Diocese continues to grow, its history remains closely tied to the contributions of the two bishops whose leadership has shaped the Catholic Church in the Rwenzori region for nearly four decades.

Selected pilgrims attending this year’s Uganda Martyrs’ Day commemorations at Namugongo, Wakiso District, today will face strict health screening, limited access to religious sites and the suspension of traditional lakeside activities as church leaders enforce Ebola prevention measures. The scaled-down observance follows the cancellation of the national Martyrs Day celebrations, with the Catholic Church directing the faithful to commemorate the day mainly through parish-based prayers and virtual participation.

Speaking to this publication yesterday, Rev Fr Vincent Lubega, the Rector of Uganda Martyrs Catholic Shrine Namugongo, said prayers at the shrine will be confined to the church premises, with no activities at the lakeside, which traditionally attracts thousands of pilgrims. ‘From the entrance, standard operating procedures (SOP) from washing hands, sanitising and social spacing have already been put in place and prayers will strictly be in the Basilica and not at the lakeside as has always been the case,’ Fr Lubega said.

He added that the shrine had coordinated with police and health officials to ensure adequate preventive measures, including temperature screening and the deployment of health personnel. ‘Nearby health facilities have also been placed on standby, with enough sanitiser supplies and temperature screening measures for pilgrims who will be part of the small congregation to attend prayers physically,’ he added. The Catholic Church cancelled this year’s national celebrations and directed the faithful to commemorate the day at parish level, while allowing limited worship at the shrine under strict health guidelines.

Fr Lubega said several Masses will be celebrated throughout the day at the Basilica to manage crowds and maintain strict crowd management measures, following the normal Sunday schedule. ”Masses will be celebrated for the Namugongo parishioners like we normally do on Sundays, namely: 6:30am, 8am, 10am, and 12pm, then Mass in the evening at 5pm, all in the basilica,” he said. He added that worshippers will not be allowed to shake hands during the sign of peace (when the faithful briefly exchange handshakes, bows, or nods with those around them), saying, “Peace be with you” and will be required to leave immediately after Mass to avoid congestion.

”During Mass, we shall insist there is no interaction, like signs of peace that require handshaking. The few people that will attend each Mass will sit in a recommended social distance from one another. After each Mass, people will be directed out of the shrine so that others can have a chance to pray,” Fr Lubega said. In another major departure from previous commemorations, pilgrims will not be permitted to visit the lakeside or collect water from the site. ”It is only at the shrine where we shall pray and then go. At the lake, there will be nothing there. There is no picking of water and no delay or interactions. Once Mass is over, we go,” he added. Church leaders have also ruled out the presence of invited dignitaries and government officials who would ordinarily attend the national celebrations.

Expectation at the Anglican site

At the Anglican Martyrs Site, only 200 participants will be allowed to attend the one service commemoration after the Ministry of Health granted conditional approval for the event to proceed. The service will be led by Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba and attended by particularly clergy, church officials, health workers, organisers, security personnel, media practitioners, with no walk-in worshippers permitted. The Provincial Secretary of the Church of Uganda, Rev Canon William Ongeng, said the church had adjusted its programme to comply with Ministry of Health guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of Ebola.

The restrictions mean that, unlike previous years when thousands gathered at Namugongo for the Anglican celebrations, the event will largely be followed remotely by Christians across the country virtually. In a statement on May 17, President Museveni announced the postponement following consultations with religious leaders and national epidemic response authorities, saying the move was necessary to protect the lives and health of pilgrims and the general public.

Spiritual Void: Namugongo vibe many will miss

At the Catholic Shrine is a well-organised energetic choir singing an oratorio of the 22 original hymns of Uganda’s Martyrs. A kilometre away the replica of the same is happening as another powerful choir at the Anglican site is singing hymns and praises. In the interior is a fully packed mammoth of faithful in prayer mode. In the exterior of the two worship places is a booming business that has attracted a visibly happy people ranging from business owners who are reaping from the advantageous numbers, the drunkards who choose to forget their problems and enjoy alcohol uncontrollably, among others.

This is the Namugongo vibe hundreds of thousands, Ugandan Christian faithful together with their well-wishers will miss at this year’s Martyrs’ Day commemoration-why? Because of the unfortunate outbreak of the Ebola epidemic in the country. Besides stopping thousands of Ugandans and other pilgrims from Kenya, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other countries from trekking to Namugongo, the two worship places have also limited various activities creating a spiritual void. Rev Fr Vincent Lubega, the rector at the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine, told this publication yesterday that many changes have been put in place to contain the Ebola spread.

For example, fetching holy water that has previously been done at free will as long as you can, has been limited, there will also be no gatherings and handshakes. The Mass will be held inside the basillica, instead of the altar outdoors. By 6am on June 3, last year, all the entrances of both the Catholic shrine, and the Anglican site had been filled to capacity as a magnitude of pilgrims squeezed their way through to physically witness the commemoration. But even when they managed to enter through a few, perhaps those that entered three days earlier, could have a chance to glimpse at the men and women of God.

All the three 1,000-capacity pavilions surrounding the altar outdoors at the Catholic side were filled to capacity and distributed among three categories of people, including the clergy, guest pilgrims and the choir, and other special guests. But today, Rev Fr Lubega said the Mass will be attended by only 200 faithful who have been cleared. The same number of the faithful will be at the Anglican site.–Compiled by Busein Samilu

There is a big, big problem with President Yoweri Museveni forwarding the names of alleged dual citizens to Parliament for vetting as ministers. The appointments have kicked up a huge storm. For me, the issue is that 30 million Ugandans are not dual citizens.

“Mononationalism”, requiring one to be a citizen of only one country, is a form of modern state-sponsored hostage-taking. The Ugandan State, sitting behind heavy iron gates, like many others, demands absolute loyalty while offering shaky public services, and yet tells you that loving another country is treason (as it did in the recent obnoxious Sovereignty Act).

That’s why dual or multiple citizenship for everyone shouldn’t be a luxury reserved for a small elite; it should be championed as the ultimate human right, because it breaks the monopoly governments hold over human lives. The modern idea of citizenship, consolidated in the 19th Century, was designed to ensure states had a compliant pool of taxpayers and soldiers who had nowhere else to go. It’s a political scam. It is a relic that has allowed governments to operate as monopolies. If you carry only the sky-blue Ugandan passport, the State effectively owns your labour, your assets, and your physical body.

It can tax you punitively, herd your children into underfunded schools, or restrict your rights, and your only real low-risk option is to take it. Of course, you can go to the bush and get killed. However, if everyone is a dual citizen, nations must suddenly compete for your residency and loyalty. Governments would have to treat their people like customers rather than captive subjects. If the Ugandan government passes draconian laws or mismanages the economy, citizens can instantly vote with their feet and move to Botswana, Canada, or any destination on their second or third passport. Universal dual citizenship thus introduces market competition into the State project, forcing governments to become more efficient, less corrupt, and more respectful of human rights to keep their tax base and pool of soldiers and police from evaporating.

And there is more. Nationalism thrives on the concept of the “other”-the poisonous idea that the person across the border is fundamentally different and a potential enemy. If everyone holds citizenship in at least two nations, the psychological concept of the nation-state fractures in a healthy way. It becomes more difficult for a demagogue or populist to drum up xenophobia or launch a border skirmish against a neighbour when 30 percent of their own population also holds that country’s passport or identity card. Universal dual citizenship would create a web of overlapping geopolitical loyalties that serves as a permanent, decentralised peace treaty, forcing political restraint by legal default.

Otherwise, the “birth lottery” is the most pervasive, invisible form of systemic inequality on Earth. A child born in a struggling village in Karamoja or a crowded corner of Kisenyi in Kampala faces a lifetime of international mobility restrictions purely because of the GPS coordinates of their birth. Meanwhile, a child born in Toronto or London gets a strong passport, institutional safety, and automatic access to global opportunities. The possibility for everyone to be a dual citizen would level the playing field. It decouples human potential from the tyranny of geography. It turns citizenship from an arbitrary caste system assigned at birth into an adaptable toolkit for human progress

We live in an era of rapid political polarisation, where a sudden shift in the political wind can radically alter the safety and rights of minority groups, scientists, intellectuals, or business owners overnight. Look at the dramatic 2021 military arrest of Lawrence Muganga on charges of being a “Rwandan spy”, which vanished into thin air days later. The only thing that had changed was that Uganda was no longer in an openly hostile diplomatic stand-off with Rwanda. Having only one citizenship means you are effectively a hostage to your country’s political pendulum. Universal dual citizenship provides every human being with an institutional “eject button.” It ensures that no matter how unstable or oppressive your home country becomes, you are never trapped. And that’s why millions of Ugandans should be dual citizens.