Category: Daily Monitor

The government has declared an immediate end to the blanket amnesty previously extended to wetland encroachers, signaling an aggressive shift toward environmental enforcement.

The Minister of Water and Environment, Gen. Kahinda Otafiire, delivered the ultimatum at the weekend, warning that the state will no longer tolerate the unchecked destruction of Uganda’s fragile ecosystems. Crucially, the minister revealed that the crackdown will not only target illegal occupants but will also pursue the public officials who facilitate environmental destruction.

“Nature licenses hippos, fish, frogs, crocodile. And that’s what it is….If you are not a fish, a frog, a hippo, and a crocodile, what are you doing in the wetland? Even if it is your mistress, get out by all means. Why do you complain? You think God was stupid to put you on dry land and put the reptiles in the in the water? Why are you invading the wetlands?…There should be no mercy for those who are degrading the wetlands,’ a defiant Gen. Otafiire declared. ‘I am going after those who are damaging the environment and those who allow them to damage the environment. Amnesty ends today.’

Gen. Otafiire issued the directive during the third National Environment Sustainability Awards (NESA) 2026 held in Kampala. The event, themed ‘Innovation for Climate Resilience,’ brought together senior government officials, private sector leaders, environmentalists, and innovators.

The minister argued that wetland degradation has far-reaching consequences for water security, public health, and the wellbeing of future generations. Drawing attention to the growing environmental pressures facing the capital city, Otafiire noted that wetlands play a critical role in filtering pollutants before they reach major water bodies.

Their destruction, he warned, means toxic substances are increasingly finding their way into rivers and lakes, eventually poisoning communities through the food chain. By framing environmental degradation as a direct threat to human life, Otafiire justified the suspension of leniency, signaling that the era of polite warnings is officially over.

The minister’s tough stance was backed by economic data from Bank of Uganda Governor, Michael Atingi-Ego. Delivering the keynote address, the central bank chief argued that climate change must no longer be viewed solely as an ecological problem, but as a severe threat to macroeconomic and financial stability.

‘When farmers lose harvests, when roads become impassable, when businesses face rising operating costs, and when communities are displaced, the consequences extend far beyond the immediate damage,’ Dr. Atingi-Ego warned.

The governor explained that climate-related shocks ultimately batter corporate balance sheets, compromise commercial bank loan portfolios, spike insurance claims, and strain public finances. To mitigate these risks, Atingi-Ego called for aggressive investment in climate-smart agriculture, artificial intelligence, and digital finance.

‘The future is going to belong to nations that can transform climate risks into opportunities, innovation into resilience, and ambition into measurable results,’ the governor added.

Echoing the minister’s urgency, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Executive Director, Dr. Barirega Akankwasa, described environmental protection as both a survival imperative and an economic necessity.

‘Environmental degradation is an existential threat to humanity and we must treat it as such,’ Dr. Akankwasa said.

He reminded the audience that Uganda’s forests regulate rainfall, its wetlands store and purify water, its rivers generate hydro-energy, and its biodiversity supports tourism and agriculture.

Despite the grim warnings, the NEMA chief highlighted notable strides in conservation. According to recent data, Uganda’s forest cover has rebounded from approximately 9 percent in 2015 to 13 per cent today. Wetland coverage has also registered marginal improvements, though significant portions remain heavily encroached upon.

Dr. Akankwasa noted that NEMA has scaled up environmental governance through strict compliance monitoring, forced restoration initiatives, and the digitization of services to curb corruption.

While Gen. Otafiire emphasized the big stick of law enforcement, the NESA awards celebrated the carrot of innovation. Dr. Akankwasa lauded young entrepreneurs converting waste into valuable products, financial institutions creating green financing instruments, and communities restoring degraded ecosystems.

The NESA awards were established to recognize individuals and institutions providing practical solutions to environmental challenges while supporting socio-economic transformation. Several organizations, including media houses recognized for consistent environmental reporting, were honored at the event.

However, the overriding message of the day belonged to Gen. Otafiire. For those still illegally occupying wetlands, or the bureaucrats signing off on titles in protected ecosystems, the minister’s message left no room for ambiguity: the grace period is officially over.

Concerns over access to justice for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and the controversial circumstances under which male police officers search female suspects dominated discussions during the first-ever Court Open Day at the Law Development Centre (LDC) Court in Kampala on Tuesday.

The landmark event brought together judicial officers, police commanders, legal practitioners, and court users to dissect systemic challenges within the justice system.

The debate sparked intense interest when Ms. Joan Kalungi, a participant, questioned the boundaries of police body searches.

“Are male police officers allowed to check women all through their bodies?” Ms. Kalungi asked, drawing loud applause from female attendees.

Responding to the concern, the Wandegeya Division Police Commander, Superintendent of Police (SP) David Ndawula, clarified that while standard police procedures strictly mandate female officers to conduct body searches on women, emergencies alter the rules.

“Ordinarily, it is a female police officer who is supposed to search or arrest a female suspect. However, if a female suspect is armed, a male police officer can intervene,” SP Ndawula explained. “I will not stand there and just raise an alarm simply because I am a male police officer.”

The forum also put a spotlight on the marginalization of PWDs in legal corridors. Mr. Isaa Kiyinzi, the chairperson of PWDs in Makerere-Kivulu, shared a frustrating ordeal where two deaf litigants failed to get justice at the Buganda Road Court due to the lack of a sign language interpreter.

“Our case hit a wall after failing to get a sign language interpreter,” Mr. Kiyinzi narrated. “So as PWDs, how are you going to help us access justice?”

The Chief Guest, Judiciary Chief Registrar Agnes Alum, reassured the public that the Judiciary possesses internal mechanisms to accommodate PWDs, urging litigants to notify court administration ahead of time.

“As the Judiciary, we have services for persons with disabilities and whenever there is a need to use them, notify us and they will be made available,” Ms. Alum said.

Beyond individual rights, Ms. Alum used the platform to highlight major structural reforms aimed at aggressive case backlog reduction.

She revealed that recent amendments to the Magistrates Courts Act have vastly increased the financial limits (pecuniary jurisdiction) of lower courts. This shift allows magistrates to handle high-value civil disputes that previously choked the High Court system.

“The effect of this is that several cases now in the High Court shall be moved for disposal to the magistrates’ courts, which are more geographically accessible and have more judicial officers,” Alum explained.

The Chief Magistrate of the LDC Court, Mr. Timothy Lumunye, championed his station as both a high-performing legal institution and a vital practical training ground for Bar Course students from the adjacent Law Development Centre.

“The magistrates and state attorneys at the LDC Court serve as points of reference for Bar Course students during training,” Mr. Lumunye said, adding that the court is exceptionally efficient, with only 58 cases currently classified as backlog.

Centurion and Pak Shaheens sealed promotion to the Silver Division of the CU Men’s 50 Overs League after a gripping round of Bronze Division semi-finals that mixed resilience, firepower and heartbreak in equal measure on June 21.

Centurion survived a tense early collapse before debutant Davis Karashani announced himself in style with a match-defining century, while Pak Shaheens produced a ruthless all-round display to crush Tornado CC and book their silver berth.

Centurion captain Allan Ssemakula admitted his side’s qualification journey was built on more than just match-day brilliance.

‘Qualification was built on consistency, discipline, and teamwork throughout the season,’ Ssemakula said.

‘Every player understood their role and bought into the team’s vision. We stayed united even in difficult moments.’

He added that the achievement was only the beginning of a longer project.

‘Our ambition is to continue growing, compete strongly at the next level and build a winning culture that lasts,’ he said.

The surge

At Lugogo Cricket Oval, Centurion were pushed to the edge after slipping to 24 for 3 in pursuit of 199 against Kifaru CC.

But what followed was a turnaround built on belief and composure, led by two former Cricket Cranes skippers; Karashani and Brian Mark Masaba, who stitched together a 174-run partnership that flipped the contest. Karashani struck a brilliant 103 off 84 balls on debut, while Masaba anchored the chase with an unbeaten 62.

Ssemakula later praised the calmness inside the dressing room when pressure peaked.

‘Naturally there was tension because the stakes were high, but nobody panicked,’ he said.

‘We trusted the players at the crease. Cricket is about partnerships and momentum can change quickly.’

For Karashani, the moment was not only a delight but also a statement of arrival.

His innings blended timing, patience and authority as Centurion recovered from a shaky start to seal promotion with 35 balls to spare. Masaba, often the quiet operator, ensured there were no late scares as he carried the chase home.

Shaheens power

At Florida Oval, alias The Akbar Baig Cricket Ground, Pak Shaheens delivered one of the most dominant performances of the round, hammering Tornado CC by 98 runs to confirm promotion.

Batting first, Shaheens posted 187 all out, with Sunil Kumar top-scoring on 56, while Yasir Malik added 40 and Abdul Basit Habib contributed 38.

Captain Muhammad Sarwar Raheel, who was mentored by Pakistan legend Saeed Ajmal, said the win carried emotional weight beyond cricket.

‘This Father’s Day was unforgettable,’ Raheel said. ‘I wore a ‘DAD’ cap during the match to carry my son, who was celebrating his first birthday, with me onto the field.’

He dedicated the victory to his family. ‘Leading Shaheens to victory in such a pressure game made it even more meaningful. I dedicate this win to my son Zayan Raheel,’ he said.

Tornado wilt

Traditional giants Tornado never recovered from early blows as they were bundled out for 89 in reply, with Pak Shaheens’ bowlers tightening the grip through disciplined spells.

Cricket Cranes paceman Bilal Hassun and skipper Raheel led the charge as wickets fell at regular intervals. Elsewhere in Gold Division, Rounders CC’s survival hopes collapsed under pressure as they fell to Kutchi Tigers CC by 61 runs at Entebbe.

Their chase of 153 never recovered after an early collapse left them 26 for 4, eventually folding for 91 and confirming relegation.

Tough reward

Centurion and Pak Shaheens will now meet in the Bronze final this Sunday (June 28) at Lugogo after sealing promotion to Division Two in contrasting but commanding fashion.

Centurion did it the hard way – with recovery, patience and a debut century – while Shaheens stormed through with ruthless dominance.

Either way, both teams will leave the Bronze Division not only as mere winners but as teams ready for a bigger stage.

CU MEN’S 50-OVER LEAGUE

Results – Gold Division

Ceylon Lions 209/10 | Aboojo 186/9

Ceylon Lions won by 23 runs

Kutchi Tigers 152/10 | Rounders 91/10

Kutchi Tigers won by 61 runs

JACC 183/9 | Mukono Warriors 119/10

JACC won by 64 runs

Bronze Division – Semi-finals

Kifaru CC 198/10 | Centurion CC 202/4

Centurion CC won by 6 wickets

Pak Shaheens CC 187/10 | Tornado CC 89/10

Pak Shaheens CC won by 98 runs

Anxiety and frustration gripped hundreds of supporters of former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago yesterday after the Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court made a U-turn and didn’t deliver its much-awaited ruling on his bail application, extending his stay in Luzira Prison as concerns over his deteriorating health continued to mount. The court premises was guarded by heavily armed security personnel.

Supporters dressed in People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) colours filled the courtroom, while dozens more crowded windows and corridors in the court grounds. Mr Lukwago, 56, who is facing a charge of misprision of treason, was brought to court at around 10:25am while his hands were handcuffed. His appearance was greeted with excitement from mammoth supporters, many of whom have followed every stage of the case since his arrest.

The immediate past former Lord Mayor, who had spent exactly a week in detention following his arrest, had hoped to know his fate at 2pm when Chief Magistrate Sarah Basemera was due to rule on his bail application. However, shortly before the appointed time, lawyers from both sides were summoned into the magistrate’s chambers instead of open court, triggering speculation and concern among the anxiously waiting crowds. Moments later, lead defence lawyer Medard Lubega Ssegona emerged from the magistrate’s chambers downcast before delivering disappointing news. ‘Her Worship, the Chief Magistrate, has advised that her ruling is not ready,’ Mr Ssegona told supporters, family members and journalists gathered outside the courtroom. He explained that the magistrate had opted against returning to the packed courtroom to announce the delay due to the highly charged atmosphere surrounding the case.

‘Owing to the sensitivity of the case and all the environment as you see it, she was informed that it was not advisable to come back and convey the news that the ruling is not ready. She did not want to gather the crowds that we have, especially when the ruling is not ready,’ Mr Ssegona said. According to the defence lawyer, the magistrate committed herself to delivering the ruling electronically through the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS) within 24 hours. ‘She undertook to deliver the ruling by ECCMIS within 24 hours from the time we met her in chambers. She invited us to understand the situation and requested us to go back and glue ourselves to the computers as we wait for the ruling,’ he added. The main criminal case remains scheduled for mention on June 30.

But beyond the delayed ruling, it was Lukwago’s health that dominated discussions outside court, with some of his supporters sobbing since he was heading back to prison. Earlier during the proceedings, Mr Ssegona informed the court that his client’s condition was worsening despite receiving treatment while on remand. ‘The defence maintains that Lukwago is suffering from a spinal condition involving a dislocated disc that requires specialised MRI-guided examination and treatment, which cannot adequately be provided within the prison health system,’ he said He added: ‘Unfortunately, the seemingly dislocated disc has accelerated, causing excruciating pain to the accused (Mr Lukwago), and certainly cannot be examined and treated in Luzira or anywhere in Uganda.’ He also raised concerns about Lukwago’s vulnerability to infections due to a declining white blood cell count, warning that his closeness to inmates suffering from tuberculosis (TB) could place him at greater risk.

Outside the courtroom, Mr Ssegona drew comparisons with previous cases where accused persons complained of serious health conditions while in detention. ‘For Hon Lukwago, his health situation is not any better. It gets worse day by day,’ he said. ‘I must mention this because we have seen cases before. There was a German national denied bail in Kalangala who died, and then we had Hon Muhammad Ssegirinya, who kept telling courts that he was in bad health until it was too late. We have put all these materials before the court, and we trust that the court will understand,’ he added. The State has since strongly opposed Lukwago’s release on bail, arguing that the offence he faces is grave, carries a potential life sentence, and raises national security concerns.

Prosecutors have also challenged the suitability of some of his proposed sureties and questioned claims that his age and health condition justify his release. Yesterday’s proceedings also unfolded against the backdrop of controversy surrounding the deportation of Kenyan lawyer and former Justice Minister Martha Karua, who had travelled to Uganda intending to attend Lukwango’s proceedings. Ms Karua and Mr Lukwago are both lead defence lawyers in the treason and misprision case that incarcerated Dr Kizza Besigye is currently facing. Asked about the matter, Mr Ssegona criticised the decision to deny her entry into the country.

‘I know that Martha Karua was not denied entry into the country but detained at the airport and deported. It is not within the spirit of the East African Community,’ he said. ‘An accused person is entitled to have a lawyer of his own choice from anywhere. I don’t think Martha is a security threat to this country,’ he said. As evening approached, supporters slowly dispersed from the court precincts, still uncertain whether the ruling expected within the next 24 hours would finally secure Lukwago’s temporary freedom. For now, the opposition politician remains behind bars at Luzira Prison, where his lawyers say each passing day is worsening an already fragile health condition.

Dear Tingasiga, There is a particular kind of wisdom that cannot be taught in a classroom or acquired from a book. It comes only from living – from decades of watching the world shift beneath your feet, from translating motivation into productivity, from burying friends, raising children, navigating institutions, and surviving one’s own mistakes.

Stephen Lwanga’s blog, Fork in the Road: Reflections on Life, is precisely that kind of wisdom made public. It is quiet, considered, deeply humane, and unexpectedly essential reading. Lwanga is a Ugandan scholar, my teacher in medical school, a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society, a member of the International Epidemiological Association, and a Major Donor Rotarian.

He spent over two decades at the World Health Organisation in Geneva, providing statistical support across key programmes, contributing to methodologies that helped shape data-driven policy across the globe. Yet none of that institutional weight bears down on the reader when they open a blog post. What greets you instead is something far warmer: the voice of a thoughtful elder inviting you to sit down and think with him. Lwanga describes his blog as “fireside musings on the reasonably long life I have lived so far” – a way of thinking aloud over everyday issues, and sharing his views with people around him, physically and virtually. That framing is apt. Reading his posts genuinely resembles sitting by a fire with someone who has no interest in performing expertise, but every interest in honest reflection.

The range of topics Lwanga has addressed across the blog is remarkable in its breadth and its ordinariness: growing old, happiness, trust, friendship, death, faith, loneliness, hunger, retirement, education, poverty, hair, lies, tears, and salt, among many others. These are not the grand geopolitical themes of op-ed culture. They are the textures of daily life – the things most of us experience but seldom stop to examine with any care. This is the blog’s greatest strength. Lwanga takes something as unremarkable as a word like “goodbye” and unpacks it into something genuinely moving. In another post on reciprocation, he moves from the simple social norm of returning a favour all the way through to bribery, retaliation, and coercion – tracing the moral complexity embedded in an act most of us perform without a second thought.

He draws a careful distinction between ethical reciprocation and a bribe, noting that the key difference lies in intention and expected outcome. His most recent post, published last week, is titled ‘Motivation.” It unpacks this important subject in a manner that is accessible and gripping. The psychologists define motivation as the ‘impetus that gives purpose or direction to behaviour and operated in humans at a conscious or unconscious level.’ That is a great definition, but it can intimidate one who has not had some grounding in the discipline of psychology. Lwanga presents definitions and examples that are very easy for most of us to relate to.

An earlier blog in May titled ‘Head Covers” is a fine example of how Lwanga turns a seemingly trivial subject into a rich meditation on identity, responsibility, and trust. He traces his interest in the subject back to an earlier musing on hair, when he began wondering how people with shaved heads managed in the scorching sun without a cover – and from there, his wandering mind took him considerably further. What follows is a tour of head coverings across human experience: surgical caps in operating theatres; religious headwear from the hijab to the Jewish skullcap to the Sikh turban; the Rastafarian cap in its symbolic colours; the academic mortarboard; the traditional crown; the chef’s hat; the soldier’s beret.

Each is treated not as a fashion object but as a carrier of meaning. The post arrives at a powerful conclusion: that across all these professions and traditions, what we wear on the head often represents what we carry in responsibility – and that a bishop’s mitre, a nurse’s cap, a soldier’s beret, and a chef’s hat all convey something similar: “I am accountable for what happens under my care. This kind of thinking – ranging freely across medicine, religion, culture, and daily life, then landing on a unifying moral insight – is characteristic of Lwanga at his best. What is immediately striking about Lwanga’s writing is how unpretentious it is. He acknowledges his own habits openly – noting, for instance, that he tends to begin posts with definitions of key terms, a carry-over, he suspects, from his mathematical training, where one must lay out premises before making an argument.

This kind of self-awareness is disarming and earns the reader’s trust quickly. Writing about the challenges of growing old as a man of more than eight score years, he describes memory loss with a mixture of candour and gentle comedy – the trick of working through the alphabet to find a forgotten name, the frustration when it fails, and then the sudden moment when the name simply pops up once he has given up. There is no self-pity here, and no false cheer either. Just observation, honest and clear. And I related to it easily. Lwanga draws freely on Ugandan cultural references. He invokes a Baganda proverb – that it takes only one lungfish clan member to eat the lungfish to tarnish the whole clan – to illustrate how quickly trust can be destroyed by a single bad actor. These inclusions give the blog a cultural rootedness that enriches it considerably.

This is not a generic meditation on the human condition produced from some imagined global vantage point. It is a Ugandan man writing from Kampala, drawing on decades of lived experience in a specific place and culture, and the specificity only makes the universals land harder. Perhaps what is most striking about this blog is its motivation. Lwanga does not write to build a brand or accumulate followers. In response to a reader’s gratitude, he described his posts simply as “deeply felt ramblings of an old man” – his way of sharing the little he has gained in life with the world around him.

That is what the sages of days gone by used to do – driven by a spiritual generosity that seems to be in retreat these days. Lwanga’s blog is not flashy. It is patient, reflective, and quietly confident that ordinary experience, examined carefully, is worth writing about and worth reading. Whether the subject is something as large as death or as small as a hat, Lwanga finds in it a thread that leads somewhere worth following. This blog offers something increasingly hard to find: the considered perspective of a long life, offered freely to whoever wants to sit by the fire.

Farmers in Busoga Sub-region are losing up to 40 percent of their grain harvest due to poor farming, handling and storage practices. This costs them millions of shillings while exposing consumers to dangerous levels of aflatoxin contamination.

Experts say the losses, which occur across the entire value chain, are undermining food security, reducing farmer incomes and limiting Uganda’s competitiveness in regional grain markets. Mr Humphrey Mutasa, the chief technical advisor at the Uganda Grain Council, said aflatoxin contamination has become widespread in grain-producing districts across Busoga, making the sub-region one of the most affected in the country. ‘There is widespread aflatoxin contamination in Busoga. The sub-region has some of the poorest quality grain in the country due to poor handling practices throughout the value chain,’ Mr Mutasa said.

Aflatoxin is a toxic substance produced by moulds, which grow on improperly dried and stored grain. It has been linked to serious health complications, including liver cancer. Mr Mutasa said grain losses begin right from planting due to poor seed selection and continue through harvesting, transportation, drying and storage. ‘Farmers are losing food at every stage. Some losses occur during harvesting, others during transportation, drying and storage. By the time the grain reaches the market, farmers have already lost between 38 and 40 percent of their harvest,’ he said. The Uganda Grain Council estimates that farmers only recover about 60 percent of what they produce, largely due to failure to follow recommended agronomic and post-harvest practices. Mr Mutasa attributed the high losses to inadequate farmer training, weak enforcement of quality standards and poor market organisation.

He noted that many farmers continue to dry grain on bare ground, transport it in inappropriate containers, and store it in poorly ventilated facilities, conditions that encourage mould growth and pest infestation. ‘When grain is not properly dried and stored, mould develops and aflatoxin contamination sets in. This not only affects market access but also poses serious health risks to consumers,’ he said. The council is now urging farmers to adopt proper drying and storage technologies, and to organise themselves into groups to improve access to markets. Mr Mutasa said Uganda has a strong regional market for quality grain, especially in neighbouring countries such as Kenya, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. ‘Uganda is the food basket of the region. The market is there, but farmers must produce grain that meets required standards,’ he said.

Mr Mutasa called on the government to strengthen agricultural extension services, enforce grain quality regulations and expand access to affordable financing for farmers. Experts warn that unless post-harvest losses and food safety concerns are addressed, Uganda risks losing both domestic and export opportunities despite its agricultural potential. Mr Godfrey Omony, the project manager of the Re-Gain Project at Farm Africa, said poor harvesting, drying and storage practices continue to contribute significantly to grain losses in Busoga. The Re-Gain Project (Scaling Solutions for Food Loss in Africa) is a major regional initiative spearheaded by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to drastically reduce post-harvest losses and boost climate resilience across seven African nations, including Uganda.

Mr Omony said studies show that farmers lose about 40 percent of their grain after harvest, significantly reducing household incomes and threatening food security. ‘Late harvesting, drying grain on bare ground, and poor storage remain some of the major causes of post-harvest losses. A significant amount of grain is lost before it reaches the market,’ he said. Mr Omony noted that the Re-Gain Project is working with more than 76,000 smallholder farmers across seven districts in Busoga to promote improved post-harvest handling technologies. These include tarpaulins, airtight storage bags, grain moisture testers, grain harvesting machines, and storage silos, all aimed at reducing grain losses and improving quality.

Mr Omony said research has shown that proper post-harvest practices can reduce losses to below 10 percent, significantly increasing farmers’ incomes. ‘The studies show that farmers who adopt improved drying and storage technologies significantly reduce losses. The grain saved translates directly into more income and improved livelihoods,’ he said. He added that the project is also building the capacity of village-based advisors and farmer groups to improve awareness and access to post-harvest technologies.

Mr Omony warned that failure to address post-harvest challenges could worsen food insecurity, malnutrition and loss of market opportunities in the region. Ms Winnie Daisy, the partnership manager at Equator Seeds, said seed quality plays a major role in determining both yield and grain quality. She noted that farmers using certified improved seed varieties can harvest up to 2.5 tonnes of maize per acre compared to about 500 kilogrammes from recycled or home-saved seed. ‘Quality grain begins with quality seed. Farmers who plant improved seed varieties benefit from higher yields, better grain quality, and increased resistance to pests and diseases,’ Ms Daisy said. She added that some improved maize varieties are drought-tolerant and less prone to rotting in the field, reducing the risk of aflatoxin contamination before harvest.

‘When maize cobs begin rotting in the field, they become vulnerable to aflatoxin contamination and pest attacks. Improved varieties help farmers minimise such losses,’ she said. However, Ms Daisy observed that many farmers continue to recycle seed from previous harvests, a practice that reduces productivity and compromises quality. ‘Many farmers still plant grain saved from previous harvests instead of certified seed. This affects yields and limits the benefits of improved farming technologies,’ she said. Ms Daisy also cited poor agronomic practices, inadequate fertiliser use and declining soil fertility as key constraints affecting productivity. She called on the government to subsidise agricultural inputs and strengthen community grain aggregation centres equipped with drying and storage facilities.

‘If farmers are to benefit from quality seed, they must also have access to proper drying facilities, storage technologies, and reliable markets,’ she said. Mr Noah Ssozi, an agronomist working with Equator Seeds under the AGRA-supported project, said many farmers lose a significant portion of their harvest within days after leaving the garden due to poor handling. ‘Farmers spend about four months growing a crop but can lose much of their investment within three days after harvesting if proper post-harvest practices are not followed,’ Mr Ssozi said. He explained that losses often begin during transportation, where produce is poorly handled, leading to spillage and damage. The situation is worsened by drying grain on bare ground, which exposes it to moisture, soil contamination and stones, increasing the risk of aflatoxin development.

‘When grain is dried on the ground, it absorbs moisture and gets contaminated. This creates favourable conditions for fungal growth,’ he said. Mr Ssozi noted that maize is the most affected crop in Busoga due to low awareness of proper post-harvest technologies. He urged farmers to harvest at the right time, warning that delayed harvesting exposes crops to pests, while premature harvesting increases moisture content, encouraging fungal infections. Mr Ssozi said proper drying is critical in preserving grain quality and improving storage life. ‘Well-dried grain develops a hard-outer layer that reduces pest infestation and limits fungal growth. This improves both storage life and marketability,’ he said. He warned that consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated grain poses serious health risks, including liver cancer, and can lead to rejection of produce in regional markets.

Mr Ssozi encouraged farmers to adopt affordable technologies such as tarpaulins and hermetic storage bags to reduce losses. Mr David Wozemba, the Country Director of AGRA Uganda, said the Re-Gain Project was designed in response to high food losses across Africa, where farmers lose up to half of their produce after harvest.

‘These losses deny farmers income, reduce food availability, and undermine food security,’ he said. He noted that the initiative aligns with Uganda’s national development priorities and is being implemented in partnership with the government. Mr Wozemba stressed that reducing post-harvest losses requires participation from all actors in the agricultural value chain, including farmers, traders, processors, financiers and input suppliers.

‘We must create incentives for every actor in the agricultural ecosystem to invest in reducing food losses,’ he said. He added that the private sector plays a central role in ensuring sustainability through provision of services, technologies and market access. ‘The private sector is critical in driving adoption of technologies and improving access to markets,’ he said.

Mr Wozemba said improving post-harvest handling systems would strengthen food security, increase farmer incomes, and enhance Uganda’s competitiveness in regional and international grain markets. According to the Uganda Grain Council, Uganda produces 2.8-3.4 million metric tonnes of maize annually, but post-harvest losses mean only 30-40 percent of the demand for 1.2 million metric tonnes of maize and 650,000 metric tonnes of beans is met.

Uganda has overtaken Ethiopia to become Africa’s leading coffee exporter after shipping 8.6 million bags of coffee between June 2025 and May 2026, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF).

Dr Gerald Kyalo, the commissioner for Coffee Development at MAAIF, said Uganda exported 8.6 million 60-kilogramme bags of coffee worth $2.3b (Shs8.3 trillion) during the period under review. ‘Between June 2025 and May 2026, we exported 8.6 million bags of 60kg coffee worth $2.3 billion, and as a country, we are happy that we are making more money from coffee while our farmers continue to earn a livelihood from the crop,’ Dr Kyalo said yesterday. He attributed Uganda’s rise to the top position partly to the fact that Ethiopia consumes a substantial share of its coffee domestically.

‘Ethiopia consumes about 50 percent of its coffee, while Uganda’s coffee exports have been growing exponentially over the last five years,’ he said. According to available industry data, Uganda ranked among the world’s leading coffee producers in 2023, with output estimated at 5.29 million bags. The country is projected to increase production to 5.86 million bags by 2028. Buoyed by the strong export performance, Uganda is seeking to strengthen its position in international markets through aggressive promotion campaigns. Uganda’s Embassy in Brussels, working together with MAAIF, is preparing to showcase the country’s coffee at the World of Coffee 2026 exhibition in Belgium.

Organised by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), the World of Coffee is Europe’s largest specialty coffee trade event, attracting producers, traders, roasters, baristas and coffee buyers from around the world. The event, which will take place at Brussels Expo, is expected to provide Uganda with an opportunity to market its coffee directly to buyers and investors in one of the world’s most influential coffee markets. ‘The World of Coffee in Brussels offers a unique platform for Uganda to present its coffee story directly to the European market,’ Uganda’s Embassy in Brussels said in a statement.

Officials say the campaign is intended to strengthen trade relations, attract investment and enhance Uganda’s reputation as a producer of high-quality coffee. For two days, Uganda’s exhibition stand will showcase specialty coffees from major growing regions, including the slopes of Mount Elgon, the Rwenzori Mountains, West Nile and the central Robusta-growing belt.

Gold scams that used to involve fraudsters using fake paperwork to rob their victims, have become violent, with the criminals now using firearms and killing their victims. The latest victim of a violent gold scam is Jama Munyaradzi, a British-Zimbabwean national, who was robbed of $600 and killed. In December 2025, through a contact only identified as Abdullah, Munyaradzi met Tonny Kasule alias Anthony to discuss a gold deal. According to documents from the Criminal Investigations Directorate and court, Munyaradzi, who wanted gold worth $19,000, met Kasule’s colleagues at a hotel in Kampala. It is alleged that during their interactions with Munyaradzi, Kasule got to know that Munyaradzi had $4.25m in cryptocurrency.

Kasule allegedly plotted to rob Munyaradzi of the cryptocurrency. According to police documents, he reportedly hired several people to aid him in his plans. Police and court documents claim that after several meetings on how they would steal the cryptocurrency, they resolved to use brutal force. They allegedly hired Dan Nabaasa, Paul Tasingika and others still at large to carry help them out the crime. On December 1, 2025, they reportedly abducted Munyaradzi from Hilton Garden Inn at Kamwokya in Kampala City, dragged him in a vehicle and took him to a hide-out, where they allegedly attempted to force him to reveal the password of the cryptocurrency. Munyaradzi reportedly surrendered his passwords, but the suspects were unable to access the cryptocurrency, given the fact that the victim was not the only signatory.

The suspects are accused of robbing Munyaradzi of $600 in hard cash before killing him. It is alleged that they then drove the body to Masaka City, where they dumped it into Lake Victoria. On December 2, 2025, Munyaradzi’s body was found at Malembo Landing Site. Joint investigations by the police and the military led to the arrest of Kasule, Bashir Ali Mugabe, Nabaasa, and Tasingika. They were charged with aggravated robbery and the murder of Munyaradzi. ‘Kasule, Mugabe, Nabaasa, and Tasingika were arrested, and they confessed to the kidnapping, aggravated robbery, and murder of Jama [Munyaradzi],’ a police report stated. The accused were produced before the General Court Martial on murder charges, and were remanded to prison. Munyaradzi’s case is among hundreds of criminal cases involving gold dealing that the security agencies handled last year.

Gold business in Uganda is now the leading forex earner in the country, with $5.2 billion (Shs18.9 trillion) registered in 2025. This has attracted many gold buyers around the world, who come to Uganda to purchase the precious metal. Those seeking the gold are targeted by criminals. Last year, the Police Mineral Protection Unit (PMPU) investigated 135 gold-related criminal cases in which they recovered 3.631 kilogrammes of gold, $1.2m, Shs190.8m and 38 motor vehicles. ‘The common offences in this category are obtaining money by false pretence, dealing in minerals without a licence, theft of gold, aggravated robbery and smuggling,’ the PMPU report shows. The gold-related criminal cases are increasing at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, many gold criminal cases involve high-profile persons, law firms, and security personnel.

This makes it difficult for the victims to detect that they are being defrauded. In May last year, four Police Flying Squad Unit officers, including a Superintendent of Police, were arrested and arraigned in court on allegations of aggravated robbery of gold worth $110,000 from Mr John Vian Tumukunde at Nakawa in Kampala City on May 9, 2025. The four officers were remanded to prison. Their case is still ongoing. When the police arrested a Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) deputy commander of a military division and his guards in an alleged armed robbery and abduction of a gold dealer in Mubende District, they were directed to release the suspects immediately.

The suspects were released days later without any charge. Another incident happened in July 2024 after a Ugandan military diplomat sent his brother and an armed UPDF driver in a sedan to Mpondwe, on the DR Congo-Uganda border, to pick a 4.5kg gold consignment. When they reached Mpigi District, they were reportedly intercepted by a Toyota Mark X registration occupied by four armed men dressed in UPDF uniforms on the pretext that they were carrying out an investigation. Although the police led the investigations in the initial stage, the UPDF took over the case later.

The shilling registered its strongest appreciation in months, reversing a prolonged period of volatility due to sustained pressure from global economic uncertainty.

The unit strengthened significantly against the dollar during the week ending June 19, buoyed by a surge in foreign currency inflows from commodity exporters and offshore investors.

The local currency appreciated by about 3.3 percent against the dollar during the week, strengthening from an average market rate of Shs3,770 to Shs3,645 amid strong inflows and improved investor sentiment.

The gain marks the first major recovery for the shilling after months of depreciation and exchange-rate swings that had unsettled businesses and importers.

Market analysts attributed the appreciation largely to increased dollar liquidity in the interbank market, while demand for dollars remained subdued as many corporate entities focused on preserving shilling liquidity ahead of end-of-financial-year tax obligations.

‘The market experienced stronger-than-usual dollar inflows from both exporters and offshore investors, while corporate demand remained relatively muted,’ said Richard Nsubuga, the Absa acting head of trading.

Nsubuga said improving global risk sentiment also played a role, with investors responding positively to easing tensions in the Middle East following an interim peace agreement between US and Iran.

A stronger shilling offers a firmer currency, which lowers the cost of imports, but it could mean exporters face challenges if the currency continues to strengthen.

A sharp reversal

The latest gains come barely a month after the Ministry of Finance indicated that the shilling had weakened by 1.3 percent against the dollar in May, trading at an average mid-rate of Shs3,764.11, compared to Shs3,716.7 in April.

The Ministry of Finance monthly performance report indicated that the depreciation was driven largely by increased demand for dollars to finance higher fuel imports and freight charges amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

The ministry also cited reduced foreign exchange earnings during April as a contributing factor.

Recent export performance has, however, supported an improvement in the foreign exchange position, with official data showing that Uganda’s export earnings increased by 24.3 percent year-on-year to $1.4b in April 2026, compared to $1.13b during the same period in 2025.

The growth was largely driven by higher earnings from gold exports, electricity sales, base metals and related products, oil re-exports, cement, cotton, beans, hides and skins, among other commodities. The strong export performance has increased the supply of dollars entering the economy, helping support the shilling’s recovery.

Liquidity remains high

The stronger currency coincided with abundant liquidity in the domestic money market. Throughout the week, commercial banks maintained comfortable liquidity positions, prompting Bank of Uganda to intervene through Open Market Operations aimed at absorbing excess funds from the financial system.

The Central Bank sold Bank of Uganda bills and conducted a seven-day repurchase agreement (repo) operation last Thursday to mop up surplus liquidity.

Nsubuga said overnight lending rates averaged 9.56 percent during the week, reflecting the elevated liquidity conditions, while yields at the Treasury bill auction last Wednesday remained largely unchanged.

Government accepted Shs266b in bids, with yields settling at 12 percent for the 364-day paper, 10.713 percent for the 182-day paper and 10.5 percent for the 91-day paper.

Oil prices ease

Another development likely to support the shilling is the sharp decline in global oil prices. Brent crude traded near $79 per barrel last Friday and was on course for a weekly decline of around 10 percent after the US-Iran interim peace accord restored confidence in energy supplies.

The reopening of shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz and plans by Kuwait to increase production have eased fears of supply shortages that had previously pushed prices higher.

Lower oil prices could reduce Uganda’s fuel import bill and lessen demand for dollars in the coming weeks, providing additional support to the local currency.

Market participants expect the shilling to remain relatively stable in the short term, supported by continued export inflows and easing pressure from global energy markets.

Absa projects the local currency to trade within the Shs3,600-3,720 per dollar range in the near term.

While external risks remain, particularly regarding global interest rates and geopolitical developments, the latest appreciation offers a welcome sign of stability for an economy that has weathered months of exchange-rate volatility.

Former Kampala Lord Mayor and People’s Front for Freedom president Erias Lukwago will know this afternoon whether he will be released on bail or not, after Makindye Chief Magistrates Court fixed its ruling for 2pm.

Lukwago, who is facing a charge of misprision of treason, was produced in court at 10:25am amid high interest in his bail application. The case proceeded after both defence and prosecution confirmed compliance with earlier court directions requiring written submissions.

Defence lawyer Medard Lubega Ssegona told court all necessary documents had been filed through the Electronic Court Case Management Information System, including a rejoinder to the State’s submissions and a Local Council letter supporting one of the proposed sureties, Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze.

‘This bail application is before you this morning. You gave us directions and we have since complied with them,’ Ssegona submitted.

He thanked prison authorities for allowing Lukwago’s family to deliver a mattress and for facilitating medical care at Murchison Bay Hospital. But Ssegona raised fresh concerns about his client’s deteriorating health.

‘Unfortunately, the seemingly dislocated disc has accelerated by causing excruciating pain to the accused and certainly can’t be examined and treated in Luzira or anywhere in Uganda,’ he told court.

According to the defence, Lukwago has undergone physiotherapy while in custody, but treatment has not yielded results because it requires MRI-guided assessment, a service they say is unavailable within the prison system.

Ssegona also expressed concern about the risk of tuberculosis infection, arguing that Lukwago’s fragile health could be worsened by exposure to inmates with the disease.

‘There is a threat of TB infection. The TB ward is just close to where he is staying. At some point, a TB patient was brought to their room and managed there until they complained,’ Ssegona said.

He added that recent medical tests showed a continued decline in Lukwago’s white blood cell count, making any infection potentially dangerous.

‘We are hopeful that the ruling will be expedited, possibly delivered today and positive, but in the unlikely event that it is not ready, we pray that the accused be referred to Mulago National Referral Hospital for an MRI and other tests,’ he said.

In response, State Attorney Barbra Masinde said prosecution had complied with court directives and asked the court to rely on previously filed submissions opposing bail.

‘I did not interact with counsel and you gave guidelines which we complied with. Those issues were not included in the rejoinder. It is the prosecution’s request that our earlier submissions be adopted and relied upon to reach a decision in this matter,’ Masinde submitted.

Ssegona clarified that the issues he raised were merely highlights of concerns already addressed in defence submissions.

‘The accused is your prisoner and you decide where to take him,’ he said.

Chief Magistrate Sarah Basemera noted all parties had complied and fixed the ruling on the bail application for 2pm.

Last week, the State opposed Lukwago’s release on seven grounds. Prosecutors argued that misprision of treason is a serious charge carrying a potential life sentence, raises national security concerns and presents a risk of witness interference.

They also challenged the suitability of his sureties, questioned his stated residence and disputed claims that his age and health condition warrant release on bail.