Category: Daily Monitor

Akarukei Village in Kobuin Sub-county, Ngora District with approximately 1,000 residents has failed to raise Shs300,000 required to fix a borehole, which broke down two weeks ago.

Ms Margaret Apio, a resident, told this paper on Saturday that their water facility broke down two weeks ago, but the user committee has since failed to collect Shs300,000 from the community. She said for the last 14 days that the committee has been moving around, they have only managed to only collect Shs85,000, leaving a deficit of Shs215,000. Ms Apio added that the community seems to be financially constrained because of the current crop failure.

There are also reports of mismanagement of the borehole funds collected.

‘We have to walk to the neighbouring village of Tiling in Tiling Parish to collect clean water for drinking. We also collect water from the well that we dug at the swamp for domestic use,’ she explained.

Mr Alfred Ekocu Achoka, the Akarukei LC1 chairperson, said there is need to purchase pipes to have the water facility repaired. He said each household is expected to contribute at least Shs2,000 monthly to cater for emergency costs of repairing the water facility. He adds that the borehole user committee must have been failed by water consumers.

‘Originally, the water user committee would confiscate at least one chicken from each household in the event that the residents failed to cooperate. But that was stopped after some village members threatened to sue the borehole user committee in courts of law for trespass,’ Mr Ekocu said. He added that once government constructs a borehole and hands it over to the community, the community benefiting from it, takes over its management and maintenance.

Mr Duncan Musane, the Kobuin LC3 chairperson , said the sub-county does not have a budget that is allocated towards the repair and maintenance of boreholes but insisted that it’s the role of the community. Mr Musane urged the locals to have a sense of ownership of water facilities and other resources or projects that benefit the community.

‘I am going to convene a meeting with that community and discuss with them the modalities of raising the money needed,’ Mr Musane explained.

A prolonged dry spell in the Bukedi sub-region has plunged Bugwere High School into a severe water crisis, straining the administration with extra costs to buy water.

For several weeks, the school has struggled to secure enough water for its growing student population as most available boreholes have dried up, according to headmaster Mr Azizi Walumoli.

The school with an enrollment of 5,558 students has 10 boreholes, but the dry spell compounded with the geographical location has pushed the water table down, leaving them dry.

‘We have a serious challenge with the topographical location because the water table in this area is a bit complex. We need serious intervention to address the issue of water in the school,’ Mr Walumoli explained.

He added: ‘The school only gets relief when it starts to rain, forcing the water table to rise up and also that water which has been harvested in big tanks, but even now they are also dry.’

Mr Walumoli said students pump less than 20 jerry cans at a time, then wait three to four hours for water to re-collect. ‘This takes a lot of time and eventually disorganizes school activities.’

With the prevailing dry spell worsening the situation, the administration now buys water for students and the kitchen.

‘For every single trip the school pays Shs200,000 and yet the school uses six trips, implying that the school coughs Shs1.2million which water takes three days. This has strained the school financially,’ Mr Walumoli explained.

‘Adding that, ‘For six days, the school pays Shs2.4million. This has turned to be expensive and yet the school has a number of challenges that require financing.”

The school has tried installing underground tanks to harvest rainwater, but the persistent dry spell has not solved the problem.

‘Our major source of water is both boreholes and rain harvesting but due to prolonged dry spell, the tanks and boreholes have remained dry,’ Mr Walumoli said.

‘We are calling upon the government through the National Water and Sewerage Corporation to extend piped water to government institutions like Bugwere High School. Instead of wasting Shs2.4million to secure water which could be diverted to paying water bills which could take us a longer time than just within six days. It’s turning to be too expensive on the side of the school. This matter has been brought to the attention of the district,’ he said.

The school, located in Nabweyo, Budaka Town Council, has been fueling water bowsers from Budaka, Kibuku, Butebo and Butaleja districts.

‘We need a permanent solution to cut down these costs. Our hopes now rely heavily on being connected to the national water grid,’ he said.

He explained that the continued shortage has slightly affected essential school activities. Bugwere High School, one of the traditional giant schools in the region, is also facing inadequate teachers, classrooms, and staff accommodation.

Only 30 teachers are on government payroll, while 60 are paid under PTA. The school also faces a deficit of 27 classrooms to cope with the overwhelming number of students.

District NRM chairperson Mr Musa Kyabene acknowledged the crisis and called for urgent intervention. ‘The school is in total water crisis especially during this dry spell. It becomes too expensive to fuel water bowsers almost on daily basis. Something should be done to address this matter,’ Mr Kyabene said.

Health officials warn that inadequate water supplies can cause waterborne illness.

Parents and local leaders are also calling for urgent action. ‘This challenge requires immediate attention. The school with such big population and lacks water is a serious concern,’ Mr Jimmy Mwyai, a community member, said.

Adding that, “School needs reliable water sources to ensure learners remain healthy and focused on their education and also smooth running of the school.’

Education stakeholders are urging government agencies, development partners and well-wishers to invest in sustainable water solutions.

Environmental experts say the crisis highlights the growing impact of climate change on communities across eastern Uganda, where erratic rainfall patterns and prolonged dry spells are becoming increasingly common.

Fresh from securing qualification for the 2026 CAVB African Nations Championship, Uganda Lady Volleyball Cranes captain Catherine Ainembabazi has called for early and thorough preparations as the team seeks to make an impact on the continental stage.

Uganda sealed their place at the African Championship after emerging victorious at the CAVB Zone V Nations Championship Qualifiers held in Kampala last week.

The Lady Cranes defeated Burundi and South Sudan to finish top of the standings and earn a ticket to the continental showpiece that will be staged in Nairobi, Kenya, from August 22 to September 5.

The qualification marked an encouraging return to international competition for Uganda, but Ainembabazi believes the real test still lies ahead.

The African Championship will feature some of the continent’s strongest volleyball nations, including traditional rivals Kenya, Egypt and Rwanda, who had already secured qualification and therefore did not participate in the Kampala qualifiers.

For Ainembabazi, Uganda’s performance in Nairobi will largely depend on how quickly the team can regroup and prepare.

‘I really have to thank our coaches for what they did for us. We had enough training time and what we worked for, we were able to present it in the qualifiers,’ Ainembabazi told Daily Monitor.

The experienced outside hitter credited the technical bench for helping the team build cohesion in a relatively short period and believes that the same approach will be crucial ahead of the continental championship.

‘If we come in early for training, with the team we have, we just need enough time to train together. If we have enough time to train, I am sure we shall do well in the African Championship,’ she added.

Tougher challenge awaits

While Uganda comfortably negotiated the qualifiers, Nairobi promises a significantly sterner examination.

The Lady Cranes will come up against some of Africa’s best teams, some of whom have regularly featured at continental championships, World Championships and Olympic qualification tournaments.

The gap between the Zone V qualifiers and the African Championship is considerable, and Uganda will need to improve in several areas to come out on top against much tougher and elite opposition.

However, the signs from Kampala were encouraging. The team showed flashes of quality, discipline and resilience throughout the tournament, qualities that will be vital if Uganda is to challenge more established volleyball nations.

A new generation steps forward

The qualifiers also highlighted a changing of the guard within the national team setup.

Head coach Protus Soita entrusted a youthful squad that blended experience with emerging talent.

Only a handful of players had previously represented the senior national team, with Ainembabazi joined by Joan Tushemereirwe, Scovia Alungat, Hadijah Acelun and Moreen Mwamula among the experienced core.

Around them, a new generation of players seized the opportunity to announce themselves on the international stage.

Claire Najjuko, Ketty Aluka, Katreena Odermatt, Lydia Asimo, Jemmima Lamaro and Nakitto all delivered impressive performances during the qualifiers, underlining the depth of talent available to Uganda volleyball.

Their emergence offers hope for the future and provides the coaching staff with a broader pool of players to select from ahead of the African Championship.

Selection competition

Despite the success in Kampala, the squad that travels to Nairobi may not be identical to the one that won the qualifiers.

Soita has indicated that the technical team is considering strengthening the squad with a number of experienced players who were unavailable for the qualifiers.

Such additions could provide valuable leadership and international experience as Uganda prepares to face stronger opposition.

Eunice Amuron, Sharon Amito, Agnes Akanyo, Summayah Ndagire, Jennifer Alungat and Oliver Achan all missed out on the tournament with various reasons but have a shot at making the team that will go to Nairobi.

Soita, however, maintains that the younger players who impressed in Kampala have earned the right to compete for places in the final squad.

That healthy competition for selection is expected to raise standards within the team as preparations gather momentum.

For now, qualification has provided a welcome boost for Uganda women’s volleyball.

Yet both the players and coaching staff understand that reaching Nairobi is only the first step.

The coming weeks will be crucial as the Lady Cranes seek to transform regional success into a competitive showing on the continental stage.

With a promising blend of youth and experience, and with early preparations now identified as the priority, Uganda will head to Nairobi hopeful of proving they belong among Africa’s volleyball elite.

CAVB Zone V Nations Championship Qualifiers

Uganda Lady Volleyball Cranes

Game played: Two

Record: 2-0

The Electoral Commission said all was set to deliver a free and fair exercise as voters in the island district of Kalangala go to the polls this Wednesday to pick their next Woman Member of Parliament.

According to EC spokesperson Julius Muchunguzi, polling stations will be open by 7am in accordance with the law and close at 4pm.

Although EC expressed readiness, complaints emerged from both agents of the National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer and independent candidates about the integrity of electoral materials after some 17 black ballot boxes containing ballot papers and Declaration of Results forms arrived with varying serial numbers.

EC Chairperson Simon Byabakama, who is pitching camp in Kalangala, said the questionable boxes were to be unsealed in the presence of all stakeholders to ascertain what is inside.

‘We all know that the voters have a right to vote their candidate of choice and candidates have voters in these affected polling stations. So, as EC, we are going to open those boxes in the presence of the agents of candidates and security to ascertain what is inside,’ he said

The exercise of unsealing the boxes was about to kick off by press time.

Five candidates are vying for the seat.

These include: opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Irene Nampala, National Resistance Movement (NRM) flagbearer Aidah Nabayiga, and independents Hellen Flavia Nagawa, Babirye Sharifa Kaala and Susan Nasuuna.

The race features complex internal party dynamics.

Ms Kaala is known to be NUP-leaning, but chose to run on an independent ticket after the party card went to Nampala.

Similarly, Ms Nagawa is an NRM -leaning independent who chose to stand after losing to Nabayiga in the party’s primary elections.

The seat fell vacant following the death of Hellen Nakimuli, who had just won a second term on the NUP ticket.

The candidates have drawn distinct battle lines, focusing on health, infrastructure, and the island’s delicate fishing economy.

Stiff competition is between Nampala, who seeks to replace her deceased sister [Nakimuli] and Nabayiga, who lost the seat in 2021.

Throughout the 10-day campaign period, Nampala has promised to carry forward the torch of her late sibling.

She emphasised operationalising new fisheries regulations, ensuring a consistent supply of medicines in health facilities, and empowering women through organised economic groups.

On her part, Nabayiga has pledged to continue development projects initiated during her previous term as area woman MP (2016-2021).

‘During my tenure, I initiated several projects. The late Helen Nakimuli built on that work, and I am committed to continuing from where she stopped.’

She also pledges to lobby the central government to elevate Kalangala Health Centre IV to a fully-fledged general hospital-a promise which has remained unfilled for over a decade.

‘Kalangala needs a district hospital so that our people do not continue spending a lot of money seeking treatment on the mainland,’ she noted.

Nagawa said she will prioritise fighting teenage pregnancies, rampant school dropouts and inadequate public services.

She argued that some time back Kalangala had all leaders subscribing to NRM, but service delivery remained wanting, urging voters to test the leadership of an independent -minded candidate.

‘There was a time when Kalangala had all MPs subscribing to NRM, but little we achieved; party colours help individuals, not ordinary voters,’ she said

Ms Kaala has pledged to focus on revitalising the district’s agriculture, tourism and fishing sectors that form the backbone of Kalangala’s economy.

‘Kalangala people are hardworking, but many have been chased away from landing sites, which has exacerbated poverty in the islands; all those people need assistance to rebuild their lives,’

Nassuna, who used a megaphone as her campaign symbol, said she was inspired by Nakimuli to vie for the seat.

‘She[Nakimuli] was an exceptional leader and a person like me who learnt a lot from her; I am better positioned to replace her,’ she said

On Monday, President Museveni, who also doubles as NRM national chairperson, spent the better part of the day campaigning for Nabayiga, urging islanders to rally behind her.

During a final campaign rally at Kibanga Primary School playgrounds, Museveni said Nabayiga, being NRM, will be close to him and service delivery will improve.

‘Whatever you have said, I have heard, but it seems there is a problem; you voted for the opposition. I have never talked to any opposition leader from here,’ he said.

‘We have been trying to help with the issues but have had no clear leadership here. Now that NRM is here and Jajja is here, let us organise ourselves and send Nabayiga to Parliament,’ President Museveni said.

On the other hand, he unveiled a wide-ranging government plan to improve transport, electricity, education, health and production in the Ssese Islands.

President Museveni also noted that the government had progressively responded to long-standing challenges affecting island communities, especially transport infrastructure.

He said the government had already addressed key transport challenges, particularly the Masaka-Bukakkata road and the ferry system serving the islands.

In a telephone call to islanders transmitted through a public address system, the NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi, currently in self-imposed exile in the US, urged voters to stick to the party flagbearer, insisting that the one (Hellen Nakimuli) whose mandate they had extended for another five years died.

‘We console Kalangala people for losing a brave fighter [Nakimuli] even before she took her oath to serve you in the 12th Parliament, so please use this chance to choose Nampala as a replacement to fulfil all that Nakimuli left in the pipeline,’ he said

Over the years, the way fishing regulations are being enforced has increasingly shaped how fishing communities vote. In the previous two General Elections (2016 and 2021), the NRM did not perform well, which observers partly attributed to the highhandedness of soldiers under the Fisheries Protection Unit(FPU) – originally intended to protect the lake -who became synonymous with brutal crackdowns, arrests, torture, and destroyed livelihoods of islanders.

To contain the growing discontent among fishermen, President Museveni last December withdrew FPU commanders, dissolved fishing committees and replaced them with representatives of indigenous fishermen and investors. All these activities are being overseen by the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces and Inspector General (DCDF/IG), Lt Gen Sam Okiding, and the Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security (CDIS), Maj Gen Richard Otto.

FPU has also been renamed 155 Marines Battalion and placed under the command and administration of the UPDF Marines Brigade.

During the recently concluded General Election, NRM managed to win back Bujumba and Kyamuswa County parliamentary seats, recaptured the LC5 chairperson position and increased its representation on the district council from 13 councillors in 2021 to 18 out of 24 seats, strengthening its influence ahead of the forthcoming by-election.

NRM also won four out of the six sub-counties, and NUP took the remaining two. NRM also took Kalangala Town Council.

The district has 42,452 registered voters expected to cast ballots from 155 polling stations spread across 64 habitable islands.

The East African grain trade is expanding in volume, but struggling with a quieter crisis of trust, where a single inconsistency in quality can decide whether consignments move smoothly across borders or lose value before reaching the market.

As Uganda and Kenya deepen trade ties in maize, beans, sorghum, rice and pulses, the real test is no longer production capacity, but whether standards, financing systems and logistics can keep pace with a fast-growing regional market.

During a high-level business engagement between traders, cooperatives, and policymakers, stakeholders described a sector at a turning point, where traditional trading practices are colliding with new regulatory frameworks, digital systems, and cross-border harmonisation efforts aimed at reshaping how grain moves in the region.

From the policy front, Uganda is framing grain not just as a commodity but as a strategic development pillar shaping regional resilience and long-term economic planning.

Mr Cleopas Ndorere, the Commissioner for External Trade at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, anchored the discussion in a historical context and policy direction, stressing that grain remains central to development, storage systems, and regional stability.

He said, ‘Those of you who do not know the importance or the critical importance of grain, I invite you to reflect on its long-standing role in food systems and resilience planning. It is critical in nutrition, storage capacity, longevity, and regional stability.’

Staples in regional trade

Mr Ndorere emphasized that maize, beans, sorghum, rice, soybeans and groundnuts remain the dominant staples in regional trade, but quality gaps continue to undermine competitiveness and trust between markets.

He noted, ‘What is happening in the trade of grain across our countries is that the quality has been lacking. If you are drying on the ground or on the road, that means there is a compromise on standards.’

He explained that governments are responding through stricter quality systems, harmonised standards, and trade facilitation measures aimed at reducing duplication and improving efficiency.

He said, ‘If the grain is certified in Uganda, it need not be certified again in Kenya. That cuts down the cost of doing business and reduces turnaround time for traders.’

Mr Ndorere also pointed to reforms at border points, including simplified trade regimes for small traders and the gradual shift toward digital clearance systems that reduce delays and congestion.

He added, ‘We are introducing smarter border systems where vehicles and goods are pre-cleared… You simply move through after scanning, reducing unnecessary stops.’

He further noted that small cross-border traders are being formally integrated through simplified documentation systems and trade information desks designed to support informal operators transitioning into structured commerce.

From the market facilitation side, regional grain traders say the biggest challenge is not production, but coordination, aggregation, and predictable markets.

Mr Herbert Kyeyamwa, the country director of the East African Grain Council, framed the sector as both economically vital and structurally fragmented, calling for deeper integration between enterprises across borders.

He said, ‘We are here because of a shared vision of a more integrated, competitive and resilient grain sector in East Africa… the grain sector is not just an agricultural sub-sector, it is the lifeblood of our region.’

Mr Kyeyamwa pointed to ongoing collaborations bringing together Ugandan and Kenyan enterprises to build structured trade relationships and improve market access through business-to-business engagements.

He explained, ‘The Business to Business (B2B) sessions are the engine for trade and collaboration designed to start conversations, concrete trade linkages and eventually sign deals.’

He emphasized that success will not be measured by meetings alone, but by sustained partnerships and improved livelihoods for actors across the value chain.

He said, ‘The success of this mission will be measured not just by the number of trade agreements we sign, but by the long-term partnerships we forge.’

Collective marketing

At the cooperative level, Kenyan farmer organisations say aggregation systems are helping farmers survive volatile prices while improving access to inputs and finance, though structural inefficiencies persist.

Mr Nahashon Kagiri, the chairman of Ngarua Cereals and Produce Cooperative Society in Kenya, described a model built around collective marketing and post-harvest discipline to protect farmers from exploitation at peak harvest periods.

He said, ‘We assist small-scale farmers and medium-scale farmers in production and marketing. The purpose of aggregation is to wait a bit for the market to mature so that farmers can benefit.’

Mr Kagiri explained that cooperatives are increasingly acting as financial intermediaries, providing advances to farmers against stored grain, reducing reliance on high-cost credit sources.

He noted, ‘We can advance up to 60 percent of what the farmers have stored at the current market price. During sales, we recover what we advanced at a small interest of 6 percent.’

However, he raised concerns about inconsistent grain quality across borders, particularly aflatoxin contamination in some consignments sourced from Uganda, which affects market confidence despite strong demand.

He said, ‘In some periods, the maize from Uganda has aflatoxins. Not always, but it happens.’

Despite these challenges, he acknowledged Uganda’s central role in regional food supply, especially during shortages in Kenya’s semi-arid producing zones.

He added, ‘Even if we grow maize, it is hardly enough; that is why most of the maize comes from Uganda.’

On the supply chain and export side, Ugandan private sector actors are increasingly positioning themselves as structured exporters leveraging warehousing, logistics, and compliance systems.

Why transition remains uneven

Ms Oliver Akullo, the quality assurance officer at Erymags Enterprises Limited in Lira City, described a growing export-oriented operation dealing in grains and pulses such as soya, sesame, millet, sorghum, pigeon peas and chia.

She said, ‘We have a warehouse capacity of 2,000 metric tons and a twin warehouse of 4,000 metric tonnes… and a fleet of trailers with about 35 metric tonnes capacity each, meaning our logistics are highly efficient.’

Ms Akullo noted that while export potential is strong across multiple markets including Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and beyond, operational gaps remain in documentation and trade information flow.

She explained, ‘The limited communication makes it very hard, people do not have enough information on procedures, but if communication improves, we shall be on the same page.’

She also pointed to a shift from manual contracting systems to digital trade platforms that allow buyers and sellers to express interest and formalise agreements more efficiently.

She said, ‘Previously, people used physical paper communication, but now we are going more digital; we can express interest and enter into contracts.’

Across the region, the grain sector is being reshaped by four forces operating simultaneously: policy harmonisation, cooperative aggregation, private sector scaling, and digital trade systems.

‘Yet the transition remains uneven, with quality standards, financing access, and market coordination still defining who benefits most from the growing regional grain economy,’ said Ms Akullo.

As East Africa pushes toward deeper integration, the sector is no longer just about harvest volumes, but about whether systems can reliably move grain from smallholder farms to structured regional and global markets without losing value along the way.

The East African Business Council estimates that trade restrictions cost the region roughly $10 billion every year in lost opportunities. At the continental level, the World Bank’s 2020 report: The African Continental Free Trade Area: Economic and Distributional Effects projects that eliminating non-tariff barriers could increase intra-African exports by more than 80 percent and raise incomes by up to $300 billion by 2035.

Makerere University has been placed 23rd in Africa and 639 among global universities by the US News and World Report Best Global Universities Rankings 2026-2027. Makerere’s overall global score stood at 44.9 percent.

The rankings serve as a benchmark for students, researchers and policymakers evaluating higher education quality across countries. The University of Cape Town in South Africa was ranked first in Africa and 122 globally, followed by Cairo University in Egypt in second position, the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa in third, the University of Ibadan in Nigeria is fourth and the Mansoura University in Egypt ranked fifth.

This report pushes Uganda’s oldest and premier institution of higher learning out of the top 20 universities in Africa. The Best Global Universities Rankings are based on assessments of academic research and reputation, as well as the strength of the institutions teaching faculty. The ranking considers 13 performance indicators that include global research reputation, regional research reputation, publications, books, conferences normalised citation impact, total citations, number of publications that are among the 10 percent most cited in the world for their respective fields and international collaboration. Other aspects assessed are percentage of total publications that are among the 10 most cited, number of highly cited papers that are among the top one percent most cited in their respective field, and percentage of total publications that are among the top one percent most highly cited papers in the world – per field and publication year.

At the regional level, Makerere was ranked best while the University of Nairobi in Kenya, which emerged 35th in Africa and 809 globally was the second-best university in the region. The University of Rwanda was ranked 89th in Africa and 1,721 globally.

Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Science in Tanzania, was ranked 92nd in Africa and 1,815 globally, while the University of Dar es Salaam was placed at 93rd in Africa and 1,835 in the world. Prof Mukadasi Buyinza, the Makerere University academic registrar, said he is yet to look at the rankings and the methodology used to arrive at the grading. Nevertheless, he said Makerere regards the UK-based Times Higher Education’s ranking highly, compared to other rankings across the globe because of its accurate measure of achievement in all the aspects considered. ‘Makerere has always been graded at a higher rank.

I don’t know where Makerere didn’t fare well because 23rd place is a bit on the lower side,’ Prof Buyinza said. ‘We are waiting for Times Higher Education which is a more accurate measure of achievement in all of the aspects, because for them, they look at research, teaching, community and policy engagement. But this one here may have picked just one item, or one parameter, which is giving that result,’ he said. The Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, said this was the first time this agency evaluated the institution and that the university is yet to study the criteria used, given that it has been ranked better by other agencies.

‘This is the first time Makerere is being ranked by this agency. Previously, they have ranked only elite universities in the developed world. We will study the criteria they use since they are ranking us below universities that have been ranked lower than us by all other agencies,’ Prof Nawangwe said on Sunday. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings in 2025 placed Makerere University 12th in Africa and at number one in East Africa. Makerere’s overall score stood at 37.2, significantly outperforming peer institutions in the region with an average score of 18.8. The 2023 sub-Saharan Africa University rankings placed Makerere fifth on the continent.

At least 58 percent of the beneficiaries of the Higher Education Students’ Financing Board (HESFB), also known as the government Student Loan Scheme, are defaulters, a senior official in the Ministry of Education and Sports has said.

Mr Michael Wanyama, the HESFB executive director, said only 42 percent of the beneficiaries have complied. He said: ‘We are calling upon those who completed their studies and are within the repayment period to prove that they don’t have any gainful income, to start repaying back the loan.’

Records indicate that more than 16,000 students have benefited through the student loan since its inception, over a decade ago. The Higher Education Student Financing Loan Scheme was introduced in 2014. Mr Wanyama said the beneficiaries are expected to start repaying the loans one year after graduation, noting that those who are still economically challenged should inform the concerned parties. He said about 2,048 students have been enrolled on the loan scheme this academic year, and on average about 1,500 students are enrolled on the scheme every academic year.

Cost

He said the unit cost for most programmes is at Shs4.5m per person per year on average. However, this stretches to about Shs7.6m per year, depending on the course one is pursuing. ‘There are those who are working and they are not making any payments,’ he said. The scheme started with less than 1,500 beneficiaries and has since increased to 2,000 beneficiaries in 2025/2026 and is projected to offer loans to about 2,500 new beneficiaries in 2026/2027 following an additional resource of Shs10b, according the Minister of Education spokesperson, Dennis Mugimba. The loan scheme is designed to support academically strong students, who are economically disadvantaged, to access higher education and caters for tuition, functional fees, research, aids and appliances for persons with disabilities.

The scheme is designed to support students in pursuing selected undergraduate diploma and degree programmes in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and a few selected humanity programmes. It also supports students with disabilities to pursue any course, including sciences or humanities. However, Mr Wanyama is concerned about defaulting beneficiaries. In the legal notice published in the newspapers yesterday, defaulters are reminded to pay their dues, in line with the Higher Education Students’ Financing Act (as Amended) and the terms and conditions of the loan agreement.

The rules

‘In particular, Section 23(1) of the Act provides that, ‘a person who received a student loan shall start repaying the loan with the specified interest at least one year after completing the higher education for which the loan was given”, according to a legal notice signed by Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda, the permanent secretary in the Education ministry. The notice explained that records of the ministry indicate that a number of beneficiaries who have completed their studies, exhausted the statutory grace period and become due for repayment and have failed to fulfil their loan repayment obligations despite repeated reminders and engagements by the Higher Education Students Financing Scheme.

All beneficiaries due for loan repayment were advised to immediately regularise their loan status by updating their information and commencing or continuing repayment of their outstanding obligations. It further started that beneficiaries who fail to comply with this notice within six months may, upon verification and where their repayment period has fully elapsed, have their names published in print and digital media and be subjected to other lawful recovery measures.

Uganda remains one of the countries grappling with youth unemployment, a problem that a skilling centre in Mbarara City is solving through equipping and training young people to create jobs and make ends meet.

According to the National Population and Housing Census 2024 report by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), the unemployment rate in Uganda was 12.3 percent of the working population (15 years and above).

This figure highlights a significant portion of the labour force lacking jobs, with high youth unemployment (15-24 years) at 42.6 percent (NEET – Not in Employment, Education or Training). At the skilling centre located in Biharwe, Mbarara City, several youth are engaged in activities that include tailoring, hair dressing, weaving, bakery and confectionery, crop and animal production skills, among others.

The head of skilling and talent development at Excel Hort Consult Agribusiness Centre, Ms Grace Bazitire, said more than 6,000 youth, including those drawn from refugee communities of Nakivale and Oruchinga settlement camps in Isingiro District, have been trained at the centre since 2015. The initiative is supported by partners including the Directorate of Industrial Training (DIT), Private Sector Foundation, Uganda, and the US government.

‘I grew up in a community where age mates, especially girls, were suffering because of parental neglect and abuse, teenage pregnancies, and early marriages. I thank God I was not affected by this, and as a way of giving back, I chose to start this initiative,’ she said.

Ms Bazitire explained that the selection of the beneficiaries involves partners and local council leaders to make sure those who benefit are the most disadvantaged.

She said after training, the beneficiaries are linked to government entities and organisations to benefit from government programmes such as Emyooga, Youth Livelihood Programme, and Parish Development Model (PDM) to bridge the gap of skilling and marketing opportunities.

‘We realised that after training these young people need support to get to another level; that is why we are partnering with several stakeholders like local governments, refugee agencies, banking institutions and non-governmental organisations to bridge this gap,” Ms Bazitire explained.

Ms Doreen Ninshaba, 19, of Ruhunga in Rubaya Kashari, who hopes to gain bakery and confectionery skills at the centre, said she dropped out of school in Primary Five after she got pregnant.

‘When I became pregnant, my parents disowned me, so I moved to Mbarara City. I started doing odd jobs, but back home, my neighbour told me there is an organisation looking for disadvantaged children to take them for hands-on skilling; this is how I came here,’ Ms Ninshaba said.

She expressed hope that the skills gained at the centre will help her to start a business, and support her child.

Ms Evelyn Natuhire, 18, of Rwentanga in Rwanyamahembe Sub-county, who is training in tailoring and fashion design, said she dropped out of school after Primary Seven. ‘My dream was to become a doctor, but my parents are poor, and they could not afford the fees to take me to the next level after primary school. With the skills I am getting here, I am optimistic they will enable me to start a business and get money to further my education,’ she said.

Ms Jolly Umwiza, a trainer in tailoring at this centre, said she became a beneficiary of the project in 2020 and now employs 15 girls at her business centre in Sangano base in Nakivale Refugee Settlement.

‘I am a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They came looking for people to skill in our settlement, and lucky enough, I was chosen to be among them. I went under a three-month training on fashion and design, and later I started a business training centre in the camp; it employs 15 girls who do tailoring and fashion for hundreds of refugees in the camp,’ Ms Umwiza said.

She was retained as a trainer at the Mbarara skilling centre where she is paid Shs400,000 per month but back in the settlement she started her own training centre where she earns Shs200,000 on average a month after paying the youth for their labour and other expenses.

‘I use the money earned to boost my business at my training centre in the refugee settlement. I have also managed to buy a plot of land at Kaberebere Trading Centre in Isingiro District where I intend to set another skilling centre outside the settlement,’ she said, before adding that several skilled people grapple with accessing capital to start income generating projects.

Mr Samson Akandonda, a resident of Biharwe, where the skilling centre is located, said most of the youth who used to engage in criminal activities have been rehabilitated. ‘The centre here has relieved us of the challenges we have been getting from problematic youth who had turned into criminals, which I attribute to being unemployed, but when this skills centre came into this area, the situation changed. They are either employed there, or they started their own income-generating projects, ‘he said.

Recently, while visiting the centre, the Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Mr Henry Musasizi, said all innovation and skilling hubs across the country need to have a database on all those they churn out to link them to government programmes. ‘Skilling people without additional support will be a waste of resources.

As the government, we want institutions and innovation centres to have a data bank of those they have skilled and help us in linking them to government programmes,’ Mr Musasizi said. Responding to the minister’s demand for having a data bank from institutions and innovation hubs of the people they skill, Ms Bazitire said this will inspire more to join if they see colleagues get employed or create their own jobs.

‘The challenge we always have is having an idle skilled resource, this demotivates others, we have tried to link our graduates to government programmes but at times we find a challenge because when it is not a government initiative at times you get a backlash. But we are hopeful that with the minister’s intervention our graduates will be financially supported and linked to other transformational packages from government,’ she said.

Four men accused of murdering national rugby player Sydney Gongodyo Gyabi have been further remanded to Luzira Prison as investigations into the case continue.

The suspects appeared before the City Hall Court on Monday for the mention of their case, but Grade One Magistrate Edgar Karakire was informed by the prosecution that inquiries into the matter had not yet been concluded.

Prosecution led by Ms Grace Akite told court that police investigations are still ongoing and efforts to apprehend other suspects linked to the killing are continuing.

“We have other suspects still on the run and police are searching for them. We pray for an adjournment to enable police to wind up their investigations and also arrest other suspects,” Ms Akite told court.

The magistrate consequently remanded the accused until July 23, 2026, when the case will return to court for mention.

The accused are Obed Mugwisa, 39, a boda boda rider; Elly Mondoni, 33, a delivery agent with Medicinal Pharmacy; Joseph Owino, 30, a private security guard; and Henry Kabugo, 21, a boda boda rider.

The four were earlier charged with murder before the same court, and were not allowed to enter pleas because the offence is capital in nature and can only be tried by the High Court.

“This court does not have jurisdiction to try your case because it is capital in nature. I will send you to prison until investigations are complete and you are committed to the High Court for trial,” Mr Karakire said during the earlier proceedings.

According to the charge sheet, Mugwisa, Mondoni, Owino, Kabugo and others still at large allegedly murdered Gongodyo on June 5, 2026, at Upper Naguru East Road in Kampala District.

Gongodyo, 27, was a forward for the national 15s rugby team, the Rugby Cranes, and a key player for Stanbic Black Pirates Rugby Club.

Investigators say he was attacked by a mob in the Kampala suburb of Bukoto after being falsely accused of snatching a woman’s handbag.

Although police intervened and rushed him to Mulago National Referral Hospital, he later succumbed to injuries.

The death sent shockwaves through Uganda’s sporting community, prompting the postponement of Uganda Rugby Premiership semi-final matches.

Uganda Rugby Union President Godwin Kayangwe described the player’s death as a monumental loss to the sport.

Police have maintained that efforts to identify, trace and arrest other individuals believed to have participated in the fatal attack are ongoing.

Gongodyo’s death has since reignited concerns about mob justice in Uganda, with authorities warning that innocent people are often targeted by violent crowds acting on unverified accusations.

An armed robber was on Tuesday morning shot dead as police foiled a robbery at Ssemwogerere Zone, Nakawa Division in Kampala City.

The midnight incident involved officers who were conducting a patrol in the area when three armed men attacked a businessman and his wife who were walking along Mukasa Road and ordered them to lie down.

Police say the robbers successfully robbed the man of his mobile phone and wallet at gunpoint, before turning to the woman when police officers on motorcycle patrol coincidentally arrived at the scene.

Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Rachel Kawala said the timely intervention disrupted the robbery and forced the suspects to flee.

‘Our patrol officers who were conducting routine motorcycle patrols in the area arrived at the scene just as the robbery was ongoing. Upon noticing the police, the suspects attempted to flee,’ said SP Kawala.

During the pursuit, the suspects abandoned a bag containing suspected stolen items and a firearm.

One unidentified male suspect, estimated to be about 25 years old, was fatally injured during the operation.

Police recovered several exhibits from the scene, including a SAR rifle, a bayonet, four smartphones suspected to be stolen, two black shaving machines, three black jackets, one empty cartridge, a screwdriver, a pair of red canvas shoes, and a black laptop bag.

The body of the deceased suspect was taken to Mulago City Mortuary for post-mortem examination.