Category: Daily Monitor

What began as a conversation about golf has evolved into a wider environmental mission.

The usually calm greens at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa became the setting for a bold sustainability push aimed at cutting single-use plastics from Uganda’s golfing culture.

DFCU Bank and Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa officially launched the Plastic Free Golf initiative, a three-year environmental partnership that introduces reusable aluminium water bottles and strategically placed refill stations across the golf course, starting with one symbolic target: making Hole 14 completely plastic-free.

But beyond the bottles and refill stations lies a larger ambition, changing habits and attitudes around waste.

The initiative was born out of a recurring problem witnessed at the course after heavy rains. According to the resort’s management, plastic waste regularly washes into parts of the course, particularly around Hole 14, before eventually draining into Lake Victoria.

For the resort, the campaign is as much about protecting one of Africa’s largest freshwater bodies as it is about improving the golfing experience.

‘This initiative is very important to us,’ said Theodor Van Rooy, Golf Director at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa.

‘For two years, we have observed the amount of waste that flows into the golf course after heavy rains, especially around Hole 14. Much of that waste eventually finds its way into Lake Victoria, a vital water body that so many people depend on.’

The golf course, which hosts about 3,000 guests every month, generates significant plastic consumption through bottled water and other disposable materials used by players and visitors.

To tackle this, every golfer will now receive a reusable aluminium bottle during their round, with refill stations positioned at key points across the course, including around Holes 5 and 14.

‘Water coolers will be available at strategic points so players can refill their bottles throughout the day. This is our contribution toward reducing single-use plastic and protecting the environment,’ Van Rooy added.

For dfcu Bank, the partnership reflects a broader shift in how corporate institutions are approaching sustainability, moving beyond boardroom ESG conversations into visible, practical action.

Speaking during the launch, dfcu Board Chair Jimmy D. Mugerwa said sustainability only becomes meaningful when it is embedded into daily organisational culture and linked to both community impact and business responsibility.

Drawing from more than three decades in the oil and gas industry, Mugerwa stressed that environmental responsibility should not be treated as a passing corporate trend.

‘In 2024, dfcu Bank made notable progress in its ESG performance. The bank successfully recycled 60 percent of the waste generated across its operations,’ Mugerwa said.

‘In addition, the bank achieved a 15 percent reduction in its operational carbon footprint through various environmental commitments and sustainability initiatives.’

The initiative will also extend to club members, with all Lake Victoria Serena Golf Club members set to receive personalised reusable bottles engraved with their names, courtesy of dfcu Bank.

While golf is often associated with prestige and leisure, the campaign signals a growing effort to use sport and lifestyle spaces as platforms for environmental awareness.

And at Serena Kigo, the hope is that a simple refill bottle can spark a larger behavioural shift, one round of golf at a time.

Stanbic Black Pirates had never been here before, definitely not in the final of this competition. And for a brief, electric moment at a packed RFUEA Grounds in Nairobi on Saturday afternoon, it looked like their story might have the ending no one had dared write.

Instead, Kabras Sugar did what Kabras Sugar do: they absorbed the threat, leaned on their experience and rolled their maul to win 25-12, claiming a sixth consecutive Enterprise Cup title and reminding East Africa, once again, exactly who sets the standard. In history, only Nondescripts, who Pirates eliminated from the semis had won five consecutive titles.

Pirates return to Kampala to continue their Premiership title defense, and they do so with much to build on.

The rolling maul

Kabras drew first blood inside seven minutes, Derrick Ashihudu diving over in the right corner after a slick passage of play but the conversion was missed. Pirates did not panic as they grew into the contest, pinned Kabras deep and struck back with real conviction when Alex Aturinda peeled off the base of a scrum and powered over on the right flank, William Nkore adding the extras to give Uganda a 7-5 lead. The roar that greeted it told you everything.

But Kabras steadied. Twice before half time, veteran George Nyambua used the rolling maul to telling effect, first to restore the lead at 10-7, then again minutes later to stretch it to 15-7. Both conversions drifted wide but it barely mattered. The Ugandans went in at the break chasing the game.

The second half was a harder watch. Patrick Lumumba crossed to make it 20-7, and moments later Ashihundu grabbed his second after being released by a brilliant Walter Okoth offload, the winger turning on the jets to beat Timothy Kisiga in a foot race and touch down in the corner. Kabras led 25-7 with the match seemingly sealed.

Pirates, however, refused to fold. With Kabras reduced to 14 men after Hillary Odhiambo was yellow-carded, they found a way through Arnold Karuhanga finishing in the corner off sustained scrum pressure to make it 25-12. The fight was still there, even when the scoreboard said otherwise.

Captain Isaac Massa spoke with the composure of a man already thinking about the next game. ‘It was a wonderful contest,’ he said. ‘We didn’t get the result we wanted, but it gives us direction on what to work on. We shall take the loss but pick the positives.’

It is the right attitude and perhaps a necessary one. Pirates played well enough to make Kabras work, but not well enough to win. That is the honest truth of Saturday, and the gap it reveals is the thing they must now go away and close.

2026 ENTERPRISE CUP

Final result

Kabras Sugar 25-12 Stanbic Black Pirates

New Cabinet, right? Let me take you back ‘ka small’. Late one night, May 1999, Wafula Oguttu, then editor-in-chief of this newspaper, gave me an assignment as he drove out of The Monitor headquarters. I was to hunt down all the former ministers who had served in President Museveni’s Cabinet, interview them, and tell their stories of life after Cabinet. At that time, Mr Museveni had been in power for 13 years. Waf, methinks, assumed that since, in mid-1997, I had successfully traced the survivors of the October 17, 1988, Uganda Airlines crash in Rome (Editor Charles Onyango-Obbo’s assignment) and put together a minute-by-minute story of that ill-fated flight, I would make minced meat of this one too. Fausse supposition! Wrong assumption!

The air crash survivors were 19 (out of 52). It was a tough job, alright, given that we didn’t have mobile phones at that time (only a handful of well-to-do folks could afford mobile telephony in 1997). There was no social media, since even the concept of internet was only filtering through to Uganda like a rumour. One had to move from person to person and place to place to get information. Still, it was certainly much easier than Waf’s project. See, by 1999 mobile phones had begun to be accessible, thanks to the entrance of MTN, which broke the Celtel monopoly in October 1998. But I can confirm that it was easier to number the stars in the sky than count Museveni’s ex-ministers in 1999.

My estimate was that I needed several months (while doing nothing else) to complete Waf’s project. And, as fate would have it, a few weeks thereafter, I joined our ‘Noisy Neighbours’ on 1st Street, Industrial Area, Kampala, when my dear ‘Barbs’, now head honcho thereat, came calling. Today, if Waf re-assigned that project, he would, in all certainty, need World Bank financing and the machinery of the national census to accomplish it. Only one person, over the past 40 years, has been a constant in that Cabinet – President Museveni.

With each new Cabinet or Cabinet reshuffle, we’ve been given high-sounding slogans, powerful promises, and still endured the very same problems. Our people are poor, have no jobs, die early and easily, and get no proper education. No water, no electricity in our homes.

The rulers attend hospitals in Europe and North America, and take their children to school there – not in the country they lead. All promises and pretences of democracy have since been put paid to: elections are officially violent. The ruling party wins elections when its key opponents and their campaign agents are in jail. And exile.

Separation of powers died long ago: the rulers issue orders as to who should lead the Legislature. And with the leader of the Judiciary having been installed without procedural transparency and, to make matters worse, sworn in at the President’s home, anybody who thinks we still have an independent Judiciary needs to see a doctor. The preamble to the Constitution tells a powerful story of what Uganda was coming from and where it aspired to reach. But if you read it again, you will agree that, as a nation, our goose is cooked. Put simply, like the children of Israel, we’ve wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, going in circles, without getting anywhere.

We have mastered the ritual of political renovation: new faces, reshuffled portfolios, fresh photographs, and energetic slogans-yet our problems persist. We have lived through seasons of slogans-grand declarations promising action, urgency, transformation, and prosperity. Nations, however, are not transformed by catchphrases. Slogans are easy. Systems are hard. A nation cannot convince itself that repainting the walls amounts to building a new house. Changing ministers while preserving the same centre of gravity often feels less like reform and more like rearranging seats in a vehicle travelling the same road.

We have missed the ultimate test of true and stable democracies: repeated cycles of a leader serving for a definite term and, at its end, holding peaceful elections on level playing ground, hand over power to another, and go do other things. There is a tragedy worse than standing still. It is movement without progress. It is marching, singing, voting, celebrating anniversaries, and cutting ribbons while the verdict is written in the sky: we’ve wasted 40 years going nowhere, because we’ve mastered the art of moving in circles.

Rising fuel prices have pushed annual inflation higher, increasing business costs, squeezing household budgets, and slowing economic activity.

Details released by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) show annual inflation rose to 3.2 percent in the 12 months to May 2026, up from 3.0 percent in April.

The increase was largely driven by higher fuel prices, which continue to ripple through transport, manufacturing, and other sectors of the economy.

Inflation updates come amid a sharp increase in pump prices, which in February, a litre of petrol retailed at Shs5,080, but has since risen by Shs1,539, equivalent to a cumulative increase of more than 30 percent.

At the weekend, major fuel retailers, including Shell and TotalEnergies, were selling petrol at around Shs6,619 per litre, while diesel retailed at about Shs6,490.

Ubos data shows annual liquid energy fuels inflation surged to 16.6 percent in May, up from 7.7 percent in April.

As a result, annual Energy, Fuel and Utilities (EFU) inflation increased to 9.1 percent from 6.1 percent the previous month.

Petrol prices rose by 16.6 percent on an annual basis, compared to 8.7 percent in April, while diesel inflation rose to 21.5 percent from 10.8 percent, and kerosene inflation jumped to 25.4 percent from 7.5 percent. Cooking gas prices also recorded a modest increase.

Month-on-month, EFU inflation rose to 3 percent in May from 1.8 percent in April, largely due to a 9.3 percent increase in liquid fuel inflation.

Ubos head of macroeconomic statistics, Samuel Echoku, said at the weekend that the increase is largely linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has disrupted global oil supply chains.

‘The increase in oil prices in Uganda is a result of the war in the Middle East, which has disrupted the supply chain of oil,’ he said.

Last week Ministry of Energy assistant commissioner for communication and information management, Patricia Litho, said tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route, have increased international prices for crude oil and refined petroleum products.

As a net fuel importer, Uganda has had to absorb these external shocks through higher import costs.

Additional pressures, including rising freight charges, marine insurance premiums, regional demand, and exchange-rate movements, have further increased costs.

Litho noted that Uganda initially benefited from fuel stocks procured before the escalation of tensions, allowing domestic prices to remain relatively stable.

However, newer shipments purchased after the conflict intensified have arrived at significantly higher costs, which are now filtering through to consumers.

The impact is increasingly visible across the wider economy, with annual services inflation rising to 4.6 percent in May from 4.1 percent in April, driven largely by higher passenger transport charges, which increased by 10.6 percent compared to 2.2 percent previously.

Energy is a critical input across transport, agriculture, manufacturing, and services. Consequently, higher fuel prices raise operating costs, increase the price of moving goods, and reduce household purchasing power.

Some food prices, however, provided a measure of relief. Annual core goods inflation eased to 1.7 percent in May from 2 percent in April, reflecting slower price increases for maize flour, rice, sugar, fish, and other food products.

Annual food crops and related items inflation also slowed to 0.2 percent from 0.6 percent, largely due to falling prices for matooke, sweet potatoes, and beans.

Nevertheless, analysts warn that gains from lower food inflation could be offset if fuel prices continue rising.

But government says it has taken steps to cushion consumers, with the Ministry of Finance noting that centralised fuel procurement through UNOC has helped streamline imports and improve supply management.

Strategic fuel reserves in Jinja have also been deployed to stabilise supply and reduce shortages.

Absa acting head of trading Richard Nsubuga said international oil prices have slightly eased, with Brent crude futures recently falling below $92 per barrel amid optimism over easing tensions between the United States and Iran.

He noted that global oil prices have declined by nearly 15 percent last month on hopes of a diplomatic breakthrough, although uncertainty remains over Iran’s nuclear programme, sanctions relief, and the future security of the Strait of Hormuz.

The final scorecard will forever show Uganda XI were dismissed for 70 and lost by seven wickets to Suryakumar Yadav’s Mumbai Triumph Knights NE.

What it cannot show is the journey that preceded it.

It cannot explain eight matches in unfamiliar conditions. It cannot reveal the draining heat that baked the Bandra Kurla Complex on Saturday afternoon. Nor can it measure the confidence gained from a 4-0 sweep of the 50-over series that nobody outside the dressing room genuinely expected.

For Uganda’s Cricket Cranes, the final T20 defeat represented the end of a tour, not the end of a story.

Hard lessons

After losing the toss, Uganda found themselves batting on a surface that local bowlers understood instinctively. Simon Ssesazi’s fluent 18 briefly promised another competitive total before the innings unravelled dramatically from 22 without loss to 40 for six.

Yet even as wickets tumbled, the visitors refused to surrender. Joseph Baguma battled for 21, Juma Miyaji dug in for 12 and Uganda somehow found a way to stretch the innings into the 17th over.

Defending 70 appeared impossible. Uganda almost made believers of everyone.

Refusing to fold

Miyaji struck three times with the new ball. Jigar Rana departed. Akhil Herwadkar followed. Sagar Mishra soon joined them. Suddenly a contest that appeared over was alive again.

That fighting spirit became one of the defining themes of the tour. Whenever adversity arrived, Uganda kept searching for solutions.

Eventually Vedant Murkar’s unbeaten 45 ended the resistance, but not before Uganda had once again demonstrated the competitiveness that carried them through much of the trip.

Bigger picture

The T20 scoreline reads 3-1 to Mumbai. The broader picture tells a different story.

Uganda won five of the eight matches played. More significantly, they completed a commanding 4-0 sweep in the 50-over format against opponents who were expected to dominate on home soil.

Coach Steve Tikolo preferred to focus on those wider gains.

“We have enough lessons to take back home and continue to improve as we gear up for ICC tournaments,” Tikolo said.

“It is important we add another set of bricks on the foundation laid.”

Those words may ultimately define the tour.

International cricket development rarely follows a straight line. Progress is often hidden beneath losses, concealed inside difficult mornings and uncomfortable conditions.

Mumbai provided plenty of both.

Foundation stones

Captain Fred Achelam perhaps summed up the experience best.

“We came, saw and most of all we learnt.”

The numbers support him. Five wins from eight matches.

A 4-0 sweep in the 50-over series. New players tested. Youngsters got exposed to pressure.

Senior players challenged.

Most importantly, another layer added to Uganda’s preparation for future ICC competitions.

The Cricket Cranes boarded their flight home without the T20 honours but they returned with something potentially more important: evidence that their processes are beginning to travel.

UGANDA TOUR OF MUMBAI

RESULT – GAME 4 – T20s

Uganda XI 70/10 | Triumph Knights 74/3

Mumbai Triumph Knights NE won by 7 wickets

T20 Series: Mumbai Premier League T20 Teams won 3-1

Overall White-Ball Series Tour: Uganda won 5-3

THE TALKING POINT

Hidden Gains. The scorecards show Uganda were bowled out for 70 and lost by seven wickets. They do not show the 40-degree heat, unfamiliar pitches, quality opposition or the courage required to compete away from home. In many ways, Mumbai was less about winning matches and more about discovering what it will take to succeed at future ICC events.

In a drastic move to curb runaway government expenditure and manage Uganda’s widening fiscal deficit, the Ministry of Finance has announced that the government will no longer fund national public holiday celebrations starting next financial year (FY 2026/27).

The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury (PSST), Ramathan Ggoobi, revealed that prominent national events-including Independence Day, Labour Day, and International Women’s Day-will no longer receive state funding for lavish public functions. Instead, state resources will only be allocated to a select few religious functions, according to a statement from Ministry of Finance.

According to Ggoobi, President Museveni will henceforth address the nation via radio and television from State House during these holidays.

“The money saved from these functions will be redirected to finance core government priorities, specifically the ATMS (Agriculture, Tourism, Mineral-based industrialization, and Science/Technology) and key economic enablers,” Dr. Ggoobi stated.

The austerity measure comes at a critical time for Uganda’s economy. The country has been battling a persistent budget deficit, heavily reliant on domestic and external borrowing to fund its national budget.

Uganda raised its projected public spending for the 2026/2027 financial year by 12.7% to Shs78.2 trillion ($21.78 billion), up from an earlier estimate of Shs69.4 trillion, the finance ministry announced in February.

The government has previously stated that spending in the next fiscal year will prioritise the completion of the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), facilitating the commencement of crude oil production.

Other priorities include mineral quantification for iron ore, gold, and copper deposits, the development of a refinery, and the ongoing construction of a standard gauge railway, the ministry said.

‘The budget for FY2026/27 will prioritise the ATMS and enablers. Particular attention will be on cleaning up and enforcing execution discipline,’ said Uganda’s Secretary to the Treasury Ramathan Ggoobi.

Uganda’s public debt has spiraled in recent years, prompting warnings from civil society and international lenders like the IMF about debt sustainability. Servicing this debt consumes a massive chunk of local revenue.

The suspension of holiday funding aligns with the ongoing rationalization of government agencies and public expenditure (RAPEX), aimed at eliminating wasteful administration costs.

By cutting back on tent rentals, entertainment, and logistics for massive public gatherings, the treasury hopes to inject much-needed capital into productive sectors capable of stimulating economic growth. However, critics argue that while the fiscal discipline is necessary, it remains to be seen if these minor cuts can significantly offset the country’s massive deficit.

An experimental drug developed by China-based Akeso 9926.HK helped patients with advanced squamous non-small cell lung cancer live 15% longer than BeOne Medicines’ 688235.SS immunotherapy Tevimbra, and cut the risk of death by more than one-third in a study presented at a medical meeting on Sunday.

Patients who received ivonescimab and chemotherapy lived an average of 27.9 months, compared with 23.7 months for those who received Tevimbra and chemotherapy, according to a brief summary of the study results.

The company had reported in October that ivonescimab met the main goal of the study, showing that it cut disease progression or death by 40% versus Tevimbra, before the overall survival data was available.

The head-to-head study conducted in China involved 532 patients with newly diagnosed advanced stage 3 or stage 4 squamous non-small cell lung cancer. It compared ivonescimab with Tevimbra as an initial, or first-line, treatment. All patients also received chemotherapy.

The results are being presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago on Sunday.

Dr. David Spigel, chief scientific officer of the Sarah Cannon Research Institute in Nashville, Tennessee, said during a press briefing on Saturday it is not clear if the trial in China will translate to a wider population because differences in ethnicity sometimes affect how drugs work. But, he said, the results are “very encouraging.”

Ivonescimab belongs to a newer class of medicines known as bispecific antibodies, which have dual targets. It blocks the protein PD-1 that helps cancer avoid immune system attack and a second protein called VEGF that can promote tumor growth.

Tevimbra, like other widely used immunotherapies such as Merck’s MRK.N Keytruda, is a monoclonal antibody that targets PD-1.

The company said with the improved survival data from the dual-target approach and the drug’s favorable risk-benefit profile, it should become the new standard of care in the management of advanced squamous NSCLC.

About 69% of people given the drug experienced serious side effects versus 59% given the standard treatment arm. About 5% of people stopped treatment due to side effects in both groups, according to the publication in the medical journal The Lancet.

Summit Therapeutics SMMT.O has rights for the drug in the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan through a deal worth up to $5 billion, while Akeso retains rights for China and the rest of the world.

The new data will not be used to seek U.S. approval because the trial was conducted only in China, said Dr. Julie Gralow, ASCO’s chief medical officer.

A separate, ongoing global late-stage trial comparing ivonescimab with Keytruda is expected to produce interim data this year, she said.

“We’ve kind of moved from monoclonal antibodies to antibody drug conjugates. Now I think bispecific antibodies are the hot new area,” Gralow said. “If we see the same kind of benefits in this global trial, it will undoubtedly lead to an approval in the U.S.”

Authorities in Kanungu District have indefinitely suspended weekly markets, bars, discos, and unauthorised public gatherings as part of measures to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus in the border district.

The decision was reached on Thursday by the Kanungu District Task Force and the district security committee following a meeting chaired by the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Ambrose Mwesigye Amanyire.

Kanungu, one of the districts bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), remains on high alert amid growing concerns over possible cross-border transmission of Ebola.

District leaders say strict surveillance and rapid-response mechanisms have been intensified at all high-risk border entry points.

Mr Amanyire said the restrictions were introduced after security and health officials identified gaps in border safety during the task force meeting.

‘We have suspended all weekly markets in the district with immediate effect. Daily markets and public institutions must enforce handwashing and screening measures under strict security monitoring,’ Mr Amanyire said.

‘All bars and disco activities are also hereby suspended as part of our efforts to safeguard the community from the Ebola threat,’ he added.

The RDC further revealed that border access has been significantly restricted, with only essential travellers allowed to cross under strict health protocols.

‘Only cargo vehicles with drivers and turn-men, cargo boda bodas, registered refugees, and security personnel will be allowed to cross, subject to strict health screening standard operating procedures,’ he explained.

The district task force also announced a ban on unauthorised gatherings, including meetings, rallies, and social events, warning residents against non-compliance.

In addition, all institutions, banks, and business premises have been directed to install thermo guns and handwashing facilities at entry points to ensure mandatory screening of all visitors.

Authorities said burials in the district must strictly follow safe burial protocols under the supervision of health and security personnel to minimise the risk of infection.

‘Public transport operations will also face increased monitoring to ensure compliance with Ebola prevention guidelines,’ Mr Amanyire said.

The district has also intensified public awareness campaigns through radio broadcasts and community sensitisation programs to educate residents about Ebola prevention and response.

He rallied residents, business owners, and local leaders to cooperate fully with the directives and promptly report suspected Ebola symptoms, including fever, bleeding, and vomiting, to the nearest health facility.

‘As a gateway district bordering the DRC, Kanungu carries a major responsibility in preventing cross-border transmission of Ebola. We call upon everyone to remain vigilant and comply with the measures put in place,’ Mr Amanyire said.

On Friday, the Ministry of Health of Uganda reported two new cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Kampala, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Uganda to nine, including one death.

Newly sworn-in lawmakers from Uganda’s eastern Busoga sub-region have pledged to work together across political divides to accelerate development and improve service delivery, following years of internal divisions that leaders say weakened the region’s influence.

The commitment was made during a meeting with the Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Wilberforce Nadiope Gabula IV, in Iganga District, where legislators promised closer cooperation with the kingdom and among themselves.

Among those present was Rebecca Kadaga, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, who also represents Kamuli District as Woman Member of Parliament.

The legislators said they represented a mix of experienced and newly elected leaders determined to fulfill campaign promises and address long-standing development challenges in the region.

Led by Luuka South MP Stephen Kisa, who chairs the Busoga Parliamentary Group, the lawmakers acknowledged that divisions among MPs had previously undermined collective efforts to advance Busoga’s interests.

“We have not been united as MPs from the Busoga sub-region, and some of our colleagues have not returned to the 12th Parliament. Voters made choices and brought in new leaders who we hope will effectively address their problems and drive development in the region,” Kisa said.

He said some legislators in the previous Parliament rarely attended kingdom functions, creating a disconnect between elected leaders, cultural institutions and local communities.

Kisa said MPs had now resolved to work together regardless of political affiliation in order to strengthen collaboration with the Busoga Kingdom and mobilize support for regional development.

The remarks were made during the graduation ceremony of 600 health professionals at Lubega School of Nursing and Health Professionals in Iganga, where the Kyabazinga serves as vice chancellor.

The graduates completed diploma and certificate programmes in nursing, clinical medicine, pharmacy, laboratory technology and medical records management.

Bukooli North MP Jamali Ayagalachi Mukuve of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) said divisions among leaders had persisted for years and contributed to underdevelopment.

“As MPs in the 12th Parliament, we have resolved to unite and work together before you, regardless of our political affiliations. We seek your guidance, Kyabazinga, so that we can deliver effective services to the people of Busoga and help lift them out of poverty,” Ayagalachi said.

He expressed concern that Busoga continues to rank among Uganda’s poorest regions despite possessing significant agricultural and human resources.

“For those MPs in the region who still want to continue bringing confusion among us, we are not ready to welcome their selfish ambitions against the will of our community, which expects services from us,” he added.

Luuka North MP John Ngobi Bagoole said voters had returned him to Parliament because many communities still lacked visible development and improved public services.

Kamuli District Woman MP Mastula Namatovu said residents expected lawmakers to focus on fulfilling campaign commitments and addressing persistent challenges facing households.

Responding to the concerns, Kadaga urged MPs to establish sector-based coordination structures among themselves to improve resource mobilization and monitoring of government programmes.

She said legislators should closely track the implementation of government initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga to ensure resources reach intended beneficiaries and contribute to poverty reduction.

Kadaga also called for stronger accountability and cooperation among leaders in the region.

Background

The push for unity follows years of political rivalry within Busoga that intensified during recent elections and contests within the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).

Earlier this year, Kadaga convened meetings bringing together leaders from different political parties, including NRM, NUP, FDC, DP, UPC and PFF, in an effort to build consensus around the region’s development agenda.

Following the 2025 elections, she credited Busoga voters with ushering in new leadership and argued that internal divisions had previously slowed progress.

Political tensions in the region deepened after NRM primary elections, during which some candidates aligned themselves with supporters of former Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among.

Kadaga has previously blamed some MPs for contributing to divisions that weakened Busoga’s political influence at the national level.

The recent elections also saw several opposition politicians win parliamentary seats across the region, particularly in Jinja City and parts of Busoga, reflecting voter frustration with leaders perceived to be focused on political infighting rather than development.

Among the opposition legislators elected from the region are NUP lawmakers Timothy Batuwa, Paul Mwiru, Hussein Muyonjo, Sarah Lwansasula, John Odwori, Jamal Mukuve, Nasser Mudiobole and Andrew Kaluya, alongside FDC’s Grace Kirya Wanzala.

Regional leaders say the challenge now is whether the newly elected MPs can translate their pledge of unity into tangible improvements in infrastructure, education, healthcare and household incomes across Busoga.

A decades-long land dispute between Ngandho Primary School and the Church of Uganda has ended after the family of the late Yeremiya Katoto and Yeremiya Bagiire formally donated 8.6 acres of land to Busoga Diocese, resolving years of tension over the shared church and school premises in Buyende District.

The land title was officially handed over to the Bishop of Busoga Diocese, Grace Lubaale, during a Saturday ceremony attended by church leaders, education officials and local residents.

Speaking on behalf of the family, John Bagiire said the donation fulfilled the vision of his grandfather, Yeremiya Katoto, and his father, Yeremiya Bagiire, who were among the pioneers of education and Christianity in the area.

‘My father, Yeremiya Bagiire, was a primary school teacher who established this school in 1958, following in the footsteps of my grandfather, Yeremiya Katoto, who was a catechist. He initially constructed a grass-thatched church to promote education and foster spiritual growth. We are grateful that their aspirations have been realized,’ he said.

Bagiire said the family consulted the Ministry of Education before processing the land title and urged residents to focus on development rather than disputes that have historically affected the community.

He also cautioned the church against selling the donated land.

Buyende District Education Officer Dison Bwire described the donation as a major achievement for the education sector, noting that the family worked closely with officials from the Ministry of Education to ensure proper documentation before the handover.

‘The donation of the land title is a significant achievement, and we appreciate the efforts made by the family to secure proper ownership documentation,’ Bwire said.

Local leaders welcomed the move, saying it would promote harmony between the church and the school after years of disagreement over ownership and use of the land.

Bishop Lubaale described the donation as a landmark moment for the Church of Uganda and said it would strengthen ongoing efforts to resolve similar disputes affecting schools and churches across the diocese.

‘Today is a notable milestone in the life of the Church in Busoga as I witness the donation of 8.6 acres of land from the Bagiire family,’ he said.

The bishop said the conflict emerged after the original Bagiire Primary School was renamed Ngandho Primary School, creating disagreements over ownership that persisted for nearly three decades.

‘Sometimes over the last 30 years, there has been conflict as the community believed it was school land and wanted the church to leave, yet the two are inseparable,’ he said.

Lubaale said many church land disputes stem from inadequate documentation, selfish interests and forgery, but expressed optimism that ongoing interventions would help restore stability.

‘Those conflicts tend to exist in some places, and we are handling them case by case. Within two years, there will be total stability,’ he said.

The donation is expected to end one of the longest-running church-school land disputes in Busoga and provide a model for resolving similar conflicts elsewhere in Uganda.