Category: Daily Monitor

Geoffrey Atwine’s daughter is training in midwifery at a private health institution in western Uganda. Like many parents, he wants her to complete the course and gain practical experience.

But the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Act’s new centralized assessment fees have thrown those plans into doubt.

‘Parents such as Atwine fear they may struggle to cope with the growing financial demands associated with health training under the new TVET framework,’ the concern reflects a wider pushback from learners and private institutions.

Uganda’s TVET reforms began with the 2019 policy and became law in December 2024. The Act took effect in March 2026, shifting health training to a modular, competency-based assessment model designed to test practical skills, not just final exams.

Private health training institutions say the model is sound in principle, but costly in practice.

‘We are therefore calling on all stakeholders to undertake reforms to the assessment fees. Otherwise, the country could face a decline in the number of health workers graduating from these training institutions,’ says Andrew Mugisha, General Secretary of the Uganda Private Health Training Institutions Association [UPHITA].

Under the new framework, learners pay tuition, about Shs35,000 in annual development fees, and Shs100,000 in maintenance fees. On top of that are assessment charges of between Shs200,000 and Shs230,000 per semester.

A recent survey by Dr. Gorrette Nalwadda Kayondo found Ugandan students pay far more than peers in the region. Kenyans pay about KSh2,000-KSh5,000 per semester, Ghanaians US$10-US$24, and South Africans US$43-US$65.

‘Whereas many countries integrate assessment costs into broader training frameworks, Uganda’s model places a more direct financial obligation on learners through recurring assessment charges,’ Kayondo notes.

The structure matters: students in Kenya, Ghana and South Africa typically pay professional assessment fees once, at qualification. In Uganda, a certificate student can pay for up to six external assessments, averaging about Shs480,000 a year.

Joseph Abala Mundu argues the levy should match the purpose of the exams.

‘If these examinations are conducted once as a qualification requirement, the levy should likewise be a one-time charge rather than a recurrent cost imposed on students throughout their training,’ he says.

Dr. Safinah Musene, Commissioner for Health Education and Training at the Ministry of Education and Sports, says the changes aim to improve quality assurance and regulation.

‘Previously, we may not have been doing this very well because the Ministry was handling all the functions, including training delivery and assessment. Now, we are saying let us improve the current regulation under the TVET Act 2025,’ Dr. Musene explains.

For Atwine and other parents, that is a potential ‘ray of hope.’ The question now is when the Ministry will revise the regulations to ease the cost burden and keep health training within reach.

Patients requiring specialised brain and spinal surgery at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital continue to face challenges as the facility operates without a qualified neurosurgeon, hospital management has said.

Hospital officials say the regional referral facility requires at least three neurosurgeons to meet growing demand for specialised services.

However, it currently relies on a general surgeon who received on-the-job neurosurgical training at Mulago National Referral Hospital to manage complex cases referred from Busoga and neighbouring regions.

Speaking on Monday, the hospital’s Senior Executive Consultant, Dr. Alfred Yayi, said the current arrangement is inadequate.

‘We currently do not have a qualified neurosurgeon. The doctor handling neurosurgical cases is a general surgeon who received on-the-job training at Mulago National Referral Hospital. However, the hospital needs at least three neurosurgeons to provide quality specialised care to our patients,’ Dr. Yayi said.

The revelation comes after a 10-day free medical camp by specialist Turkish doctors at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital. Patients who had been mobilised for neurosurgical services could not be treated because the visiting team did not include a neurosurgeon.

The camp was organised through a partnership between Jinja Regional Referral Hospital and a team of Turkish medical specialists, facilitated by former Jinja City Woman MP Ms. Manjeri Kyebakutika, among other partners.

It also provided an opportunity for 40 health workers to observe and participate in plastic surgeries and other specialised procedures as part of hands-on training in surgical techniques and the use of medical equipment.

Dr. Edwin Musinguzi, Senior Medical Consultant and Head of Surgery at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, said 2,323 patients were screened during the camp, with 100 undergoing major surgical procedures.

He said 300 patients also underwent minor surgical procedures and are responding well to treatment. Some have since been discharged to homes in the Busoga sub-region and central Buganda, while others remain under observation.

He said the Turkish team carried out reconstructive plastic surgeries, including removal of facial and neck keloids, and operated on patients with nerve and other tumours.

The team also treated patients with eye conditions and those requiring ear, nose and throat [ENT] care, in addition to performing hypospadias repair surgeries.

‘We are very grateful to the Turkish medical team for coming to support our patients. Many of those who had been referred for specialised care have received treatment, and some have already been discharged after successful procedures,’ Dr. Musinguzi said.

Representing the Minister for Presidency, Ms. Suzan Kulaba conveyed Ms. Milly Babalanda Babirye’s appreciation to the Turkish team for providing free specialised surgeries and restoring hope to patients.

She urged the team to strengthen its partnership with Uganda by offering training opportunities for Ugandan doctors, supporting knowledge exchange, and returning for future medical camps, including in Buyende District.

The Buganda Kingdom has launched an Epidemic Response Committee to strengthen community preparedness and support government efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola and other infectious disease outbreaks.

The committee, chaired by the Kingdom’s Information Minister, Israel Kitooke, was unveiled by the Second Deputy Katikkiro, Robert Waggwa Nsibirwa, during a meeting with Ministry of Health officials at Bulange, Mengo.

Mr Nsibirwa said the Kingdom has a proven record of partnering with government to tackle public health emergencies, citing its role in the fight against HIV/AIDS and Covid-19.

‘Buganda has always been at the forefront of addressing public health challenges. During the HIV/AIDS campaign, infection rates reduced significantly through sustained community mobilisation, and during Covid-19 we worked closely with the government to contain the pandemic,’ Mr. Nsibirwa said.

He added that the Kingdom, together with stakeholders, had developed a disaster management handbook to guide communities on responding to emergencies without causing panic.

‘As a cultural institution that receives many visitors from different countries, we must plan ahead and be prepared for any public health emergency. This committee will coordinate awareness, prevention and response efforts across the Kingdom,’ he said.

Mr. Nsibirwa commended the Ministry of Health for containing the Ebola outbreak through strict standard operating procedures, noting that no Ebola deaths had been registered within Buganda.

‘We are confident that the Ministry of Health has managed the situation well and that together we can contain the outbreak,’ he said.

He also noted that monkey meat is not consumed in Buganda because monkeys are regarded as a clan totem, making the practice culturally unacceptable.

Addressing the meeting, the Commissioner for Health Promotion and Education at the Ministry of Health, Richard Kabanda, said Uganda has successfully contained the outbreak through aggressive contact tracing and quarantine measures.

‘We have quarantined more than 820 contacts for 21 days in designated facilities. This has greatly reduced the risk of community transmission because anyone who had close contact with a confirmed case is isolated and monitored,’ Mr. Kabanda said.

He explained that Uganda’s strong disease surveillance system, experienced health workers and advanced laboratory capacity have enabled the country to respond quickly to outbreaks.

‘Our laboratories return Ebola test results within eight to ten hours, compared to about 10 days in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. That capacity has made Uganda one of the leading countries in outbreak response on the continent,’ he said.

Mr. Kabanda urged the Kingdom to use its structures, including clan leaders, county chiefs and media platforms such as CBS FM and BBS Television, to promote public awareness, infection prevention and timely reporting of suspected cases.

He warned communities against exhuming bodies during an Ebola outbreak, saying the practice poses a high risk of infection.

‘Bodies of Ebola victims are more infectious than living patients. Exhumation should never be allowed where safe and dignified burials have been conducted,’ he cautioned.

Mr. Kabanda further appealed for support in reducing stigma against survivors and people released from quarantine after completing the mandatory 21-day monitoring period. He also called for collaboration in identifying vulnerable communities, particularly cross-border populations, to strengthen surveillance and health education.

Background

Uganda declared its latest Ebola outbreak following the confirmation of cases linked to travellers from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where the disease continues to pose a public health threat. The Ministry of Health activated rapid response teams, intensified surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing and safe burial procedures to contain the outbreak.

Proceedings in the case involving Erias Lukwago, the former Kampala Lord Mayor and current People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) president, were on Tuesday adjourned to July 9. The Uganda Prisons Service informed the court that he could not appear because he is undergoing specialized medical investigations and treatment.

Makindye Chief Magistrate Sarah Basemera deferred the proceedings after receiving official communication from prison authorities explaining Lukwago’s absence.

The adjournment follows growing concerns over the opposition politician’s deteriorating health. During his previous court appearance, his legal team argued that his condition had worsened significantly while on remand at Luzira Prison.

Speaking to journalists after the closed-door court session, Lukwago’s lawyer, Mr. Medard Lubega Ssegona, confirmed that prison authorities had formally notified the court and the defense team of Lukwago’s medical state.

“Prisons have written to court informing it that the Lord Mayor Emeritus Lukwago could not be produced because he is undergoing specialized medical investigations and treatment,” Mr. Ssegona said.

According to Ssegona, medical personnel and prison authorities agreed it would be unsafe to interrupt Lukwago’s treatment by forcing him to attend court physically.

“He is also weak. Both the prison authorities and the hospital did not deem it fit to disrupt his frail condition by bringing him to court,” Ssegona added.

Severe medical concerns

Lukwago’s family and supporters have repeatedly raised alarms over his health since his incarceration on charges of misprision of treason.

During earlier proceedings, the defense revealed that Lukwago is battling a severe spinal condition involving a suspected dislocated disc, which causes intense pain. His lawyers also expressed deep concern over his vulnerability to infections due to a declining white blood cell count.

Mr. Ssegona noted that both the prosecution and the defense consented to the adjournment after reviewing the medical reports.

Members of the defense team visited Mulago National Referral Hospital on Tuesday morning, where Lukwago is reportedly admitted, to verify his condition.

“We were at Mulago this morning and confirmed that he is weak. At this point, he is a patient who strictly requires medical attention,” Ssegona told journalists, appealing to supporters to remain patient during this period.

Lukwago remains on remand. The case is scheduled to return to court on July 9, 2026, when Magistrate Basemera is expected to receive an update on both his health status and the progress of the state’s investigations.

Police in Bugiri District have arrested a 26-year-old untrained local caregiver for allegedly causing the death of a four-year-old child during a traditional uvula procedure.

The uvula is the small fleshy tissue that hangs at the back of the throat. It helps in swallowing and speech, and is part of the soft palate in the mouth.

Busoga East Regional Police spokesperson Michael Kasadha identified the suspect as Rachel Atikwi, a resident of Bukwaku-Nakavule Village in Nabukalu Sub-county, Bugiri District.

According to initial police findings, the child’s mother, Altronce Kamugisha, took the unwell minor to the alleged caregiver instead of seeking treatment from a recognised health facility.

‘On a local non-medical assessment, the caregiver claimed the child had a problem with the uvula [locally known as akanyata] and proceeded to cut it with a razor blade, causing severe bleeding. When the bleeding persisted, the child was rushed to Bugiri General Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival,’ Kasadha said.

He noted that the incident was reported to police by the child’s mother, and investigations are ongoing.

‘We caution the public against using unqualified caregivers. It is advisable to seek medical care from recognised health facilities to prevent such tragedies,’ Kasadha cautioned.

He added that the suspect will be arraigned in court once investigations are complete.

Opposition politician Dr. Kizza Besigye has raised fresh concerns over the safety and availability of his legal team, arguing that he cannot receive a fair hearing when lawyers representing him are allegedly being intimidated and prevented from carrying out their duties.

Besigye voiced the concerns before the High Court on Tuesday, shortly after Justice Emmanuel Baguma declined to temporarily stay proceedings in his human rights application against Chief of Defence Forces [CDF] Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The judge directed parties to file written submissions in a new application challenging the right to representation.

‘You have heard our lawyers are on the run and you are now advising us to assemble other lawyers who will not run because the person terrorising them is the accused,’ Besigye told the court.

‘This is why it is fundamentally important that if there is justice in this court, then the whole question of how we are represented should be addressed before this application can be heard.’

Besigye questioned how the court expected him and his co-applicant, Hajji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, to comply with filing before deadline when key members of their legal team were unavailable.

‘Who is to make the submissions you are ordering when everybody is on the run?’ he asked.

He also complained that the respondents had replied to the application before being formally served, and reiterated his long-standing concerns about the conduct of the criminal proceedings against him.

‘The main case you are talking about, we have never seen the disclosures because of lack of facilities. So we come to attend a trial with our eyes covered, hands and feet tied. How can we have justice in that case?’ Besigye said.

His remarks came moments after Justice Baguma ruled that an emergency application concerning legal representation and the security of defence lawyers could not stop the court from proceeding with the human rights case.

‘However, the applicants have a right to choose their own lawyers and be represented by representatives of their own choice,’ the judge ruled.

Adding, ‘I will go ahead and direct that the applicants get their own other lawyers to beef up their lawyers who are present.’

Justice Baguma ordered the applicants to file written submissions by July 2, the respondents to respond by July 4, and any rejoinder by July 6. He set July 8 as the date for delivering his ruling through the Electronic Court Case Management Information System [ECCMIS].

‘The application, which I have not seen, cannot stop this court from hearing the matter,’ the judge said.

Earlier, lawyers representing Besigye and Lutaale asked the court to suspend proceedings in the human rights application until an emergency application addressing legal representation, security of counsel and service of court documents was heard.

One of the defence lawyers, Mr Moses Tugume, told court that the applicants had instructed 13 law firms and about 50 advocates under a team led by Kenyan Senior Counsel Martha Karua and former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.

According to Tugume, the legal team had been significantly disrupted after Karua was denied entry into Uganda and Lukwago was abducted and later charged.

‘This application was on the basis of instructions by the applicants to 13 law firms and about 50 advocates,’ Tugume submitted.

Adding, ‘Our lead counsel are not here. Martha was deported and declared persona non grata [an unwanted person in the country] when she had come prepared for the matter, and her deputy Lukwago was abducted shortly on his way to serve.’

He said the applicants had instructed their lawyers to first seek court intervention on issues affecting legal representation before proceeding with the substantive case.

‘We consulted our clients and they insisted they need their full defence team. We have filed an application to address all matters concerning the right to legal representation, security of defence counsel and service of court process unhindered,’ Tugume said.

Another defence lawyer, Brian Turinawe, echoed the concerns, arguing that members of the defence team had been subjected to intimidation.

‘The day Lukwago was abducted, he had told me to meet him at his chambers for instructions, but he never showed up because he was abducted,’ Turinawe told court.

‘If the lead lawyers are stopped from attending court to represent their clients, is that not a violation of the right to representation? There is continuous harassment of defence lawyers,’ Turinawe submitted.

However, the Attorney General’s Chambers opposed the request for a stay of proceedings.

Mr. Johnson Natuhwera, a senior state attorney from the Attorney General’s Chambers, told court that the respondents had complied with earlier directives and that the applicants still had adequate legal representation.

‘The applicants had time to respond to the alleged deportation of Karua and Lukwago. They had time to reassemble lawyers,’ Natuhwera submitted.

‘Right now they have about 10 able lawyers. There is no law that says if the lead lawyer is not present, court cannot go on,’ he added.

He argued that the absence of particular lawyers could not be used to halt proceedings and asked court to proceed with hearing the human rights application on its merits.

The application before court arises from allegations that Gen. Muhoozi made public statements threatening Besigye and portraying him as guilty before the conclusion of criminal proceedings arising from treason-related charges.

Besigye and Lutale argue that the statements violated their constitutional rights and undermined their right to a fair trial.

The respondents deny the allegations and have asked court to dismiss the application with costs.

Justice Baguma’s ruling on July 8 is expected to determine the next step in the human rights case and provide guidance on how it will affect the main terrorism-related proceedings against Besigye and Lutale.

A British forensic DNA expert has dealt a significant blow to the state’s case in the high-profile murder trial of Kampala businessman Henry Katanga.

Testifying before High Court Judge Comfort Rosette Kania, the expert stated that the DNA evidence relied upon by prosecutors is legally and scientifically insufficient to prove that the deceased’s widow, Molly Katanga, pulled the trigger.

The witness, a seasoned forensic DNA instructor from Scotland whose identity and photograph were withheld by the court for security reasons, appeared as a key witness for the defense.

The core of the prosecution’s case rests on the assertion that Molly Katanga’s DNA was the dominant profile found on the pistol recovered from the couple’s Mbuya residence following Henry Katanga’s fatal shooting on November 2, 2023. State prosecutors argue this dominant profile directly implicates her in the murder.

However, the British expert flatly rejected this assumption.

“It is a misunderstanding that the strongest DNA profile found on an item would be the last person to touch it,” she testified.

She explained that individuals shed DNA at entirely different rates, meaning a “heavy shedder” could leave a more pronounced genetic footprint than the actual last person to handle an object. Furthermore, she noted that DNA can persist on surfaces for years unless degraded by extreme heat or damp conditions, making it scientifically impossible to determine exactly when or in what sequence multiple people handled the firearm.

According to the expert, the police forensic report fails to establish the timeline of touch. She emphasized that investigators heavily undermined their own case by relying almost exclusively on DNA profiling. A proper investigation, she argued, would have prioritized fingerprint analysis to compare prints on the weapon with those of both the deceased and the accused.

The expert’s appearance was not without drama. Earlier in the day, state prosecutors attempted to block her testimony entirely, arguing she lacked a temporary Ugandan work permit to present expert evidence. Justice Kania briefly adjourned the session, allowing the defense team to swiftly secure the necessary immigration clearance.

Molly Katanga, 56, who has maintained her innocence throughout the grueling trial, remains on remand at Luzira Prison. The high-society tragedy has gripped Uganda, drawing intense public scrutiny due to the prominent status of the Katanga family.

Molly is jointly charged alongside her daughters, Martha Nkwazi and Patricia Kakwenza, who face charges of being accessories after the fact for allegedly destroying evidence. The family’s domestic worker, George Amanyire, and a nursing officer, Charles Otai, are also on trial for conspiring to alter and tamper with the crime scene.

The defense hearing continues as the court evaluates the conflicting forensic narratives.

The government has signed a pound 110.5 million, about Shs481 billion, financing agreement with Standard Chartered Bank Uganda to upgrade the 115.8-kilometre Kitgum-Kidepo Road, a project officials say will open up Northern Uganda and Karamoja to markets, tourism and industry.

Finance Minister Henry Musasizi and Standard Chartered Uganda Chief Executive Sanjay Rughani signed the deal on Tuesday in Kampala. The road runs from Kitgum Town to Kidepo Valley National Park, one of the country’s most remote but high-potential tourism corridors.

‘This financing package demonstrates our shared commitment to improving connectivity and unlocking the economic potential of Northern Uganda and the Karamoja sub-region,’ Musasizi said during the signing.

According to the Ministry of Finance, the project will cut transport costs, reduce travel time, and strengthen cross-border trade with South Sudan. Musasizi added that it will also support the implementation of the Agro-Industrialisation and Tourism, Manufacturing and Services [ATMS] programme under NDP IV.

Linking mines, factories and parks The minister said the road is designed to serve more than commuter traffic. It will connect major new investments in the region, including the Yaobai Cement and Clinker Factory, a $300 million, about Shs1.14 trillion, plant in Moroto. It will also improve access to Kidepo Valley National Park and complement the planned $72 million, Shs273.6 billion, Kidepo International Airport.

Rughani said the bank’s involvement reflects confidence in government priorities that are ‘both economically viable and developmentally impactful’.

‘The Kitgum-Kidepo Road is a strategic investment that reinforces our long-term role as a trusted Corporate and Investment Bank,’ he said.

Ministers Fred Byamukama of Works and Transport, Mwanja Ndege of Trade, Tom Butime of Tourism, and British High Commissioner Lisa Chesney witnessed the signing.

‘Economics of distance’ set to change For communities in Kitgum, Kotido and Moroto, the road is expected to change the economics of distance. Farmers who currently lose margins to poor roads and high transport fares will have a faster route to Gulu, Kampala and South Sudan markets. Cement, livestock and tourism operators will face lower logistics costs, making Karamoja more competitive for investors who have previously cited poor access as a barrier.

Experts noted that tourism is the immediate winner. Kidepo, often ranked among Africa’s best-kept safari destinations, receives far fewer visitors than Murchison or Queen Elizabeth largely because of access. A paved link to Kitgum and an upgraded airport nearby could increase visitor numbers, park revenue, and jobs in hospitality.

Yet at a macro level, the project ties into Uganda’s push to integrate Karamoja into the formal economy after years of underinvestment. By linking mines, factories and conservation areas with one corridor, government is betting that infrastructure will do what subsidies alone could not: attract private capital north of Gulu.

The Shs481 billion loan adds to Uganda’s road debt, but officials argue the return will come through increased trade volumes, tax from new factories, and tourism receipts.

For Northern Uganda, it is a test of whether connectivity can finally translate into income.

A troubling rise in daytime muggings and hijackings by criminal gangs targeting pedestrians and motorcycle riders is unsettling urban neighbourhoods. The criminal gangs, sometimes wielding machetes, often use motorcycles to chase down their victims or carry out swift snatch-and-run tactics before disappearing into the shadows with the stolen cash, valuables, and motorcycles.

Several of the victims were confronted in dark or isolated areas where there are no police closed circuit television {CCTV) cameras. Last Friday, Ms Edina Tumukunde, a shop attendant in Kamwokya, was reportedly accosted by four such masked assailants on two fast-moving motorcycles. They snatched her bag and vanished without a trace.

This is not an isolated case, as reports of similar snatch-and-grab incidents by men on motorcycles have surged across Kampala City and its environs in the recent months. Ms Tumukunde told this publication that she first lost consciousness for nearly 30 minutes before recovering and proceeding to Kira Road Police Station in Kampala, where she reported a case of robbery.

”I was from my shop, I had Shs1 million (in cash) and my phone was also taken since it was in the bag,’ shee said. Mr Vincent Walugembe, a motorcycle rider, was also waylaid by a group of men on motorcycles as he was returning home in Makindye Division, Kampala City.

He said someone posing as passenger stopped him as he headed home, but as they negotiated the fare, a group of four panga-wielding men on two motorcycles surrounded him and forced him to surrender his motorcycle.

”I was assaulted by the thugs, lost consciousness but later recovered at about 10pm and proceeded to Katwe Police Station where I reported a case of robbery,’ Mr Walugembe said. The increasing cases of attacks have, as a result, left the law and order authorities scrambling for a solution. Police detectives investigating the cases, on condition of anonymity, informed this publication that such robberies are done by a network of gangs across Kampala. A detective said the thugs who hijack motorcycles have direct contacts with some business people who buy and sell both new and old motorcycles within and outside the country.

”The operation is planned by three groups, the hitmen who go to the field, the ones who buy the motorcycles and the ones who disassemble the motorcycles and store them in a shop known to these as ”fridge’ in the form of spare parts,’ the detective said.

The detective said in only three months, running from April to June, more than Shs1 billion has been reported to have stolen by thugs moving on motorcycles in four major cases which police have investigated.

‘The robberies happened at Wampewo Avenue where shs320m was robbed, Nkrumah Road where a forex bureau was robbed Shs620m, and another robbery at Nsambya Arena Mall, where Shs45m was taken and another case at Ggwanga Mall where Shs67m was taken,’ the detective said.

Investigations

Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Rachael Kawala said following the rampant robberies of motorcycles within the Kampala Metropolitan Area (KMP), the police have in liaison with other security agencies organised operations to curb the criminality. Police detectives familiar with the investigators say most of the motorcycles stolen are bought and sold to some garages where they are disassembled and sold as spare parts. In the first operation, conducted in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono districts, the officers seized 16 motorcycles believed to have been stolen and arrested 40 suspects during a series of disruptive operations targeting criminal hideouts and black spots in Kireka, Bweyogerere and Bukerere.

The police said the raids focused on areas identified as hotspots for motorcycle theft, with many of the recovered bikes lacking proper documentation or showing signs of tampering. The operations were conducted in areas suspected to be harbouring criminals involved in motorcycle theft, street robberies and narcotic substance abuse. ‘The operations targeted suspected criminals believed to be involved in narcotic substance abuse and street robberies. A total of 28 suspects were arrested and exhibits of suspected narcotic substances were recovered,” Ms Kawala said. The authorities have urged victims of motorcycle theft to report to police stations with proof of ownership to reclaim their property.

The Kampala Metropolitan Police leadership have pledged to sustain the crackdown, warning that those involved in motorcycle theft and resale would face prosecution. Mr Rusoke Kituuma, the police spokesperson, said the operations are part of a broader effort to curb rising cases of motorcycle theft, which have affected boda boda riders and contributed to insecurity in urban areas. The Kampala Metropolitan Police said the operations across the city have led to the arrest of 2,334 suspects. Mr Kituuma explained that not all those detained were guilty. He said 164 of them were released on police bond, while 505 were questioned and later cleared. Another 1,350 suspects were taken to court, with police citing sufficient grounds for prosecution while 307 remain pending court action.

Prime suspect arrested, linked to robberies The detectives said a prime suspect only identified as Gerald, was arrested and profiled by intelligence services as the key promoter of motorcycle thefts in Kampala and the surrounding areas. The suspect allegedly hired hitmen who rob motorcycles and sometimes kill the motorcycle riders.

The detectives said the hit men or robbers take the stolen motorcycles to Gerald who buys them at a between only Shs500,000 and Shs700,000 for new motorcycles and pays Shs200,000 for the old ones. ‘During the search, stolen motorcycles, spare parts and motorcycle number plates were recovered from the suspect’s shops.

Maureen Awori comes from Tororo district in eastern Uganda, where a river separates the villages of Malawa A and B.

She shared during Uganda Aquatics (UAq) extraordinary assembly held on Saturday in Lugogo that “throughout the year children from both villages converge at the river to compete in swimming activities for leisure and my father at times is a referee.”

“It is a big river and probably unsafe. But I have urged them to embrace swimming as a sport and I wonder how they can be helped to achieve the right training and standards,” she said.

While it was an intriguing tale, UAq president Moses Mwase agreed that it is not uncommon to “see kids jump into lakes or rivers all over Uganda.”

“What we need is to mobilize these numbers. There is a lot of potential out there but we need to be careful about how we bring it out,” he said.

The assembly was to bring stakeholders up to speed with what UAq is doing to fulfill the registration requirements stipulated in the National Sports Act 2023. One of the requirements is that for sports organization to be recognized as federations they must have activities in 75 percent of the districts in Uganda.

To achieve this, UAq is one of the federations that has established regional representatives who are in turn working with sports officers, led by their chairman Mustapha Nsubuga, to spread activities in various districts – a move, one of the delegates from Soroti, John Francis Olupot supported “because sports officers have experience in implementing a lot of plans.”

Awori’s cry resonated with that of experienced coach Abel Ddamulira, who said “Africa Aquatics is focusing on utilizing the existing water bodies to promote open water swimming in various countries.”

“It should be an option for us too because you cannot promote swimming (in the pool) across the country yet the federation itself has no pool of its own,” Ddamulira added.

A training pool of three or four lanes could costs no lower than Shs180m. Imagine having them in over 100 districts.

Pauline Nankabirwa, from Masaka, agrees with Ddamulira as “many schools in my area are bordered by lakes. If we can demarcate where we can swim from and also train regional coaches or teachers, we can spread aquatic disciplines.”

Olupot stressed that headteachers and councillors are vital constitutencies that UAq should train too if they want to implement programmes smoothly.

Councillors are elected local government leaders that provide the bridge between the community and local authorities, managing public services, shaping local policy, and addressing resident concerns.

“Those ones are problematic if they don’t understand what you are doing and can discourage parents from allowing their children to participate in activities,” said Olupot, whose colleague from Soroti Moses Okwalinga advocated for “regional committees to support the regional representatives.”

Media personnel Patrick Kawaii believes UAq should “empower commissions like the technical one to have senior coaches develop a curriculum” that can be used in capacity building initiatives.

With pools costing a fortune, Rubanda’s delegate Bright Tumuhaise believes UAq can “work hand in hand with hotels in various districts to establish training and competition grounds.”

“After that you can introduce district competitions starting from primary school levels.”