Category: Daily Monitor

Police in the Mt Moroto region are investigating the killing of one of their own in a mob attack in Nakapiripirit District on Tuesday evening.

The deceased has been identified as Richard Nokrach, 31, attached to Namalu Police Station, according to Mt Moroto police spokesperson Mike Longole.

The incident occurred at Nalait Trading Centre in Loporet Parish, Kawach sub-county, around 7:00pm. Longole said initial reports indicate that Nokrach was returning from Moru-A-Jore Game Reserve Checkpoint when he knocked an elderly man at the trading centre.

‘Relatives of the man allegedly attacked him and stabbed him multiple times in the chest, back, and neck. He died at the scene,’ Longole said.

The case was reported at Nakapiripirit Central Police Station at about 1900hrs and registered as CRB 064/2026.

After receiving the report, the District Police Commander, District CID Officer, SOCO team, and other officers visited the scene.

‘Statements have been recorded from witnesses, and the body was conveyed to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for postmortem examination,’ Longole said.

Two male suspects have since been arrested and are being held at Nakapiripirit CPS as investigations continue.

Longole condemned mob justice and urged the public to let the law take its course.

‘We urge members of the public to allow the law to take its course and to report incidents to the nearest police station instead of taking matters into their own hands,’ he said.

For most couples, six decades of marriage would be a distant dream. For Dr Ezra Nkwasibwe, 88, and his wife, Loi Busingye Nkwasibwe, 87, their 61-year journey has been held together by an unusual glue; the fear of embarrassment. The couple, who wedded in 1965 after a seven-year courtship, say avoiding scandalous acts and resolving misunderstandings immediately have been the secrets to their enduring union. They also credit a deep reverence for God, a dread of public shame, and a conscious choice to protect their reputation as children of prominent Anglican church leaders.

A union rooted in discipline and devotion

Dr Nkwasibwe is a trained medical doctor from Makerere University. He served as a former Minister of Animal Industry and Fisheries in the UNLF government and as a former Minister of Health in the Obote II regime. He is also a former Member of Parliament for Kabale East. He is a son of the late Zabroni Rushundahire, an Anglican catechist.

Loi Busingye Nkwasibwe holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Nairobi and a postgraduate diploma in education from Makerere University. She made history as one of the first female Members of Parliament during the National Resistance Council. She later became a successful businesswoman in Kabale Town. She is a daughter of the late Reverend Kezekiya Kasisiri.

The courtship that lasted seven years

Dr Nkwasibwe was in Senior Three at Nyakasura School when he first noticed Busingye, who was then a Senior Two student at Gayaza High School. He says her beauty and elegance attracted him to Busingye.

‘Beyond her physical appearance, she was well-disciplined and from a respectable family,’ Nkwasibwe says.

Busingye says she was naturally drawn to Dr Nkwasibwe, whom she describes as a humble and brilliant young man who was fluent in speaking the English language.

The secrets to a strong marriage

When asked to break down six decades of marriage into guiding principles, the couple offers several secrets.

The first secret is the fear of God, as their spiritual foundation has been reinforced by regular church attendance.

The second secret is the fear of embarrassment, as the dread of public shame has acted as a powerful deterrent against reckless behaviour. The third secret is avoiding scandalous acts altogether. Busingye adds that being children of former Anglican Church leaders scared them away from committing scandalous acts that would affect their marriage, as they always knew people were watching.

Longevity beyond politics

Dr Nkwasibwe credits his longevity and respectability to living a private life without antagonising those in power. When the Obote II government was overthrown, he decided to concentrate on operating a medical clinic in Kabale Town. He says he completely forgot about politics and never looked back.

Busingye took a similar path. After serving her term as a Member of Parliament, she chose not to seek re-election. She supported Hope Mwesigye, who won and represented Kabale District in the Constituent Assembly. She advises younger politicians to give space to others and not to cling to power.

The early life and education

Dr Nkwasibwe was born in 1938 in Ibugwe Mparo in Rukiga District. He was the third-born child of the late Zabroni Rushundahire, an Anglican catechist, and the late Yoniya Karerere. He attended Nyeikunama Church School, Nyabirerema Primary School, and Nyakatare Primary School. He later joined Kigezi High School and then Nyakasura Secondary School, where he attained his Cambridge O- Level certificate. He was admitted to Makerere University for an intermediary course before enrolling for a bachelor’s degree in medicine, which he completed in 1964.

He went on to serve as a senior casualty officer at Mulago Hospital and later as the in-charge at Arua Hospital. He won a scholarship to study a postgraduate diploma in Ophthalmology. When Idi Amin took power, he was transferred to Masaka hospital to oversee ophthalmology tasks in the western region. He retired from public service and started a private medical clinic in Kabale Town. After the fall of Amin, he was appointed Minister of Animal Industry and Fisheries. In 1980, he was elected MP for Kabale East and later appointed Minister of Health in the Obote II government until it was overthrown. Since then, he has lived a private lifestyle.

Busingye was born in 1939 in Kabale Town to the late Reverend Kezekiya Kasisiri and the late Agnes Wa-Kasheija. She studied at Hornby High School and Gayaza High School, where she attained her O-Level certificate. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art from the University of Nairobi and a postgraduate diploma in teacher education from Makerere University.

She taught at Makerere College School and later at Masaka Secondary School before leaving to join her husband in a private lifestyle. In 1989, she was elected as a Member of Parliament during the National Resistance Council.

Advice for politicians

Dr Nkwasibwe says politicians must avoid corruption at all costs and should fear taking what does not belong to them. He also advises that leaders must respect the opinions of other leaders and must be tolerant of others. Busingye adds that politicians must leave political space for younger politicians. ‘If you want a peaceful retirement, you should start preparing for it the very day you take office,’ she says.

A lasting legacy of love and discipline

Today, at 88 and 87 years of age, the Nkwasibwes remain together, and their marriage is as vibrant as ever. They attend church regularly and receive visitors who seek their counsel.

Busingye says marriage is not about never fighting, but about fighting and then forgiving before the sun goes down. She adds that it is about remembering that people are watching your example and about choosing every single day to protect each other’s name.

The list, released Tuesday evening, saw Gen. Jeje Abubaker Odongo removed as Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Musa Francis Ecweru dropped as State Minister for Transport and Works, Ms Hellen Adoa Abeku removed as State Minister for Fisheries, and Ms Hellen Grace Asamo removed as Minister of State for Disability Affairs.

For many in Teso, the exit of Gen. Odongo was the biggest shock.

‘There are lots of surprises in the new cabinet, but shocking to me was the decision to have Gen. Haji Jeje Abubaker Odongo not surfacing anywhere in the new cabinet list,’ said William Ebiacu, a teacher in Ogolia, Orungo County, Amuria District.

Gen. Odongo, MP for Orungo County, has been in national politics since 1986. He served as Army Commander, MP for Greater Amuria County in the Constituent Assembly, and Minister for Defence before his tenure at Foreign Affairs. As a historical NRA fighter, he is credited with weakening UPC special forces in Teso during the bush war.

Despite what Ebiacu described as ‘little in terms of development in his motherland,’ he said Odongo’s presence at the national level protected Teso’s interests.

‘I will remember him as a sober man, level-headed who never engaged in political fights with opponents,’ Ebiacu said.

‘It seems the president has decided to rest the long-serving politicians from Teso politics,’ said Grace Apiding from Obur, Greater Asamuk Sub-county.

She added that Musa Ecweru, who lost his Amuria County MP seat but remained State Minister for Transport and Works, deserved another chance.

‘He remains a great mobilizer for his NRM party, and not recognizing that was a little harsh on the side of the president,’ Apiding said.

She noted that Ecweru helped improve roads in Amuria during his tenure, and feared the gains may not be sustained.

‘While serving as minister of state for transport and works, Ecweru helped improve the state of roads in Amuria. I am afraid maintaining the roads that he opened will not be possible for the district,’ she said.

Ecweru rose to prominence in 2006 after his role in countering the LRA incursion in Teso in 2003. He lost the NRM primaries to Samuel Ediau in 2025 and opted not to run as an independent, hoping to be retained in cabinet.

In Serere, the removal of Hellen Adoa was met with a different view.

‘Hon. Hellen Adoa, who lost her seat as Woman MP for Serere to Esther Lucy Acom, extremely served the people of Serere District, but the people turned against her because of the crimes committed by the army on the lake, since she was minister of state for fisheries,’ said Alex Okello, a resident of Soroti City originally from Serere.

As a supporter, Okello said dropping Adoa from the fisheries docket could help her political future.

‘That ministry trapped our sister into being disliked. Everything that happened on the lake was blamed on her. Dropping Adoa from that ministry serves them better; she can make a comeback in 2031,’ he said.

In the Greater Luweero Districts, President Museveni allocated three ministerial slots, with the Luweero District securing two.

Mr Abdul Karim Wasswa, an NRM party mobiliser in Greater Luweero, is jubilant, saying: ‘We have the State Minister for Higher Education, Dr Chrysostom Muyingo, Ms Cissy Mulondo, the State Minister for Finance, Economic Planning, General Duties and Mr Kabuye Kyofatogabye, the State Minister for Kampala City and Metropolitan Affairs.”

Noting that: ”This is a big achievement for Greater Luweero. We expect more from the NRM government on top of the new appointments.’

Dr Chrysostom Muyingo and Ms Cissy Mulondo are not Members of Parliament, and both come from Bamunanika County, Luweero District, while Mr Kabuye Kyofatogabye is the MP for Nakaseke Central in Nakaseke District.

But Mr Robert Ssetaala, a resident of Makulubita Sub-county and a bush war veteran, said Greater Luweero demands a bigger political cake at the level of Senior Cabinet Ministers and possibly a slot among the Deputy Prime Ministers.

For Buvuma, an island district in the northern waters of Lake Victoria, the appointment of one of their own, Mr Robert Migadde Ndugwa, to a ministerial position was a surprise.

Mr Samuel Ssenoga, a resident of Buvuma Sub-county, believes that appointing Migadde to the portfolio of State Minister for Fisheries is their biggest surprise and a blessing.

‘We have got our own and a fisherman with whom we can share our challenges as fishermen. We have previously had ministers in charge of Fisheries, yet the persons appointed even fear the waters. They could not easily deliver since they were foreign to the plight of the local fishermen,’ he said.

In Mpigi District, President Museveni appointed Mawokota South MP, Suzan Nakawuki Nsambu, as State Minister for Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities.

Here, a section of residents believes the appointment could be a vote of confidence for the electorate that ensured that the NRM party performs better in the 2026 general election.

Mr Moses Mukwaya, a resident of Soweto Zone in Kayabwe Town Council, said that Nakawuki, unlike many other politicians, is a leader who is visible and development-oriented.

‘Our area is likely to benefit more if the government considers appointing our own at key government departments,’ he said.

CABINET MINISTERS

Gen Edward Katumba Wamala for Public Service

Judith Nabakooba for Lands, Housing and Urban Development Minister

Minsa Kabanda as Kampala Minister and Sam Mayanja

Kiryowa Kiwanuka as Attorney General and Defence Minister

STATE MINISTERS

Desire Muhooza from Kiboga as State Minister for Agriculture

Amina Mukalazi, as State Minister for Privatisation and Investment

Shartis Kutesa Musherure for Microfinance

Justine Nameere for Local Government

Suzan Nakawuki Nsambu for Tourism

Diana Mutasingwa

Amos Lugolobi

Haruna Kasolo,

Aisha Ssekindi

Joyce Ssebugwawo

Kabuye Kyofatogabye

Amos Lugoloobi

Cissy Mulondo

Robert Migadde Ndugwa

Diana Mutasingwa

Dr Lawrence Muganga.

Throughout the day, dozens of motorcycles, trucks, tricycles and pedestrians stream through unofficial crossing points in Nebbi, Adjumani, Maracha, Koboko, Yumbe, Arua, Moyo and Zombo districts.

Some carry sacks of cassava flour, smoked fish, beans, timber, cooking oil and fuel from Congo. Others head to South Sudan with sugar, soap and manufactured goods bought from Ugandan markets.

For many border communities, crossing between countries is part of daily life. On weekends, crowds flock to both sides for leisure and religious functions. Revelers from the DRC cross for discos in Mangasaba, Ayivu West Division in Arua City, while Kampala Market in Logiri Sub-county operates on both sides of the border and cultural ties run deep.

But health officials fear the same movement could provide the fastest route for Ebola to spread into Uganda’s West Nile region.

Now religious and cultural leaders are closing doors to such gatherings. Leaders across the region have announced a ban on all traditional, secular and religious events.

In Nebbi, the Marian Rosary Crusade scheduled for May 30 at Nebbi Cathedral Parish has been postponed to August. The event was expected to draw thousands of faithful from Uganda and the DRC.

‘The request arises from the prevalence of Ebola which calls for vigilance and care knowing that our Diocese falls within the districts that are grouped as highly risky,’ said Fr. Michael Citia, Spiritual Director in Nebbi Catholic Diocese, on May 25.

‘During this period, we ask you Christians and people of goodwill to pray for the country’s personalities that are on the forefront in the pursuit against Ebola. We too pray for our Diocese, the Bishop and all pastoral agents whose ministry exposes them either directly or indirectly,’ he added.

Dr. Amos Nyathirombo, Minister of Health in Alur Kingdom, said the outbreak was a matter of great concern given the kingdom’s shared cultural and economic ties with the DRC’s Ebola epicentres.

‘We advise against organizing any cultural gatherings like Agwara and Ndara dances, last funeral rites, and celebrations that bring in large public gatherings,’ Nyathirombo said.

The 11th Edition Alur Cultural Festival, set for May 31, has also been postponed to the end of June pending a situational analysis.

‘Given that Paidha is a border area and is a red-zone, the organizing committee has chosen to prioritize the health, safety and wellbeing of all participants, guests and community,’ said Francis Ringulango II, CEO of the Cultural Festival.

Events cancelled beyond West Nile

In Soroti, the Catholic Diocese has called off the thanksgiving mass for the homecoming of Bishop Simon Peter Engurait, who was ordained and installed as Bishop of Houma-Thibodaux in Louisiana in 2025.

‘The recent outbreak and ongoing prevalence of Ebola cases in some parts of our country has had some setback on our planned program,’ said Msgr. Fr. Robert Ecogu, Vicar General for Soroti Catholic Diocese.

‘Bishop Simon will not be able to travel to Uganda as scheduled. In other words, we cannot celebrate his homecoming yet, until the country is declared Ebola-free and we are able to reschedule,’ he said.

The thanksgiving mass was due for June 19, 2026, in Ngora District.

Schools and border points feel the impact

Last week the Ministry of Health issued Standard Operating Procedures for schools. But in Kumi Municipality, turnout has dropped sharply due to Ebola fears.

‘Out of 1,689 learners, only 477 have reported,’ said Francis Oligo, head teacher of Bazaar Ward Primary School.

At Elegu border post in Amuru District, authorities have banned public gatherings to curb possible spread. The border is one of the busiest crossings linking East Africa to South Sudan.

‘Gatherings including night discos, church gatherings and music concerts have been banned,’ said Amuru RDC Osborn Ocheng, who chairs the district task force enforcing preventive measures.

Refugee influx raises new risks

From the north to the east and west, government measures have intensified following an increase in Congolese refugees arriving at Nyakabande Transit Center in Kisoro District.

‘We have enhanced Ebola prevention measures such as mandatory handwashing for anyone entering the facility, strict medical screening of new arrivals for Ebola symptoms, wearing face masks for staff and visitors, and community sensitization,’ said commandant John Bosco Kyaligonza.

He said most refugees are fleeing hunger and armed militias in areas including Kisigari, Binza, Kiseguro and Kiwanja in the DRC. Screening continues before relocation to settlement camps.

But overstretched resources remain a challenge.

‘We lack manpower because many development partners laid off some of their employees citing funding gaps. We are also faced with the challenge of congestion – the facility for about 850 individuals is now accommodating 1,775 Congolese from 1,239 households,’ Kyaligonza said.

Media rights defenders and journalists’ bodies have cautiously welcomed a pledge by newly elected Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth, alias Oboth-Oboth, to foster a transparent relationship with the media. They described the remarks as a potential turning point after years of strained relations between Parliament and journalists.

In his maiden speech as Speaker of the 12th Parliament on Monday, Mr Oboth said the media should not be treated as an adversary but as a critical pillar of accountability and public access to information.

His remarks appeared to signal a departure from the restrictive posture associated with the 11th Parliament under former Speaker Anita Among, during whose tenure journalists from the Nation Media Group-Uganda (NMG-U) were blocked from accessing parliamentary proceedings under unclear circumstances.

Mr Joseph Beyanga, the secretary general of the National Association of Broadcasters, said: ‘What has happened over the last couple of years, and if you check the World Index on Media Freedom, Uganda has been declining year after year.

And I think at the moment we have one of the worst ratings. But what he said sounds exciting, given the background of where we came from.’

‘The test is always when it comes to the practical, when the different political interests start conflicting with the demand for accountability. That’s when we see people behaving differently,’ he added.

Mr Beyanga said the media sector expects more than symbolic openness, calling for reforms that promote press freedom, sustainability, and improved funding for the industry.

Veteran journalist and former Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said friction between the media and political leaders is unavoidable in Uganda whenever journalists pursue accountability.

‘There will always be problems with the media, everywhere you go, if you do your job. You may not be chased from Parliament as Anita Among did, but there is bound to be a collision one way or the other,’ Mr Ssemujju said.

‘Mr Oboth is an appointee brought by Museveni and his son. I highly doubt that he’s going to create conditions that are different from conditions obtained in the country,’ he added.

The Secretary General of the Uganda Journalists Association, Mr Emmanuel Kirunda, said: ‘As the media, we are open to dialogue and collaboration because we are not enemies of the State.

We are not enemies of any other organs of government, like Parliament as it had been portrayed by the previous leadership.’ Meanwhile, Uganda Law Society president Isaac Ssemakadde said Parliament’s commitment to transparency would ultimately be measured by whether sensitive parliamentary processes are opened to public scrutiny.

‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Will Speaker Oboth-Oboth finally open the proceedings of the Appointments Committee to the media? Will he permit and facilitate public participation in the appointment process? That’s the litmus test for open Parliament in Uganda today,’ Mr Ssemakadde said.

The Kalangala District Resident District Commissioner, Mr Fred Badda, has warned that the government will again close landing sites found engaging in illegal fishing practices.

‘We shall not be merciful to any landing site that still shields fishermen involved in illegal fishing in Kalangala. When we find anyone engaging in illegal fishing, that landing site will be closed until they repent,’ Mr Badda said.

The RDC issued the warning while officially reopening Lulindi and Kagoonya landing sites in Bufumira Sub-county, Kalangala District on May 24.

The landing sites had been closed since 2017 during operations conducted by the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU), which was later integrated into the UPDF 155 Battalion.

Mr Badda said illegal fishing continues to frustrate renewed government efforts aimed at restoring fish stocks in Lake Victoria.

‘We are fighting hard to ensure that fish stocks recover in the lake and continuing illegal fishing activities takes us backwards in achieving our goal,’ he said.

According to the RDC, the landing sites were closed because of persistent illegal fishing. He said the government only agreed to reopen them after fishermen pledged to comply with new fisheries regulations. During the reopening exercise, new fisheries committees were selected to spearhead the fight against illegal fishing practices.

Under the new guidelines, the landing site committees will be supervised by parish, sub-county and district fisheries committees with support from the UPDF 155 Battalion. The landing site committees comprise indigenous fishermen who voluntarily work to eliminate illegal fishing practices in their communities.

Mr Badda warned that any fisherman found violating fisheries laws would face individual prosecution, while committee members who fail to enforce the regulations risk dismissal from office.

Mr Tadius Mwesigwa, the chairperson of Lulindi Landing site, said the closure of the landing site greatly affected fishermen and their families after many lost their main source of livelihood .

‘We became very poor and many children stopped going to school because fishermen had no source of income. Most landlords could only allow us to grow crops like beans, rice and soya beans, which bring low income,’ he said.

Before its closure, Lulindi Landing Site had more than 50 boats, many of which were undersized and linked to illegal fishing activities.

The landing site has now resumed operations with only 10 legally approved boats, while residents are preparing to construct more boats that meet fisheries standards.

‘They have started buying timber to make boats that are allowed on the lake. We hope that if these operations continue, we shall have a clean and productive lake and people will again earn a living,’ Mwesigwa said.

According to local leaders, more than 30 people directly depend on the 10 boats through fishing, fuel supply, boat repair and net preparation.

The Kalangala District Fisheries Officer, Mr Adrian Kavuma, said illegal fishing practices continue to heavily contribute to the depletion of fish stocks in Lake Victoria.

‘For example, illegal fishing nets catch about 250 million immature fish daily, leaving Lake Victoria’s most valuable species- Nile Perch, under serious threat,’ he said.

Mr Kavuma explained that most illegal fishing nets are cheap, accessible and often handmade, making them popular among low-income fishermen. Among the illegal fishing gear commonly used are monofilament nets, beach seines, trawling nets, cast nets, hooks below number 10 and gill nets with undersized mesh.

‘These mainly target tilapia below five inches and Nile Perch below seven inches, which are considered juveniles,’ he said.

Mr Kavuma said authorities believe fish stocks can significantly recover if illegal fishing is controlled. ‘If we can save 250 million fish every day over a period of six years, we shall have enough fish stock in the lake,’ he said.

According to district authorities, more than 90 people have been arrested in the past month under the new guidelines for engaging in illegal fishing.

As universities prepare to shift from knowledge-based teaching to Competence-Based Education and Training (CBET), the Ministry of Education and Sports has told academics it’s time to adapt or be left behind.

Permanent Secretary, Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda said lecturers and professors must be ready for a system that demands practical skills over theory.

‘The learning and teaching process at this level won’t be business as usual,’ she warned.

The directive follows a letter from Education Minister and First Lady Janet Museveni more than a year ago, asking universities and the National Council for Higher Education to retrain lecturers. The goal is to equip students with skills that match the realities of the job market after years of employer complaints about graduates lacking practical ability.

‘Competence-Based Education and Training is what we are set on,’ Turyagyenda said while officiating at the launch of a multi-million Euro EU-funded project at NCHE headquarters in Kampala on Monday, May 25.

She had a direct message for senior academics: ‘Those participating in the pilot should be ready to unlearn, learn and relearn, especially the professors. You have done something for such a long time to be called professors but you need to commit yourselves to start unlearning, learning and relearning. It is no longer as it was in the beginning, is now and shall be for ever. We want tangible results, not theories, not results on a piece of paper but the capacity to do something.’

The project, Proliferation of Local Expertise in the Development of a Green-Growth Economy (PLEDGE), is worth pound 1 million, about Shs4.3 billion. It aims to close the gap between classroom training and industry needs by embedding CBET in universities, with a focus on coffee, tourism, and horticulture value chains.

Partners include Mountains of the Moon University as coordinator, Uganda Martyrs University, Bukalasa Agricultural College, Management Institute of Science and Technology, and international institutions like HSWT and Ghent University.

NCHE Executive Director Prof. Mary Okwakol said CBET is the most effective way to make higher education relevant.

‘It emphasises practical skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, innovation, and application of knowledge to real-life situations. We must move beyond theoretical instruction and focus more on producing graduates with competencies that match labour market needs and national development priorities,’ she said.

NCHE has already released standards for CBET implementation and is training staff through regional training-of-trainers sessions. The council also plans to support a national policy on greening sectoral skills, an intersectoral supervision board, and a Green Competence Framework.

Mr. Marko Stojanovic, Head of Training Academy at Western Balkans Institute in Serbia, said PLEDGE will support restructuring of study programmes in tourism, coffee, and horticulture over the next four years.

Dr. Vicent Ssembatya, Director of Quality Assurance and Accreditation, noted that universities will need to invest heavily in infrastructure and retool staff to deliver the new curriculum.

Mountains of the Moon University Vice Chancellor Prof. Pius Coxwell Achanga said the university has already set up a CBET committee and costed a Shs 4 billion roadmap to retool staff and upgrade facilities.

‘Why should someone study Agriculture for all those years and end up riding a boda-boda?’ he asked.

Universities and other higher education institutions are expected to begin implementing the CBET curriculum in the 2027/2028 academic year.

When Meghan Ineza Mirembe was born in August 2025 in Uganda, her parents immediately noticed something unusual. Her rich, deep brown skin carried a distinct, unnatural yellowish undertone that stood out clearly against her natural complexion.

‘From birth, the baby had what is called jaundice,’ recounts Derrick Charles Ssembatya, Mirembe’s father. Jaundice is a condition that causes yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes, and signals liver problems. Mr Ssembatya says they never received a proper diagnosis in Uganda, and as a result, they could not find any meaningful solution to save their daughter. ‘We went to many hospitals in Uganda. We spent a lot of money on treatment. But we did not get so much help here at home,’ he narrates. Amid this, the baby’s stomach started swelling due to the accumulation of fluid in the belly.

Mr Ssembatya did not give up on her daughter.

‘We got in touch with a friend who also had a liver problem. The friend connected us to Dr Jennifer in India,’ he recounts.

Mr Ssembatya says they got in contact with a liver transplant team at Artemis Hospital, one of the leading hospitals in liver care and transplant in babies in India.

‘We were well received. The doctors made investigations, blood tests, scans and established that our baby’s liver was already damaged and that the hepatic portal vein (HPV) that supplies 75 percent of blood to the liver did not grow,’ he says. Mr Ssembatya says they had to take a difficult decision, whereby the mother had to donate part of her liver. The doctors also had to extract a vein from the neck to give to the baby.

‘After preparations were done, the day came for the transplant. The transplant was done by Dr Giriraj Singh Bora and the team at the liver transplant unit. It was successful,’ he adds.

The condition Dr Bora, a liver transplant surgeon at Artemis Hospital in India, says they diagnosed the baby with biliary atresia, a rare condition in which the bile ducts are absent or blocked. The bile duct is a tubular structure which collects bile from the liver and takes it to the small intestines. Bile is a digestive fluid produced by the liver and stored in the liver and its primary function is to break down and absorb dietary fats in the small intestine.

‘Unfortunately, this bile duct did not develop in baby Meghan, and because of this, she was suffering from jaundice since birth. The other consequence was that fluid started accumulating inside her belly,’ he explains.

According to a study report by Carolina Jimenez-Rivera from the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Canada, ‘Biliary atresia, a serious liver disease of infancy, which has an estimated prevalence of 5 to 10 per 100,000 births, is the leading indication for paediatric liver transplantation worldwide.’ Dr Bora says the transplant could have been avoided if the condition had been diagnosed within three months after birth. Delays caused damage to the liver that could not be reversed. ‘If you diagnose this problem early, you can perform a bypass procedure, but unfortunately, in the case of Meghan, this problem was undiagnosed for a long time. By the time she came to us, she had established liver cirrhosis. At this stage, liver transplantation remains the only life-saving option for these babies,’ he explains. Mr Ssembatya returned from India in early May.

‘The baby is okay. She’s recovering well, and post-care management is going on well. We want to thank the team at Artemis Hospital, and Dr Jenifer,’ he says.

‘We want to thank Dr Bora. We thank the liver transplant team and everyone who has supported us through all this.’

Support The family received treatment coordination and support from DoctoGenie Medical Assistance, which has been supporting and guiding many international patients seeking advanced treatment in India. Ms Jenifer Choudhary, the founder and director of DoctoGenie, says they facilitated communication between the family, doctors and hospital teams to ensure smooth treatment support throughout Baby Meghan’s successful treatment journey.

‘With each passing day, Baby Meghan’s condition in Uganda was deteriorating, so immediate action was our only option,’ she notes.

‘DoctoGenie Medical Assistance ensured priority coordination-securing top Pediatric Liver Transplant teams, providing clear cost break-ups, managing visa support, logistics, and end-to-end care in India, including assistance in-country High Commission approvals for the transplant,’ Ms Choudhary adds.

Mr Ssembatya says it cost Shs100 million for the liver transplant procedure. He said other costs related to staying in India, such as accommodation, feeding and travelling, came to about Shs40 million.

The National Council of Sports has warned that the Uganda Boxing Federation (UBF) will collapse if it fails to meet all registration requirements under the National Sports Act 2023 by the June 7 deadline.

NCS set June 7, 2026, as the deadline for all national sports organisations to meet the registration requirements under the new sports law.

But many sports bodies are still lagging behind the process, with several excuses. But since the law was passed in September 2023, boxing has generated the loudest and lingering noise because, by default the amateur and professional arms have been governed by different bodies, which the new law seeks to eliminate.

This sparked a dispute between UBF-the default amateur body-and the Uganda Professional Boxing Commission (UPBC), the custodian of professional boxing since 1988. While the law gives a natural advantage to UBF to regulate all boxing activities, because it was already registered under the old 1964 NCS Act, UPBC, who were licensed by the Ministry of Trade, refused to simply surrender the fight ‘because professional boxing is our business.’

The ideal end is that both bodies merge and form a new single body but both have disagreed on the means because the UBF president considers UPBC as ‘a mere bunch of promoters who simply need to get licenses from UBF and resume operations.’

UPBC says, ‘we cannot be licensed by a body whose formation and regulations we did not contribute to.’

Stakeholder meetings have been held by the sports minister and NCS. But the back and forth has delayed the UBF registration process, with now just a week to the deadline.

‘If the boxing federation fails to meet the deadline, they will collapse and remain just a sports discipline, but not registered and recognised by NCS. And therefore, as government, we will refer to them as promoters of boxing,’ NCS general secretary Bernard Patrick Ogwel told the press on Monday.

‘Even by the time you apply, you will be a promoter. Now we shall look at the nitty-gritty of compliance areas that you will have addressed. And if we see that you have complied, you will be issued a certificate as a fully recognised national sports organisation. That’s where most of them are.’

Ogwel further warned: ‘And by the way, there’s going to be consequences for impostors. For federation members who fail, at that point your authority will expire, and therefore you will be relegated…And if you want to operate illegally, the law will take its course.’

NCS gave an exemption to bodies like the Uganda Paralympic Committee (UPC), following guidance from the attorney general, ‘that the Sports Act shall be amended to accommodate UPC in its unique institutional form.’ Interestingly, boxing was not considered among the unique cases.

Meanwhile, boxing is one of the bodies whose registration faced formal objections. The NCS thus reminded such bodies that their respective remedial compliance periods expire in July and August, ‘after which failure to fully comply shall result in automatic rejection of the application and revocation of certificates of recognition in accordance with the law.’

The registration priority under the new law was given to only those bodies initially recognised and registered by NCS.

But once a sports body loses its status, Ogwel warned that NCS will open up the floor for anyone willing to apply for registration to run that sport under a federation or association.