Category: Daily Monitor

The hearing of a case in which three people are accused of burning the dormitory of St. Bernard Secondary School, Manya in Rakai in 2018 entered its second day on Tuesday, with the state presenting its second witness.

Appearing before Masaka High Court Judge Justice Victoria Nakintu, the former head teacher, Henry Nsubuga, told court that the deadly November 11, 2018 fire occurred when one of the accused persons, Dickson Kisule, was in police custody on charges of criminal trespass.

He said that following the suspension of 11 students for unruly and bullying behaviour, Kisule was found on the school compound without a genuine reason on November 10, 2018.

‘He was found on the school compound when he had been suspended together with other students. When he was asked why he was at school he said he was looking for teachers to help him fill his clearance form. We found it irregular and we decided to take him to a nearby police post, Manya Police Post, where he was held and charged with trespass under ref SD 08/10/11/2018. I can’t tell how he was linked to the fire case,’ Nsubuga said.

He also told court that he still struggles to sleep whenever he thinks about the incident that left 10 students dead and over 11 hospitalized.

‘The arsonist intended to kill all 55 students in the fire since he had locked them in and it was hard to break in to save them,’ he said.

The trio, Henry Taremwa, Alex Mugarura, and Dickson Kisule, face charges of arson, murder, and attempted murder before Justice Victoria Nakintu.

Defense lawyer Sam Ssekyewa told court that several teachers, including the head teacher, recorded statements at the police station following the incident, and those statements carry information that can help the court identify who burnt the dormitory.

Ssekyewa tendered in Nsubuga’s police statement as defense evidence because it ‘carries information that could have led to the burning of the school that led to the death of 10 students.’

‘Some of these documents help tell what was happening at school, including the teachers who were left unhappy with some of the policies introduced, which could have driven the aggrieved parties to sponsor the burning of the school dormitory,’ he said.

The defense also presented video evidence of a man confessing to having participated in the fire.

The case has been adjourned to tomorrow for further hearing.

Dear Tingasiga:

The passing of an elder is often likened to the burning down of a library. When that elder happens to be Dr. Stanley Kinyatta, who transitioned peacefully last week at the venerable age of 90, we are not just mourning the loss of a repository of knowledge; we are celebrating a master architect of minds, a public servant of fierce conviction, and a brilliant intellectual who seamlessly navigated the worlds of art, science, and governance.

To the country, he was the distinguished academic, the former Member of Parliament for Kinkizi East, and the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) who once steered the complex administrative machinery of Kampala.

To me, and to a fortunate cohort of young boys on a misty hill in Kabaare six decades ago, he was simply the vibrant, inspiring teacher who expanded our universe.

My journey with the man the world came to know as Dr. Kinyatta began in the years 1965 and 1966 at Kigezi High School in Kabale.

He had not been there long when we arrived to begin our junior secondary education at one of Uganda’s best schools at the time.

Fresh-faced and bursting with energy, recently graduated from the National Teachers’ College at Kyambogo, he was a much-desired presence before the blackboard and in other aspects of the school’s life.

In those days, we did not know him by the grand title of “Doctor,” nor had he yet adopted the surname Kinyatta that would later define his political identity.

To us, he was Mr. Bamwanga-a young man tasked with an extraordinary, seemingly disparate trio of subjects: music, mathematics, and geography.

To any ordinary educator, these fields might have existed in strict, watertight compartments.

But Mr. Bamwanga possessed the rare mind of a true Renaissance man. He understood that these disciplines were merely different dialects of the same universal language.

In geography, he unrolled the maps of the world before our eyes, pushing our imaginations far beyond the terraced hills of Kigezi and teaching us to see the interconnectedness of human civilizations and physical landscapes.

In mathematics, he instilled in us a love for precision, logic, and the quiet satisfaction that comes from methodically breaking down a complex problem until a clear solution reveals itself.

Yet, it was perhaps in the music room that his unique spirit shone brightest.

He taught us harmony, rhythm, and the beauty of collective voices blending into a single, resonant melody.

It was during this period that Mr. Bamwanga showed the profound generosity of spirit that characterized his entire life.

Recognizing an eagerness in me, he graciously offered to teach me how to play the piano. It was an incredible opportunity, a key to an entirely new world of creative expression.

Unfortunately, my father belonged to a generation of disciplined pragmatists who viewed such artistic pursuits with deep suspicion.

To him, non-academic endeavours like learning a musical instrument were not just a distraction; they were a definitive waste of valuable time and a guaranteed path to personal and professional ruin. He promptly and firmly vetoed my musical ambitions.

When I broke the news to Mr. Bamwanga, expecting him to be frustrated by a parent’s rigidity, his reaction taught me a lesson in grace that I have carried with me ever since. He did not take offence.

There was no wounded pride, no professional indignation. Instead, he accepted my father’s verdict with a gentle, understanding smile, choosing instead to double down on ensuring that my training in mathematics and geography remained flawless.

He understood that mentorship is not about forcing a student down a preferred path, but about lighting whatever path is available to them.

That ability to pivot, adapt, and master new terrains would define his own remarkable trajectory after he left Kigezi High School.

His brilliant intellect could not be contained by a single classroom. He won a prestigious scholarship to study economics at the world-renowned Sorbonne in Paris.

One can only imagine the sheer determination it took for a young man from Uganda to immerse himself in the fiercely competitive academic culture of France, master the complexities of the French language to absolute fluency, and ultimately conquer the highest peaks of economic theory to earn a PhD.

When Dr. Kinyatta returned to Uganda, he was no longer just the young teacher from Kyambogo. He was a highly sophisticated scholar.

He brought his wealth of global knowledge to Makerere University, where he spent years shaping the minds of the next generation of East African economists, injecting a sense of rigorous global perspective into the lecture halls of our ivory tower.

Yet, like many great intellectuals of his generation, the call of public service eventually drew him out of the quiet isolation of academia and into the turbulent, unyielding arena of active politics.

Whether debating policy on the floor of Parliament as an MP or managing the security and political dynamics of the capital city as Kampala’s RDC, he applied the same principles he had practiced in his youth.

The logic he taught us in mathematics became his tool for policy analysis; the global vision he gave us in geography guided his understanding of regional governance; and the harmony he sought in music became a lifelong pursuit for social cohesion, even during some of our nation’s most challenging political transitions.

But he too was ill-suited for Uganda’s gutter politics. Facing a formidable opponent in his run for a second term, Dr. Kinyatta made mistakes that would haunt his post-parliamentary years and turn his old age into a nightmare.

Nevertheless, he transitioned into the role of a revered elder statesman and academic consultant, and he often reflected on the survival of micro-enterprises and the economic struggles of ordinary Ugandans.

He never lost that fundamental desire to teach, to lift others up, and to analyse the world with a sharp, empathetic eye.

Those who he taught at Kabale University speak of a brilliant mind from which a waterfall of knowledge flowed with ease down a natural gradient between the teacher and his charges.

Dr. Stanley Kinyatta lived a long, purposeful, and, for the most part, beautifully orchestrated 90 years. He proved that one does not have to choose between being an artist, a scientist, or a leader-that a full life can encompass them all.

As I write this, I cast my mind back to that young teacher at KHS, sitting at a piano or standing before a blackboard in Kabaare.

I thank God for the gift of his life, his intellect, and his enduring impact on me and my journey.

To his family, friends, and the generations of students he inspired, I offer my deepest condolences. We were very lucky to receive freely from him.

In the face of a military crackdown targeting independent media, WAN-IFRA has called on the government of Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, to honour constitutional guarantees and international standards protecting media freedom and the safety of journalists.

In the early hours of Sunday, 28th June, Ugandan military personnel raided the premises of Nation Media Group-owned media houses in Kampala, forcing television and radio broadcasts off the air and shuttering print titles. Journalists and media leaders are being targeted online as the military increases its pressure on independent media across the country.

WAN-IFRA and the World Editors Forum has written to Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to call for an immediate reopening of shuttered media, reminding the long-serving head of state of his government’s obligations under domestic and international law to protect the freedom of the press and ensure the safety of journalists and media workers.

On World Sickle Cell Day, a visit to Ward 16 reveals the daily reality of children and adolescents battling pain, long queues and shortages, while also finding care, resilience and moments of hope at Mulago National Referral Hospital.

Children limp through crowded corridors. Others chase one another through the hallways as though they are anywhere but a hospital. Beneath a tent outside Ward 16 at Mulago National Referral Hospital, dozens of families wait their turn for treatment, relief and reassurance.

On World Sickle Cell Day, observed annually on June 19, I spent a day inside one of Uganda’s busiest sickle cell clinics, where pain, resilience and hope coexist every day.

Ward 16, also known as Ward 16A or Jelliffe Ward, is Mulago’s Paediatric Haematology Unit. It primarily admits and treats children with sickle cell disease and severe anaemia. Located near the left entrance before the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI), it serves hundreds of patients each week.

By mid-morning, the clinic is already full. Children wait with their guardians under a tent, in corridors and outside consultation rooms. Some have yellowing eyes, a common sign of sickle cell disease, while others appear perfectly healthy.

Most caregivers are women, many of them grandmothers. Some cradle sleeping children on their laps, others clutch patient files worn from years of clinic visits. Their faces reflect exhaustion, resilience and the familiarity of a condition that demands lifelong care.

A mother’s journey

Among them is a mother who identifies herself only as Nalongo. She recalls a distressing morning when her five-year-old son experienced a painful episode and could not walk.

‘I carried him on my back while searching for a boda boda. People told me I was spoiling him because he was crying,’ she recounts.

When she finally found a rider and requested transport to Mulago Hospital, she still faced scepticism.

‘Are you so broke that you cannot go to a nearby clinic? If he is really sick, you will be stuck waiting in a long queue at Mulago,’ the rider said.

Nalongo says she has become used to such reactions but remains committed to bringing her son to Ward 16, where staff understand his condition best.

Patients who never leave

Although Ward 16 is designated for children, many adolescents and adults continue to return for care. Robinah Asaba, the ward in-charge, explains that many older patients prefer to stay with the doctors who first treated them.

‘We have treated them since childhood, so they feel we understand them better,’ she says. ‘They are supposed to go to the adult clinic at New Mulago on the fourth floor every Thursday, but they find it easier to come here since we are open Monday to Friday.’

According to Asaba, adults with routine needs are referred to the haematology ward, while those in painful crises are often managed in Ward 16.

One adolescent patient says the attachment runs deeper than convenience.

‘If you have a painful crisis, you will not get better until you are treated here. We have records of our medical history, but even if you take them elsewhere, the doctors there may not provide the same level of care.’

A clinic under pressure

Asaba says the clinic sees between 150 and 200 sickle cell patients daily, Monday to Friday.

On weekends, public holidays and after 5pm, cases are handled at the Acute Care Unit for children, while adolescents and adults are managed as medical emergencies.

‘We are understaffed, yet the number of patients keeps increasing,’ she says.

Despite the pressure, Ward 16 remains a lifeline for families from across Uganda.

Understanding treatment

Once a diagnosis is made, treatment begins immediately. Children receive monthly Fansidar to prevent malaria, since even mild infections can trigger severe crises. They also take daily folic acid to support red blood cell production.

Children under five receive penicillin V to protect against bacterial infections such as pneumonia.

‘Pen V is usually taken until five years, when the immune system is stronger,’ Asaba explains.

One of the most important advances in care is hydroxyurea. It improves red blood cell flexibility, reduces painful episodes and lowers the risk of complications such as stroke.

Awareness has also improved outcomes. Patients now understand the importance of avoiding stress, staying warm and rejecting myths about early death.

‘What is more important is screening,’ Asaba adds. ‘It should be required before marriage, so we reduce the number of children born with the disease.’

Uganda records about 2,000 babies born with sickle cell disease annually, with an estimated seven million people living with the disease or trait.

The debate around prevention

For many adolescents, lived experience shapes strong opinions on prevention.

One teenager, who requests anonymity, speaks emotionally:

‘Some parents should be more careful. Why keep having children when you can see the suffering of those already born?’

He adds: ‘In this era, people should not be giving birth to children with sickle cell disease when screening is available.

If you are a carrier, you should only have children with someone who is not.’

When essential medicine runs out

Despite its effectiveness, hydroxyurea is sometimes unavailable, forcing families to buy it.

‘Sometimes patients do not get it because numbers are high, so they buy it, which increases the cost of care,’ Asaba says.

Margaret Namanda, who cares for her eight-year-old granddaughter, has seen its impact firsthand.

Before treatment, the child had frequent crises and repeated admissions. The situation worsened when her mother struggled to accept the diagnosis.

‘When hydroxyurea was first prescribed, it was out of stock, and each tablet cost Shs1,500. I could not afford Shs45,000 on top of hospital bills, so I did not buy it at first. Later we got free capsules, and the pain reduced,’ she says.

Stigma and abandonment

Beyond physical pain, many patients face stigma, neglect and abandonment. Asaba says the impact is heartbreaking.

‘Some come without food or money for pain medicine. Some are abandoned here. Others are resorting to petty theft to survive,’ she says.

One case is difficult to ignore.

Near a bench sits a teenage boy, about 16, crying out for help to raise Shs60,000 for pain medication. He has bruises on his head, bandages and a cannula in his arm. Passers-by stop to listen and contribute what they can.

A nearby vendor later says the boy has both sickle cell disease and cancer and is also linked to alleged theft within the hospital. Asaba describes him as one of many abandoned cases struggling to survive.

Living with sickle cell disease

Among the patients is Timothy Wangi, an adolescent linked to the Sickle Cell Support Network. Of five children in his family, two have the disease and one is a carrier.

As a child, he was frequently ill and hospitalised before being referred to Mulago.

‘When I get a crisis, the pain is so bad I cannot walk. Painkillers from other clinics wear off, but I only get better after coming here,’ he says.

He explains that crises often begin gradually before intensifying.

‘If the pain increases despite painkillers at school, it may mean an infection, and it must be treated.’

To avoid stigma, he discloses his condition only to close friends and the school nurse.

‘I dread review days because of the queues, but I never miss them.’

As the clinic day ends, the waiting area remains full. New patients arrive while others prepare for long journeys home. Some leave relieved after treatment; others carry the uncertainty of chronic illness.

Yet amid long queues, medicine shortages and chronic pain, Ward 16 remains more than a hospital ward. For hundreds of families, it is a place of continuity and care, where suffering meets expertise and where, even in the hardest moments, hope is not lost.

A grandmother’s hope

Another grandmother recalls first noticing symptoms when her grandson was three months old. He cried constantly and had swollen joints. A diagnosis at Rubaga Hospital confirmed sickle cell disease.

‘The bills were too high, so we came to Mulago where treatment is free,’ she says.

When hydroxyurea was introduced at age seven, the change was significant.

‘He now takes two capsules from Monday to Saturday and one on Sunday,’ she says.

‘We can go an entire school term without a crisis. He drinks water and manages his medicine well, even though he is a picky eater.’

Fast Facts on Sickle Cell in Uganda

Sickle cell disease is among the most common inherited blood disorders in Uganda.

It is passed from parents to children through genes.

Painful ‘crises’ occur when sickled cells block blood flow in the body.

Early diagnosis and consistent care can reduce complications and hospital admissions.

Hydroxyurea is one of the key medicines used to reduce the frequency of painful episodes.

Many patients still face delays in diagnosis and interrupted access to treatment.

On a quiet stretch of land in Aturuku Village, Tororo District, the sound of clucking chickens mingles with the grunts of pigs and the rustling of crops swaying in the breeze.

At first glance, it looks like any other thriving commercial farm. But at the centre of this enterprise is an unlikely farmer – a bishop.

Dressed casually and moving confidently from one section of the farm to another, Bishop Julius Omoit, the senior pastor of Tororo Worship Centre, is as comfortable discussing feed ratios and crop yields as he is preaching from the pulpit.

For many of his fellow clergy, this side of the bishop was a revelation. A recent visit by a group of senior born-again church ministers left them astonished.

The Christians toured Bishop Omoit’s crop gardens, piggery units and poultry houses, struggling to hide their surprise at the scale of his investment in agriculture.

‘We had heard that he was farming, but we did not expect to find such a well-established and diversified enterprise,’ one of the visiting Christians remarked.

Yet for Bishop Omoit, farming is not a hobby or a side business. It is part of his ministry.

Standing beside his poultry house, the bishop explains his philosophy with conviction.

‘I believe that one of the best ways to make the Gospel a reality in people’s lives is to help them improve their livelihoods and become self-reliant,’ he says.

To him, preaching hope is not enough if people remain trapped in poverty.

He believes faith should be accompanied by practical action that empowers families to earn a living and secure their future.

This conviction has shaped his pastoral mission. Over the years, Bishop Omoit has watched members of his congregation struggle with unemployment, low incomes and rising living costs.

He began to ask himself whether the church could do more than provide spiritual guidance. His answer was agriculture.

Today, he sees the farm not only as a source of income but as a demonstration site proof that with knowledge, hard work and determination, ordinary people can transform their lives.

The bishop’s journey into farming did not begin with a business plan or investment capital.It began with memories.

Growing up, he watched his parents labour tirelessly on small pieces of land, hoping for a harvest that was often uncertain.

‘I saw my parents struggle to make ends meet through subsistence farming. Those experiences never left me,’ he recalls.

As he rose through church leadership, the memories remained with him. Eventually, they inspired him to return to the soil – not in the traditional way he had known as a child, but with a vision of modern, commercial agriculture.

He started small, experimenting with poultry and piggery while learning new farming techniques. Gradually, he expanded into crop production and diversified his enterprises. Today, his farm stands as a testimony to perseverance and innovation.

Pastor David Omalla of Pentecostal Assemblies of God says the man of God’s experience challenged his long-held assumptions about the role of church leaders.

‘This is more than farming. It is a ministry of empowerment. The church should not only preach about prosperity; it should also demonstrate practical ways for people to achieve it,’ he said.

Pastor Ruth Kahawa of Smile Africa Ministries agrees that agriculture offers an opportunity for churches to address one of society’s biggest challenges – poverty.

‘We have seen that farming can create jobs, improve household incomes and restore dignity to families.Many of us are now inspired to take this path,’ she said.

But Bishop Omoit’s ambitions extend far beyond his own success.He dreams of turning the farm into a training centre where young people, church members and aspiring farmers can learn modern agricultural practices.

He also plans to venture into value addition, enabling farmers to earn more from their produce and access wider markets. His goal is simple: to create a model that others can replicate.

‘People need opportunities. If we can equip them with skills and encourage them to work hard, we can transform communities,’ he said.

He says it’s time religious leaders across Uganda embrace agriculture as a business and a tool for social transformation.

On the bishop’s farm in Aturukuku, sermons are not preached only from a pulpit. They are lived out in chicken houses, pig pens and fertile fields.

NTV Uganda and Spark TV were forced off air by 5:00am local time on Sunday after an overnight security crackdown at Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda premises in Namuwongo and Kampala Serena Hotel, following a shutdown order by first son and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba against the media group’s outlets.

NTV Uganda and Spark TV viewers were met with blank screens displaying the message ‘video unavailable’, while uncertainty surrounded the operations of NMG’s other platforms, including the Daily Monitor, which Gen Muhoozi had also targeted in his late-night declarations.

The security operation began shortly after midnight, with personnel deployed at the NMG premises and staff reporting “that no one was being allowed to enter or leave the compound.”

The deployment followed a series of posts on X by Gen Muhoozi in which he declared that NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor would be shut down amid a long-term ban from covering his father, President Museveni.

“NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today!” Gen Muhoozi wrote in a 1:07am post.

Gen Muhoozi, who is well-known to Ugandans for his incendiary social media posts, followed with another post stating: “Both NTV and Monitor will not re-open without my permission.”

In another post earlier, he said: “In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.”

The remarks marked an escalation of threats made over the past week, during which Gen Muhoozi repeatedly claimed he was awaiting permission from his father, President Museveni, before moving against the media house that employs hundreds of people.

In Uganda, NMG owns the 20-year-old NTV Uganda, the Daily Monitor, The East African, Spark TV, 93.3 KFM, 90.4 Dembe FM, Ennyanda newspaper and the Nation Courier, among other media platforms and investments.

Spark TV and NTV Uganda remained on air even as an unprecedented attack on Uganda’s leading independent media house continued through the early hours of Sunday during a prolonged security operation.

At 4:45am local time, nearly four hours after the siege began, the broadcaster was still carrying an Al Jazeera simulcast despite the security presence around the media group’s premises.

Shortly afterwards, NTV Uganda and Spark TV went off air.

90.4 Dembe FM and 93.3 KFM also appeared to have gone off air during the operation with no reason immediately given by Ugandan authorities.

By daybreak, security personnel remained deployed at the NMG premises in Namuwongo and Serena Hotel, with staff inside reporting they were unable to move in or out as the operation continued.

Neither the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Force nor the Uganda Communications Commission had immediately issued a formal statement explaining the operation or announcing any legal order affecting the broadcaster or newspaper.

It’s not yet clear how long the State-enforced blackout will last and NMG Uganda, which employs more than 500 people in the country alone, had also not issued an official statement by the time of publication.

Not the first time

The latest operation is not the first time NMG Uganda operations have been targeted by State agents. In May 2013, police raided the Daily Monitor and Dembe FM over the publication of a letter allegedly linking senior government officials to a succession plan dubbed the “Muhoozi Project.”

The premises remained sealed for more than a week before the outlets were allowed to resume operations after signing police search certificates and other documents.

In February 2007, barely two months after NTV Uganda launched in December 2006, the broadcaster was forced off air by the government following accusations that its news coverage was negative.

Over the years, Museveni has also repeatedly criticised the Daily Monitor, at one point referring to it as an “enemy and evil newspaper” over its critical journalism.

Despite repeated confrontations with the authorities, NMG-Uganda has consistently maintained its commitment to independent, public-interest journalism, describing itself as “Uganda’s Bold Voice” ahead of the disputed January 2026 presidential polls.

Past raids drew widespread condemnation from local and international media freedom organisations and rights groups.

‘Qweshunga’ is a word which comes from Runyankole-Runyakitara to mean ‘play’, which would conventionally evoke images of childhood games, bouncing castles or moments of amusement. But Penelope Sanyu is using her creativity to give it a fresh twist, arguing that even adults need the time to play, surrender to curiosity as they connect. At the new space called Qweshunga Book Bar, adults are welcome to bounce on castles, play board games and basically bring out the child in them in the gardens. There is a library where they can read a book, enjoy wine, sip on coffee or tea or simply sit and work. There is also a sanctuary for anyone looking for a place of solace to connect with themselves or reflect.

‘I wanted to reclaim play as something that is not luxury. I wanted to reclaim it as a lifeblood for curiosity, relationship building, mental well-being and connection,’ says Sanyu, a lawyer-cum creative.

It is an unusual mission for a lawyer. Then again, she has never been interested in fitting neatly into conventional definitions. She describes herself as a lawyer, feminist, author, entrepreneur and child of God. She leads the Qweshunga Initiative, founded Femme Forte Uganda and now serves as curator of the Qweshunga Book Bar. They are different but united by a common thread of creating spaces where people can thrive.

Inspiration

The idea of Qweshunga was born from a simple observation where society encourages children to play but discourages adults from doing the same. As children, people are told to run, laugh, imagine and explore because play is seen as essential to development. Yet somewhere along the journey to adulthood, play becomes associated with irresponsibility.

‘We become adults and we are told playing is unserious. Playing is not for adults. You are being unreasonable. You are being unprofessional,’ she says.

Sanyu believes that mindset comes at a cost. The loss of play, she argues, often leads to the loss of wonder, creativity and emotional well-being. The more serious people become, the more disconnected they risk becoming from themselves and from others.

She argues: ‘The more you play, the freer you are.’

Her determination to restore that freedom gave birth to the broader Qweshunga movement, which organises annual adult play festivals complete with trampolines, bouncing castles and traditional childhood games.

Freedom

Participants are encouraged to leave behind job titles and responsibilities for a day and simply play. Yet the Book Bar may be her most ambitious expression of the idea because books occupy the centre of the space, both literally and philosophically. The creative’s love affair with reading began years ago when books began shaping her worldview. She wants others to have access to the same transformative experience and hence the result is a library stocked largely from donations and her personal collection. The beauty is that visitors can browse and read without paying. For Sanyu, that decision is also a challenge to another persistent stereotype.

‘You have heard people say that if you want to hide a thing in Africa, hide it in books. For me, this is a resistance to that narrative,’ she explains.

She also rejects the notion that Ugandans do not read. Instead of complaining about declining reading culture, she has chosen to create a place where reading is celebrated, accessible and woven into community life. The free books are intended to help people ‘free their minds from the shackles that hold them.’ Of course, free books alone do not sustain a business. The challenge was finding a model that could keep the doors open while preserving access to literature. Her solution was to blend books with coffee and wine.

‘You are either reading a book with a cup of tea or a cup of coffee, or you’re reading a book with a glass of wine,’ she says.

Activities

The venue also includes gardens for conversation, spaces for poetry and music events, and even a prayer wall where visitors can leave requests or messages of gratitude. These features reveal another side of Sanyu’s thinking.

The space is about reading and restoration. Although legally trained, Sanyu says her work rarely resembles traditional courtroom practice.

‘I am the lawyer who fights for people’s rights. I am the lawyer who speaks up against injustice,’ she explains.

For her, promoting mental health, literacy and human dignity is a form of advocacy. Creating spaces where people can heal, learn and connect is another way of pursuing justice.

Revenue model

Revenue from the café, wine bar, co-working spaces and podcast studio helps cover operational costs while allowing visitors to continue enjoying free access to books. It is a social enterprise model designed to ensure that the mission survives beyond good intentions. The venue also includes gardens for conversation, spaces for poetry and music events, and even a prayer wall where visitors can leave requests or messages of gratitude. These features reveal another side of Sanyu’s thinking. The space is about reading and restoration. Although legally trained, Sanyu says her work rarely resembles traditional courtroom practice.

‘I am the lawyer who fights for people’s rights. I am the lawyer who speaks up against injustice,’ she explains.

For her, promoting mental health, literacy and human dignity is a form of advocacy. Creating spaces where people can heal, learn and connect is another way of pursuing justice. Perhaps that is why Qweshunga resonates beyond its literal meaning. What began as a word meaning ‘play’ has evolved into a philosophy about what it means to be fully human, and she inviting people to rediscover it, one book, a conversation and moment of play at a time.

Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have signed a cross-border Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly combat the current Ebola Bundibugyo strain outbreak, which has so far sickened 20 people in Uganda.

Out of the 20 confirmed cases registered in Uganda as of June 27, 15 are classified as imported cases from the neighbouring DRC.

The cross-border pact coincided with the official launch of the Continental Incident Management Support Team (IMST) at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI) at Makerere University in Kampala on Saturday. The IMST is a joint initiative by African governments, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO) designed to streamline emergency health interventions.

Speaking at the launch, Uganda’s Minister for Health, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, emphasized that African nations must spearhead coordinated responses to health crises to prevent localized outbreaks from turning into continental catastrophes.

“The Ebola outbreak reminds us that no country is safe until every country is prepared. It also reminds us that solidarity is not simply a principle-it is an operational necessity,” Dr Baryomunsi said. “Our preparedness and our response must, therefore, extend beyond borders. The Continental IMST embodies this spirit of solidarity.”

Under the new cross-border agreement, joint laboratory services and Ebola Treatment Centres (ETCs) are being established in Aru and Kasenyi. Health professionals from both Uganda and the DRC will work side-by-side at these facilities to detect cases early and halt transmission at the source.

“As we often say, we cannot keep mopping the floor while the roof is still leaking,” Dr. Baryomunsi noted. “As long as transmission continues on one side of the border, all neighbouring countries remain at risk.”

The IMST framework brings together 11 epidemic-prone African nations-including high-risk neighbours like Rwanda, Burundi, Angola, and the Central African Republic-to participate in cross-border preparedness, even if they have not yet registered active cases.

Dr Belizaire Marie Roseline, the Regional Emergency Director for WHO Africa, described the unified coordination model as a “game-changer” for continental health security.

‘This means we will avoid duplication in activities. We will put together our resources-which is a great mutualization of resources-and create synergy so that we become stronger together,’ Dr. Roseline said, adding that WHO’s role will ensure all field decisions remain strictly science- and evidence-based.

While the IMST experts have been coordinating virtually since the onset of the outbreak, the entire team has now physically relocated to the command center in Kampala to be closer to the epicentre.

According to Dr. Tolbert Geewleh Nyenswah, the Director of Africa CDC, the team consists of specialists specializing in case management, infection prevention, logistics, and intensive 21-day contact tracing.

The multinational communication hub will be permanently housed at Makerere University. Dr. Andrew Kambugu, the Executive Director of the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), revealed that the institute has provided a state-of-the-art boardroom to facilitate real-time, multinational communications between field teams, regional governments, and international partners in Geneva.

“Hosting the centre at Makerere University will continue the journey of how academia can actively engage and address pressing societal challenges,” Dr. Kambugu said.

NTV Uganda and Spark TV were forced off air by 5:00am local time on Sunday after an overnight security crackdown at Nation Media Group (NMG) Uganda premises in Namuwongo and Kampala Serena Hotel, following a shutdown order by first son and Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba against the media group’s outlets.

NTV Uganda and Spark TV viewers were met with blank screens displaying the message ‘video unavailable’, while uncertainty surrounded the operations of NMG’s other platforms, including the Daily Monitor, which Gen Muhoozi had also targeted in his late-night declarations.

The security operation began shortly after midnight, with personnel deployed at the NMG premises and staff reporting “that no one was being allowed to enter or leave the compound.”

The deployment followed a series of posts on X by Gen Muhoozi in which he declared that NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor would be shut down amid a long-term ban from covering his father, President Museveni.

“NTV and Monitor are being shut down from today!” Gen Muhoozi wrote in a 1:07am post.

Gen Muhoozi followed with another post stating: “Both NTV and Monitor will not re-open without my permission.”

In another post earlier, he said: “In Uganda, I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.”

The remarks marked an escalation of threats made over the past week, during which Gen Muhoozi repeatedly claimed he was awaiting permission from his father, President Museveni, before moving against the media house that employs hundreds of people.

In Uganda, NMG owns the 20-year-old NTV Uganda, the Daily Monitor, The East African, Spark TV, 93.3 KFM, 90.4 Dembe FM, Ennyanda newspaper and the Nation Courier, among other media platforms and investments.

Spark TV and NTV Uganda remained on air even as an unprecedented attack on Uganda’s leading independent media house continued through the early hours of Sunday during a prolonged security operation.

At 4:45am local time, nearly four hours after the siege began, the broadcaster was still carrying an Al Jazeera simulcast despite the security presence around the media group’s premises.

Shortly afterwards, NTV Uganda and Spark TV went off air.

90.4 Dembe FM and 93.3 KFM also appeared to have gone off air during the operation with no reason immediately given by Ugandan authorities.

By daybreak, security personnel remained deployed at the NMG premises in Namuwongo and Serena Hotel, with staff inside reporting they were unable to move in or out as the operation continued.

Neither the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Force nor the Uganda Communications Commission had immediately issued a formal statement explaining the operation or announcing any legal order affecting the broadcaster or newspaper.

It’s not yet clear how long the State-enforced blackout will last and NMG Uganda, which employs more than 500 people in the country alone, had also not issued an official statement by the time of publication.

Not the first time

The latest operation is not the first time NMG Uganda operations have been targeted by State agents. In May 2013, police raided the Daily Monitor and Dembe FM over the publication of a letter allegedly linking senior government officials to a succession plan dubbed the “Muhoozi Project.”

The premises remained sealed for more than a week before the outlets were allowed to resume operations after signing police search certificates and other documents.

In February 2007, barely two months after NTV Uganda launched in December 2006, the broadcaster was forced off air by the government following accusations that its news coverage was negative.

Over the years, Museveni has also repeatedly criticised the Daily Monitor, at one point referring to it as an “enemy and evil newspaper” over its critical journalism.

Despite repeated confrontations with the authorities, NMG-Uganda has consistently maintained its commitment to independent, public-interest journalism, describing itself as “Uganda’s Bold Voice” ahead of the disputed January 2026 presidential polls.

Past raids drew widespread condemnation from local and international media freedom organisations and rights groups.

Thirty-one years ago, then Commander of the Reserve Force, Maj Gen Caleb Akandwanaho, alias Salim Saleh, declared that Maj Gen David Tinyefuza would be required to answer for supporting the Democratic Party (DP).

Gen Saleh, who is also President Museveni’s younger brother, made the comments while speaking at a press conference on June 14, 1995, to debunk newspaper reports that he had called for talks between the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and Maj Herbert Itongwa.

At the time, Maj Itongwa, a veteran of the NRM/A Bush War, who had fallen out with his former bush war colleagues amid accusations of theft and indiscipline, had in 1994 formed a rebel outfit, the Uganda National Democratic Alliance (UNDA) and declared war on the government.

Maj Itongwa’s rebels were said to have attacked several police posts and killed some police officers before making off with some guns. They were also believed to have kidnapped the Minister of Health, Dr James Makumbi, and held him hostage for five days in 1995.

Maj Itongwa’s rebel outfit was, however, crushed, forcing him to flee into exile in Germany via Kenya. He subsequently died in exile.

Bad light

According to a copy of The Monitor newspaper’s edition of June 16, 1995, Gen Saleh told journalists who attended the press conference that the press had portrayed him as being opposed to President Museveni.

However, he said it was impossible for him to oppose his Commander-in-Chief. He added that any soldier who went against the army’s line would face disciplinary action or be dismissed.

‘Like I hear in the newspapers, Maj Gen Tinyefuza is supporting DP. Sooner or later, he’ll have to sort that out,’ he said.

Gen Saleh’s comments were precipitated by comments Maj Gen Tinyefuza, now Sejusa, had made in a June 13, 1995, interview with The Monitor newspaper and were carried in the edition of June 14, 1995.

Ssemogerere resignation

Gen Tinyefuza appeared to be supportive of Dr Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere, who resigned from government on June 13, 1995, citing ‘ideological grounds’.

Dr Ssemogerere, who was also the President General of DP, had served as Minister of Internal Affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and later Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Service in the NRM government.

He announced his resignation during a press conference held at the party’s headquarters at City House in Kampala. He was flanked by DP’s Secretary General, Mr Robert Kitariko, and lawyer and party executive Henry Kayondo.

He said he would contest for the office of President in the next general election.

‘I have called you to inform you that I have tendered my resignation as a minister in the government. I have written to the President,’ he said before reading to the press the contents of his resignation letter.

‘Your Excellency, I am writing to tender my resignation with immediate effect as a minister from Cabinet for personal reasons, in particular because I have decided to contest as a candidate in the forthcoming presidential elections,’ the letter read in part.

On why it had taken him so long to resign, Dr Ssemogerere said: ‘I didn’t feel so before. [Now] is when I thought I had to leave. For instance, I want tomorrow to be in the CA unencumbered as a minister during the debate in the draft constitution, which affects the basic human rights of individuals.’

Tinyefuza’s position

After news of Dr Ssemogerere’s resignation broke, Gen Tinyefuza said there was a lot of division in the country. He added that if no candidate capable of uniting the people emerged in the forthcoming elections, he would not rule out the possibility of contesting for the presidency himself.

‘I am, however, satisfied with the timely action of Dr Ssemogerere and my view as Tinyefuza is that Uganda today needs a non-confrontational and long-standing democrat, and I view Ssemogerere as that, and I have no problem with his candidature,’ he said.

He, however, stressed that the remarks reflected his personal views and not the official position of the army. At the time, the outspoken General was well known in the Constituent Assembly (CA) for often breaking ranks with the Movement side and fellow National Resistance Army (NRA) delegates.

He frequently took independent and sometimes controversial positions on issues where his superiors were expected to hold a different view.

Misunderstood

During the presser, Gen Saleh said the comments he made during that year’s Heroes Day celebrations in Mukono District were that since Itongwa was familiar with the NRA’s way of operating, he should surrender and face the law. He added that the army would guarantee him a fair hearing and trial.

‘This thing of opposing; you should oppose somebody that you are better than. And for me, I know that he [Museveni] is better than me,’ Gen Saleh said.

He, however, dismissed speculation that President Museveni had directed him to retract the Heroes Day statements.

‘I haven’t even talked about it with him yet,’ he told the press.

Gen Saleh said he only wanted to correct a mistake, for which many senior army officers were strongly criticising him.

‘Yesterday Col [Peter] Kerim was here, and two hours ago, Col Pecos [Kutesa] came here because of this report,’ Gen Saleh said.

Gen Saleh said he could only hold different views from the President if he kept them private and accepted the President’s decisions, since the President was his superior.

‘For example, on a family level, I think that my mother deserves a Benz from the State House, but he doesn’t,’ Gen Saleh pointed out.

He quoted other instances, including his wish for Uganda to attack Sudan when Sudanese fighter planes were bombing Ugandans.

He added that he had earlier wanted the NRA to hit back at Kenya for causing trouble at the common border in 1987, but that he had accepted the High Command’s decision not to do so.

He scoffed at politicians who thought they could exploit the inaccurate press reports of his speech to divide the NRA. He described all politicians as leopards in sheep’s skins and that recent events had shown that some of them were already taking off their false skins to show their real spots.

‘All of them. I think they are the same,’ he said when he was asked whether he included NRM politicians in his description. He, however, said despite his personal views about politicians and politics, a military man at his level had to be interested in the politics of his country.

NRM downplays resignation

Meanwhile, top officials in the NRM were quick to dismiss as ‘baseless’ the view that Dr Ssemogerere’s resignation from the NRM government would strengthen the multiparty camp in the CA.

The Deputy National Political Commissar and Director of Legal Affairs at the NRM Secretariat, Mr Jotham Tumwesigye, said: ‘I don’t think the balance of forces in the CA is going to change because of that. All CA delegates are mandated to support certain positions, and that is not going to change,’ Mr Tumwesigye said.

According to The Monitor’s edition of June 14, 1995, Mr Tumwesigye said despite Dr Ssemogerere’s resignation from the government, it remained broad-based.

‘It is not only Ssemogerere who was making the NRM current Cabinet, NRM still has many ministers who are representative of many shades of [political opinion],’ he said.

Others argued that the resignation would teach the NRM to accept compromises and stop making ‘fictitious’ claims of being broad-based.

Mr Kitariko said DP was approached in 1986 to nominate people who were later appointed ministers.

However, he said after some of them were removed from Cabinet, the party was never again asked to provide names to replace those who had been dropped.

‘So, what seemed to be a broad-based government ended in 1988,’ he said, adding that even then, UPC was never asked to nominate its people.