Category: Daily Monitor

The Uganda Law Society (ULS) and the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) have strongly condemned the charging of former Kampala Lord Mayor and senior lawyer Erias Lukwago with misprision of treason.

They described the prosecution as an attack on the legal profession and the administration of justice. In separate statements issued yesterday, the two bar associations questioned the circumstances surrounding Mr Lukwago’s arrest and subsequent prosecution, warning that the case could have a chilling effect on lawyers representing clients in politically sensitive cases.

Mr Lukwago, who is one of the lead defence lawyers for Opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye and his co-accused Obeid Lutale, was yesterday charged with misprision of treason and remanded to Luzira Prison until Monday next week when the state is expected to respond to his bail application. he charge followed his arrest on Monday from his home in Wakaliga, Rubaga Division, Kampala, by armed men dressed in military uniform.

In a strongly-worded letter addressed to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lino Anguzu, the president of the Uganda Law Society, Mr Isaac Ssemakadde, condemned the decision to prosecute Mr Lukwago.

“Pursuant to Section 3(c) of the Uganda Law Society Act, this is to register our strongest protest, condemnation and complaint against the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for entertaining, sanctioning, or proceeding with the charging of Advocate Erias Lukwago, a senior member of the Bar and lead counsel for Dr Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale in the ongoing treason trial,’ Mr Ssemakadde wrote.

He argued that Mr Lukwago’s actions as a lawyer could not reasonably form the basis of a treason-related charge. Serving court documents or vigorously defending a client in a high-profile political trial does not, and cannot, constitute treason.

“This is classic lawfare: the weaponisation of criminal justice institutions to harass, cripple and neutralise the defence team of political opponents,’ he said.

The Uganda Law Society warned that prosecuting advocates for carrying out their professional duties threatens the independence of the legal profession and undermines public confidence in the justice system.

“An attack on one advocate is an attack on the entire Bar and on the rule of law,’ Mr Ssemakadde added. The Society demanded the immediate withdrawal of the charges against Mr Lukwago.

‘The profession demands the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all charges against Advocate Erias Lukwago, full disclosure of his treatment in detention, and a public undertaking that prosecutors will cease using their offices to advance partisan political objectives,’ the letter reads.

Across the border, the Law Society of Kenya echoed similar concerns, saying the case transcends the personal circumstances of Mr Lukwago and touches on the ability of lawyers to represent clients without fear of intimidation or retaliation.

In a statement signed by its president, Charles Kanjama, the Kenyan Bar Association stressed that advocates must be free to discharge their professional obligations regardless of the nature of the cases they handle.

“The administration of justice depends upon advocates being able to represent their clients fearlessly, particularly in matters that are politically sensitive or attract significant public attention,’ Mr Kanjama said.

The Society noted that the proceedings involving Dr Besigye have attracted regional attention and involve lawyers from across East Africa.

‘The Society is particularly concerned because the proceedings in which Lukwago serves as lead counsel have drawn regional attention and involve legal practitioners from across East Africa. Notably, Senior Counsel Martha Karua, one of Kenya’s most distinguished advocates, is part of the defence team in the same proceedings,’ the statement reads.

It adds, ‘Any development affecting members of that legal team is therefore a matter of legitimate concern to the Kenyan Bar and to the wider legal profession in the region.’

Prosecutors allege that between 2021 and November 2024, Mr Lukwago knew that Dr Besigye, Joel Wakayima, Frank Kihehere Atukunda and Obeid Lutale intended to commit treason but failed to disclose the information to relevant authorities.

His arrest came as he was reportedly preparing to serve court documents on Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba in a separate legal matter connected to Dr Besigye’s ongoing treason case where he alleges death threats against him.

For years, residents of Kali village along the disputed border between Yumbe and Obongi districts lived side by side, sharing water sources, markets, and social ties despite lingering questions over administrative boundaries. Today, however, the atmosphere is tense.

What should have been a celebration of development- the opening of community access roads and the construction of VIP latrines has instead reignited a long-standing land conflict, drawing local leaders, residents, and government officials into renewed disagreement over who owns the land where the projects are being implemented.

As excavators clear paths through the bush and construction workers lay foundations for improved sanitation facilities, a familiar dispute has resurfaced, threatening both community cohesion and service delivery.

A conflict rekindled

Residents say the conflict had remained largely dormant for several years. Although disagreements over the exact boundary between Yumbe and Obongi persisted, communities had found ways to coexist peacefully, but that changed when development projects arrived.

The conflict created a lot of insecurity for the community living in that place for about one week, prompting the District Security Committee to organise a security meeting to handle the matter.

The Obongi RDC, Mr Hashaka Mpimbaza, said the insecurity began due to a road project opened by Obongi District.

He said the road, which is about 7km, was opened from Kali up to River Kochi, with bush clearing already done, but what is remaining is shaping and grading.

‘The opening of the road created insecurity in the sense that the two districts are claiming ownership of the land where the road project is being undertaken. As the two security committees of Yumbe and Obongi, we decided to call a security meeting to sort out this problem,’ he said.

He said this is not the first time such a thing has happened. During the 2024 census, a similar incident happened in this disputed area.

‘We can’t as a security committee decide whether this land belongs to Yumbe or Obongi. When there is a conflict between two districts, it is the Ministry of Lands that sorts out the matter by doing a demarcation,’ he said.

‘There is a lot of confusion in this place. The suggestion is, we maintain the status quo, and we all put our efforts together, request the Ministry of Lands quickly to come and sort out this problem because enough is enough; this confusion must not continue,’ he added.

The security committee had a suggestion that the road project should continue because it benefits everybody because there is no proper community access road in the area, but the idea has been rejected by the leaders from the Yumbe side.

The Yumbe district speaker, Mr Samadu Aguku, who represented the district chairperson at the meeting, said one of the issues of contention between Yumbe and Obongi is the opening of the road.

He said it is not right to say Obongi should continue grading this road because Yumbe may think they have lost their independence, and if they say Yumbe should take over, it becomes a problem.

‘Now that the Local Government Act has given us a mandate, you give us an opportunity as District Executive Committee (DEC) members of the two districts to sit and accept whether the road should continue or we suspend it. We are saying this is because the funding of this road project is not clear,’ he said.

‘It is stated that the fuel for opening the road came from the MP Obongi County. Two toilets have been dug here now, and the security team is not aware who owns the land. The ongoing works must be suspended with immediate effect,’ he added.

He said the LCs within the disputed area from the side of Yumbe have been threatened that their stamps shall be collected, saying it’s not a good move and that the leaders from Obongi should be restrained from that bad act.

Community living in fear

Mr Ibrahim Atiku Dalilu, a resident of the area, said the matter started during the census, and UPDF soldiers were brought here by the leaders of Obongi, and they wanted to count us forcefully, but they rejected.

‘When it came to the opening of the road, UPDF and Police officers were again brought here to scare us. These people came with full force to start the work,’ he said.

Mr Sunday Bran, another resident of Ombechi West village, said he is the landlord of the area where the two pit latrines have been dug.

‘These people came with security personnel, but without consultation, they started digging the pits. The aim of these people is not to promote sanitation but to reclaim the area,’ he said.

Mr Bran said he has stayed in this area for over 30 years and that they don’t want interference from Obongi Local Government.

During the security meeting that took place last week, Mr Hassan Kaps Fungaroo, the MP for Obongi constituency, was not allowed to talk; however, when Monitor Publication contacted him at the weekend, he said people already know the truth about the land in question.

He insists that Kali is deeply inside Obongi and the road they have opened is inside Obongi and that there is no border of Yumbe across River Kochi.

‘People want to run away from using the right methods. There are maps of Uganda and the districts, including historical backgrounds of the districts in West Nile that can clearly define the borders of the districts,’ he said.

He added: ‘There were Aringa people who came to Obongi a long time ago; they were welcomed and given land under right of use, and they know the facts. They are not happy about what’s happening now, but they have decided to create villages with new names here.’

He noted that the community access road that has brought problems was opened by Itula Sub-county and that he only came to assist them with fuel because the Sub-county doesn’t have enough resources to undertake the project.

‘What’s true and is personal is the opening of Pit latrines, which is to help our Kapalanga and Miricha clans because we have members of those clans there doing farming in that place,’ he said.

Calls for lasting solutions

Leaders from both districts have appealed for calm and urged residents to avoid violence.

Many are calling upon the central government, survey authorities, and the Ministry of Lands to conduct a comprehensive boundary verification exercise and establish a permanent solution.

The Obongi district Chairperson, Mr Khemis Abibu Buga, said they had viewed that the projects would benefit the local community, but the long-existing border dispute has frustrated their efforts in implementing the project.

‘Writing to the Ministry of Lands will not help us. I have written more than four times, including to my counterpart, the chairperson of Yumbe District, but up to now, there is no feedback,’ he said.

‘My suggestion is that a team that comprises the RDCs, MPs, LC 5 chairpersons, CAOs of the two districts must go to meet those officials in the ministries of local government, lands, including the Prime Minister with immediate effect if we want to succeed,’ he added.

Call for peace and security

Hajji Sulaiman Lubwama Bukya, the Yumbe RDC, said the issue that has happened isn’t a big one, urging the residents in the area to be calm.

‘We have come here not to solve that border dispute but rather the insecurity concerns that are threatening the lives of the people emanating from the contested area. We want people here to co-exist and live peacefully,’ he said.

The security committee, however, resolved that the ongoing project work be suspended for two weeks and that a team from the two districts should go and meet the concerned ministries over the matter and that they will come back with a report for the community.

A new Shs500 million sickle cell clinic and training centre has been commissioned at Kayunga Regional Referral Hospital (KRRH), boosting access to specialised treatment for thousands of patients across six districts in central Uganda.

The facility, named the Shifa Sickle Cell Clinic and Training Centre, was funded by the Islamic Centre for Education and Research (ICFER) and will serve patients from Kayunga, Luweero, Buvuma, Nakasongola, Buikwe and Mukono districts.

Speaking during the commissioning on Tuesday, the Muslim titular head in Uganda, Prince Kassim Nakibinge, praised ICFER for supporting healthcare services and urged Ugandans to embrace sickle cell screening and testing.

He also called on the government to increase funding to the health sector and reconsider its decision regarding medical interns.

“The government should revisit its recent decision not to pay intern doctors because this is going to constrain efforts in the health sector,” Prince Nakibinge said.

He argued that Uganda’s doctor-to-patient ratio remains a major challenge and warned that failure to adequately support health workers could undermine service delivery.

Responding to concerns about persistent blood shortages for sickle cell patients, Prince Nakibinge appealed to ICFER and its partners from the United Arab Emirates to support the construction of a blood bank at KRRH to ensure a steady supply for health facilities across the six beneficiary districts.

Dr Sophia Nakitto, a paediatrician at KRRH, said delayed diagnosis of sickle cell disease often leads to severe complications, including kidney failure.

She said the hospital has intensified screening and testing programmes at lower health facilities across the region to improve early detection.

“Currently, we have 2,734 sickle cell warriors under our care receiving treatment,” Dr Nakitto said.

ICFER Chief Executive Officer Yusuf Jjemba said the organisation decided to establish the facility after witnessing the challenges health workers faced while providing services at the hospital.

“Sickle cell disease affects families in many ways and contributes to irregular school attendance among children living with the condition,” he said.

The Director General of Health Services, Dr Charles Olaro, described sickle cell disease as one of Uganda’s most significant inherited health conditions.

“Sickle cell remains one of Uganda’s most significant inherited health conditions, with thousands of children born with the disease every year and many families facing challenges in accessing timely diagnosis, treatment, counselling and long-term care,” Dr Olaro said.

He said the Ministry of Health has expanded newborn and infant screening programmes, strengthened laboratory diagnostic capacity, increased access to essential medicines and integrated sickle cell services into lower-level health facilities.

According to Dr Olaro, the dedicated clinic and children’s ward will provide a more conducive environment for specialised treatment, patient monitoring and long-term support.

Kayunga District Chairperson Andrew Muwonge used the occasion to renew calls for the installation of a CT scan machine at KRRH, saying patients continue to be referred unnecessarily to Mulago National Referral Hospital for specialised imaging services.

“If by December government has not bought a CT scan for this hospital, I will organise a marathon so that people can raise funds for it,” Mr Muwonge said.

The event was attended by health officials, religious leaders, parents of sickle cell patients and survivors living with the disease.

‘He spoke loudly on the phone about depositing dollars in his bank account. Then he talked about his cargo being shipped from China. Then he stopped me,’ Pr Nakanwagi says.

She adds that after greeting her, the man told her that he had just returned from the United States.

He allegedly told her that his name was Francis M Kakwadi, a director of Moonlight Petrol Station and an owner of several export companies.

Pr Nakanwagi said the man then dived into business issues, asking about where he could buy Nile Perch swim bladders in Jinja City with the purpose of exporting them abroad.

She claims that the suspect drugged her two days later and robbed her of Shs7 million.

Kira Police Region spokesman, Superintendent of Police James Mubi, says they later identified the suspect’s real name as John Sembatya Kaggwa, 50, a resident of Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District.

Police investigations reveal that the suspect allegedly had affairs with wealthy women whom he later sedated and robbed of their property and money. Pr Nakanwagi denied having romantic relations with the suspect.

Pr Nakanwagi says during her interactions with the suspect in Jinja, he reportedly said he wanted to buy a vehicle from a bond in the city to ease his movements.

She says she connected the suspect to her friends dealing in vehicles. Mr Kaggwa and Pr Nakanwagi reportedly shared contacts and parted ways in their own direction, but agreed to meet the next day to conclude the car purchase.

They met the following day at around 10am. A few minutes after their meeting, Mr Kaggwa allegedly said he was hungry and asked Pr Nakanwagi where a good restaurant was in Jinja City.

Pr Nakanwagi says she directed him to a restaurant, but he requested her to accompany him and share a meal with him.

‘I took him to a restaurant near Jinja Central Police Station. He complained about the quality of the services… He asked me whether I knew any other better place. I told him of another place,’ Pr Nakanwagi claims.

She narrates that they moved to another restaurant where he ordered Red Bull. The pastor reportedly ordered a glass of juice and later went for a short call before finishing her drink. Thereafter, Pr Nakanwagi reportedly took him to three car bonds in search of a vehicle.

She says at the last bond they visited, Mr Kaggwa asked for a black Toyota Harrier.

‘He went for a test drive. He said he loved the vehicle and would buy it. But he said he didn’t carry the money. He needed to withdraw it from the bank,’ she narrates.

Pr Nakanwagi says the car bond manager allowed Mr Kaggwa to go with the vehicle to collect the money on the condition that Pr Nakanwagi, a friend of his, accompanies Mr Kaggwa.

‘That man (Kaggwa) and I drove the car to look for an ATM,’ she says. Pr Nakanwagi says she blacked out along the way. ‘I only woke up deep in the night, and I was on the hospital bed. I asked where I was. They then told me the story,’ she says.

Pr Nakanwagi was told that passers-by had found her alone and unconscious in a car on the roadside in Jinja City.

‘Some of the people who found me thought I had consumed alcohol and passed out. When people gathered, those who knew me told them that I was a pastor and that I do not drink alcohol. They then took me to a hospital for treatment,’ she says.

Pr Nakanwagi says health workers who attended to her told her that she had been sedated, and she was in a critical condition. ‘The doctors said I would have died if I hadn’t been taken to hospital early enough,’ she says.

Pr Nakanwagi adds that she found out that her ATM card had been stolen and her money in her mobile wallet had been withdrawn.

‘Shs4.79 million on my ATM card was withdrawn. Another Shs1.79 million on my mobile phone was also withdrawn. Fortunately, he didn’t take my mobile phone,’ she says.

She reported a case of robbery at Jinja Central Police Station. Police investigators retrieved CCTV footage from the restaurant where the suspect and the pastor had a meal.

The footage appears to show the suspect administering an unknown substance in the victim’s juice when she went for a short call.

The police officers thereafter obtained the suspect’s real identity, which enabled them to track him.

At least 30 people whom he had contacted on the phone were arrested. Most of them were women, who also claimed that he had sedated them and robbed them of their money and property.

One woman, a resident of Kampala City, says the suspect sedated her while they were in her shop and made off with all her merchandise.

Another woman dealing in mattresses allegedly lost Shs7 million to the man when he visited her at home.

Police tracked the suspect in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, where he was arrested in a guest house at Naluvule on June 2.

Mr Mubi, the Kira Police Region spokesman, says upon searching the vehicle the suspect was driving, the detectives recovered contacts of many of those who accused him of drugging and robbing them.

The suspect was driven back to Jinja City. Mr Kaggwa was later arraigned at Jinja Magistrates’ Court on June 5, where he was charged with aggravated robbery.

He was thereafter remanded to Kirinya Prison. Mr Kaggwa will be produced in court again on July 6.

The Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) Board has commenced the recruitment process for the next chief executive officer (CEO), to succeed Ms Ziria Tibalwa Waako, whose five-year two-term tenure runs out in March 2027.

However, the recruitment process, which kicked off a few weeks ago, is already clouded by allegations of opaqueness and favouritism.

The contention, according to some insiders, is that the search process is ‘merely a ritual’ as a section of senior management is crusading for and has already blessed one of the directors for the job that has thus far been advertised internally.

Another internal candidate, seen by insiders as highly suitable to turn around the entity long dogged by claims of abuse of office, board capture, self-aggrandisement by management, cliques and favouritism, but whose contract is also expiring, had their job position expressly advertised externally.

The ERA management, however, defended the advertising of the CEO position internally as a normal practice ‘to give internal competencies a chance.

‘If the Board doesn’t get enough internal competition or required competencies, then the job is advertised externally. This happens to all jobs. Healthy organisations such as ERA tend to do both. They build strong internal talent pipelines while remaining open to external expertise when strategic needs demand it,’ the company said.

On advertising externally the position of the suitor for the CEO role, ERA downplayed foul play, arguing: ‘In leadership and human resource management, this is sometimes referred to as balancing organisational continuity with organisational renewal.’

According to the job advert for the CEO role, the deadline for submission of applications is July 15, with suitable candidates required to have a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in either Administration, Engineering, Economics, Finance, Law, Management, or Environment.

They must also be a member of at least one national or internationally recognised professional body, be registered with the Engineers Registration Board of Uganda (ERB), have vast knowledge about the Electricity Supply Industry; and, have at least 15 years working experience, seven of which must be at senior management level in a credible company.

The CEO’s responsibilities include; working with senior management and staff to execute the company’s mandate; develop and recommend short strategies and objectives for the company, and lead the formulation, implementation and periodic review of the regulatory body’s strategic plan; ensuring alignment with national energy policies, Vision 2040, and the National Development Plan, now in the fourth edition.

Ms Tibalwa, who cut her teeth in the electricity sector under the Operations and Planning department of the now defunct Uganda Electricity Board (UEB) before transitioning to Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL) as principal planning engineer then to ERA as director for technical regulation, succeeded Dr Benon Mutambi, whom President Museveni named Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs in November 2016.

First power sector reforms

ERA, as a regulator, is one of the four agencies, alongside UETCL, Uganda Electricity Generation Ltd (UEGCL), and Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (UEDCL), borne out of first power sector reforms in 1999 that saw the unbundling of the then vertically integrated UEB.

The objective of the reforms included making the power sector financially viable, growing demand for electricity and increasing coverage, and attracting private capital investments.

ERA’s main roles include licensing all power supply industry firms, setting industry standards, enforcing and monitoring compliance with these standards, and setting and approving supply and user tariffs in the electricity market.

However, in the last months, the body has been adversely marred with chaos that have engulfed the distribution side of the electricity business, that culminated in the sending on forced leave, the UEDCL Managing Director, Mr Paul Mwesigwa, on April 30 following an increase in power losses from 15 percent to 19 percent and the attendant persistent reports of power outages nationwide.

In various audit reports, the UEDCL management under Mr Mwesigwa had variously accused ERA of, among others, sleeping on its supervision role during the 20 years when Umeme Ltd operated the power infrastructure.

The company even issued a status of network report that detailed defects within the network and related issues at around $85m (Shs315b), and the cost of spare parts and urgent repairs around $60m (Shs223b).

Meanwhile, UEDCL is stuck on the fate of Mr Mwesigwa because there is no fixed duration for forced leave under the Employment Act, and he is looking at a hefty pay in the likely case the new management pulls any move illogically.

The seven senior managers who were also sent on forced leave for one month have since received letters extending their stay out of office for another month.

By the time many Ugandans reach old age, they have spent decades building families, communities, and livelihoods. They have raised children, cultivated land, contributed to the economy, and helped shape the country. Yet for many of them, one of the most difficult and humiliating parts of old age is something most people take for granted; using the toilet.

Many families, communities, and policymakers fail to consider the basic needs of older adults in the design of homes and public infrastructure. According to national sanitation data, pit latrines remain the dominant form of sanitation, particularly in rural areas where most older Ugandans live. While these facilities serve millions of households, they are largely designed for people with healthy joints, good balance, and full mobility.

Pit latrines by their nature require users to squat. For younger people, this may be a minor inconvenience, if at all. For the elderly living with arthritis, joint pain, muscle weakness, impaired vision, or other age-related conditions, squatting can be physically painful, humiliating and sometimes impossible. Architects are not doing nearly enough to make toilets as elder-friendly as possible. The problem is not merely anecdotal. Researchers have been documenting it for years.

What research says

In 2014, a team of researchers led by Sarah Ben Jones published a landmark study in the journal BMC Public Health examining sanitation conditions in Kampala’s informal settlements. The study, titled “We Is Not Happy Until We Have Safe Clean Toilets,” found that elderly residents were among the groups most disadvantaged by poor sanitation infrastructure. Participants described fears of falling, difficulties navigating slippery paths to toilets, poor lighting at night, and challenges using facilities that demanded physical strength and balance.

The researchers concluded that older people faced unique barriers that were often overlooked in sanitation planning. While the study focused on urban informal settlements, its findings resonate strongly in rural Uganda, where pit latrines are often more basic and access paths less secure. Some families have recognised the problem and have developed their own solutions. Across Uganda, it is increasingly common to find improvised toilet seats made from wood or concrete, built over pit latrines. Their purpose is straightforward; to allow older people to sit rather than squat. Families understand the problem because they see it every day. What is missing is broader institutional recognition. The burden of creating accessible sanitation should not rest entirely on individual households.

Kenya’s efforts

Other developing countries have begun taking steps in this direction. In neighbouring Kenya, sanitation organisations have increasingly promoted what experts call “inclusive sanitation”; the idea that toilets should be designed for everyone, including older people and people with disabilities. WaterAid-supported projects have demonstrated that relatively simple additions such as handrails, ramps, raised toilet seats, wider entrances and non-slip flooring can significantly improve accessibility without substantially increasing construction costs.

State of affairs

I believe that local governments, development agencies, health professionals, architects and community leaders all have a role to play. Building standards could encourage the inclusion of accessibility features in household sanitation. Community health programmes could educate families about affordable modifications. Development partners could support pilot projects demonstrating accessible pit latrines in rural communities.

Most importantly, older people themselves must be included in the conversation. Too often, sanitation policy is designed without consulting those who face the greatest challenges. Elderly Ugandans understand better than anyone the obstacles they encounter every day. Their experiences should guide future solutions. A society reveals its values through the way it treats its most vulnerable members. Older people may no longer occupy the centre of economic or political life, but they remain entitled to safety, dignity and independence.

‘I was working so hard, and I thought I needed to retire at 40, so I started planning for that,’ he says.

Bainomugisha’s eureka moment came after a conversation with a friend who had travelled to Queen Elizabeth National Park and struggled to find accommodation. For Bainomugisha, who had studied Economics at Kyambogo University, the story represented a gap in the market. ‘If there is a problem of people looking for where to sleep and they cannot find it, then there is an opportunity,’ he says.

The piece of land he had acquired for personal use suddenly took on a commercial possibility. Instead of building a private home, he began thinking about creating accommodation facilities. The result was the beginning of a project that would eventually transform about three acres of hillside land overlooking Lake Victoria into a hospitality property.

Building an asset from savings and patience

Unlike many large property developments that begin with institutional financing, Bainomugisha’s investment was built gradually from personal savings and proceeds from previous business activities. Before entering hospitality, he had worked in the sports betting industry, where he was part of the team that started a sports betting company. The company would grow significantly, giving him an opportunity to save and invest in property.

‘I am not the kind of person who spends money on many things. I managed to save and buy pieces of land, sell, reinvest and continue building,’ he says.

The approach to Divine Resort was gradual. Rather than leaving employment immediately, he continued working while directing funds into the project.

‘It was invest as you work, invest as you work,’ he explains.

Construction started with a simple concept; cottages, a swimming pool and a restaurant. The first phase consisted of eight cottages designed for double occupancy, alongside a family suite that could accommodate parents and children.

However, the construction process was far from straightforward. At the time, Bainomugisha admits he had limited knowledge about some of the technical and regulatory requirements involved in property development.

‘I did not know everything that goes into construction at a lakefront. You need approved plans, environmental impact assessment approvals and many other things,’ he says.

The project faced a major setback when authorities halted construction after concerns were raised over approvals and environmental requirements.

‘They told me construction had to stop because there were no approved plans and environmental certificates. It was a very difficult period,’ he recalls.

The project stalled as he worked to address the regulatory requirements. For a property development already consuming significant resources, the delay created additional pressure. His wife encouraged him not to abandon the project, and construction eventually resumed between 2019 and 2021. By the time the resort was ready to open in February 2022, Bainomugisha had invested years of effort and resources into completing an idea that had started as a retirement plan.

Turning location into a property advantage

One of the biggest considerations in real estate is location, and Divine Resort’s location became both its opportunity and its challenge. The property sits on the Mpatta Peninsula, a relatively quiet area away from Kampala’s urban congestion but still within reach of the capital. The challenge was accessibility. While the distance from Kampala is short by water, the road journey presents a different experience. Bainomugisha says this influenced his decision to incorporate boat transport into the property’s concept.

‘I needed to give people a reason to cross because the road was not easy. The water became part of the experience,’ he says.

For property investors, the development reflects a wider shift in Uganda’s real estate market. Locations previously considered remote are increasingly being assessed based on lifestyle value rather than only distance from urban centres.

Waterfront properties, especially those around Lake Victoria, have attracted interest because they offer a combination of scenery, privacy and recreational opportunities. However, developing such locations also comes with higher costs, including infrastructure, maintenance and environmental considerations.

Moving from rooms to experiences

Bainomugisha says one of the lessons from developing Divine Resort has been understanding what modern travellers want. He argues that many hospitality facilities in Uganda were historically designed mainly around foreign tourists, particularly those visiting national parks. However, he believes local travellers have different expectations.

‘Ugandans mind about the details. When they travel, they are not only looking for a place to sleep; they are looking for an experience that makes them feel valued and understood. They compare what they find here with what they experience when they travel to places like Dubai, Zanzibar or Bali, so properties must focus on quality, comfort and the small things that make a difference,’ he says.

According to the investor, the domestic middle-class traveller increasingly looks for experiences similar to those found in international destinations.

‘They want to feel catered to, they want to feel understood,’ he says.

This thinking influenced the resort’s positioning around what he describes as love, connection and relationship hospitality. The focus is less on accommodation alone and more on creating spaces where couples, families and groups can spend time away from city routines. The approach reflects a broader change in the property sector, where developers are increasingly considering lifestyle preferences alongside basic infrastructure. A building is no longer only valued by its size or location but also by the experience it creates for users.

The difficult realities behind property development

While the finished property presents a calm environment overlooking the lake, Bainomugisha says operating a hospitality asset has introduced a different set of challenges. One of the biggest lessons, he says, has been the importance of systems.

‘When you start a business without systems, you end up depending on individuals,’ he says.

He recalls early challenges with maintaining consistent service, particularly in areas such as food quality and customer experience. For him, the lesson applies beyond hospitality.

‘A business should not depend on one person. You need systems that allow someone else to come in and understand what to do,’ he says.

Maintenance has also become a major consideration. Unlike some property investments where costs are concentrated around construction, hospitality properties require continuous spending to maintain standards. Gardens, rooms, equipment and facilities require regular attention. Bainomugisha says this has also influenced his approach to sustainability. While he wants to introduce measures such as solar energy and reduce reliance on plastics, he notes that such investments require significant capital. A transition to solar power, he says, would require a substantial investment, making gradual implementation more realistic for a growing business.

Building the next phase

Four years after opening, Divine Resort is still evolving. The current facility includes eight cottages and a family suite, but expansion plans are underway, including additional deluxe rooms and future villas. The long-term vision is to create a wider tourism ecosystem where visitors can combine accommodation, transport and travel experiences. Bainomugisha says the plan is to connect resort stays with other tourism activities, including safaris, creating a longer travel experience for both domestic and international visitors. For property developers entering hospitality, he believes the market requires a different mindset from previous decades.

‘You cannot come into this business thinking about what was happening 10 years ago. The hospitality industry is changing quickly, and customers’ expectations are different from what they used to be. Developers must think ahead, understand new trends and create properties that can serve both today’s travellers and the generations coming after them,’ he says.

He urges developers to ahead, understand changing customer expectations and create properties that appeal to both local and international visitors.

Uganda’s political opposition has raised the alarm over a fresh wave of state-sponsored lawlessness following the daytime reported abduction of political activist Andrew Natumanya, popularly known as Ninye Tabz from Kamwokya, a known stronghold of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP).

According to top opposition officials, the prominent photojournalist and anti-corruption whistleblower was violently intercepted and whisked away by armed operatives in a notorious Toyota Hiace minibus, popularly known in Uganda as a “drone.” The vehicle is commonly associated with plainclothes state security agencies conducting extrajudicial arrests.

NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya condemned the incident on June 17, 2026, via the social media platform X. “We’ve just been informed of the abduction of Ninye Tabz from Kamwokya a short while ago. He has been whisked away in a drone. The lawlessness continues!” Rubongoya stated.

Echoing his frustration, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, also took to X to decry the targeted state crackdowns. “The senseless abductions continue, Tabz @NinyeTabz has been taken by a drone from Kamwokya!!” Ssenyonyi posted. The incident occurred amid escalating tensions and widespread local and international condemnation regarding the heavy-handed treatment of opposition figures in the country. Just two days prior, on June 15, prominent lawyer and People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) president Erias Lukwago was similarly abducted by elite Special Forces Command (SFC) operatives from his Wakaliga home.

Lukwago, who was seized while preparing to serve court documents to Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba in a high-profile treason case involving Dr. Kizza Besigye, was also bundled into a “drone” van.

Though Lukwago was eventually dumped at Kira Division police headquarters and later arraigned in court before he was remanded on charges of misprision of treason, the swift seizure of Tabz indicates that security agencies have not relented. Opposition leaders warn that these continuous, unconstitutional disappearances threaten the rule of law and political freedoms ahead of upcoming national cycles.

Kenya hosts nearly a million refugees, mainly from South Sudan and Somalia. Many of them have been living in refugee camps for decades.

Now, the country is attempting a major shift in refugee policy. The Kenyan government and the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) developed the Shirika Plan, launching it in March 2025. The policy aims to move refugees away from long-term encampment and integrate them in society.

Drawing on their research on refugee governance and migration in Kenya, Edwin Mutyenyoka and Franzisca Zanker explain the opportunities and challenges the plan presents for refugees and host communities.

What is the Shirika Plan?

The Shirika Plan seeks to shift refugee management away from a camp-based system largely overseen by the UN towards a government-led model centred on inclusion into the local economy. The plan is a by-product of Kenya’s Refugee Act of 2021, which seeks to include and protect refugees better.

The plan builds on the success of two pilot models: the Kalobeyei Integrated Socio-Economic Development Plan and the Garissa Integrated Socio-Economic Plan. They showed that refugee inclusion can strengthen both refugee and host economies.

The Shirika Plan will convert camps into county-administered municipalities. There will be investment in roads, water systems, healthcare and education in places that host refugees. Developments are designed to serve refugees and host communities.

The plan is closely aligned with the UN’s refugee frameworks. These encourage governments to move beyond emergency assistance and towards allowing refugees to work, use public services and contribute to local economies.

The plan’s six pillars include sustainable economic development and climate action.

Implementation is expected to take place in three phases and requires an estimated US$943 million.

The first phase (2025-2028) is the transition period. It lays the foundations: putting regulatory and policy frameworks in place and turning camps into municipalities. There’s an emphasis on building local capacity too.

The second phase (2029-2032) is the stabilisation period. It will evaluate the transition, and strengthen institutional capacity and financial management. This phase will also build on peaceful co-existence between refugees and host communities.

The final phase (2033-2036) – the resilience period – aims to fortify financial structures, diversify revenue and build the resilience of communities. This is to reduce dependence on external support.

Why does Kenya need such a plan?

Kenya has become a major destination for both forced and economic migrants in the region. This is due, in part, to the country’s relative political and economic stability. A higher Human Development Index, vibrant secondary economy and a largely welcoming host society have created a good environment for refugees.

Kenya was home to 954,851 refugees and asylum seekers in 2025. This makes it the fifth biggest host in Africa and 13th largest in the world.

Kakuma and Dadaab refugee camps in the northern region are home to over 800,000 refugees and asylum seekers between them. They are two of the biggest shelters for forced migrants in the world.

Most of the refugees in these camps – mostly from Sudan and Somalia – have lived there for up to 30 years.

In addition, surveys by organisations such as the Mixed Migration Centre and IOM Kenya estimate that between 100,000 and 200,000 refugees – mostly not registered – live in cities like Nairobi and Mombasa.

Kenya has gone through significant challenges, however, between the Refugee Act of 2021 and the launch of the Shirika Plan in 2025. A severe economic crisis ignited fierce protests and put mounting pressure on public services. In addition, humanitarian aid cuts, both globally and in Kenya, have been swift and severe.

Rather than relying on repeated emergency appeals, the Shirika Plan aims to attract development financing, while reducing tensions between refugees and host communities through shared access to services and economic opportunities.

This reflects a broader shift towards linking emergency assistance with longer-term economic and social inclusion.

The plan also offers a chance to address protracted displacement by making camps obsolete, while enhancing local development in remote areas.

What happens next?

The next challenge is implementation. The first years of the Shirika Plan are vital to show it can actually work.

In the first phase, planned initiatives centre on expanding livelihood opportunities, strengthening local services and improving coordination between humanitarian and development actors. Financing will be critical for success.

Kenya has secured substantial international support for refugee-hosting and economic integration. This includes a Sh155 billion (US$2 billion) loan from the World Bank in 2024 that requires Kenya to integrate 400,000 refugees into the economy by 2027.

For Kenya, the plan is a complete change of policy direction, away from a focus on security concerns and threats to close refugee camps. Closure threats happened most recently in 2021 but were quashed by the high court in 2024.

The emphasis is now on inclusion, local development and burden-sharing.

Success will depend not only on funding, but on the government’s ability to deliver tangible benefits for both refugees and host communities.

What are the risks?

First, the Shirika Plan relies on a system of differentiated assistance. This means support is tailored to refugees’ levels of need rather than provided equally to everyone. However, misconceptions of preferential treatment risk fuelling tensions between different refugee groups.

Second, moving vulnerable refugees out of camps could create new challenges. Many have spent years with limited access to education, jobs and public services. Competing in open labour markets could be particularly challenging for refugees who have long lived under UNHCR-operated enclosures.

Third, although more than 75 public engagement forums have been held across Kenya, some refugee and host-community representatives report feeling excluded from the design of the plan and broader decision-making processes. Concerns have also been raised about public awareness, accountability and oversight mechanisms. This is a worry as public support is vital to the plan.

Fourth, funding shortfalls are a risk to the plan. Supporting programmes aimed at building capacity during the transition period require consistent financial investments.

Where does this leave the plan?

The alternative – continuing to confine nearly a million people to underfunded camps – carries far greater risks than the challenges outlined above.

As the wheels of the Shirika Plan start turning, there is a need to invest in the municipalities hosting refugees.

A gradual reduction in UNHCR’s direct role should also create greater space for refugee-led organisations, whose local knowledge and community ties are useful to identify needs and support integration efforts.

Residents of Buhoma Town Council, Kanungu District, have expressed concern over the state of Kanyantorogo-Buhoma-Bwindi tourism road. They said the 44-kilometre road, which leads to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, is full of potholes, rendering it impassable, especially when it rains, thus frustrating the tourism sector and other economic activities.

On June 5, some residents staged protests claiming that the deteriorating road network is causing frequent accidents.

They cited the example of Harrison Shuldman, an American tourist, who died after the vehicle he was travelling in from Bwindi National Park lost control at Kakureiju in January 2025.

The residents also cited a recent incident where a truck transporting iron ore overturned at the same section and killed a driver, Philip Mukunya.

‘Every time we get a chance to meet our leaders both at local and national levels, we inform them about the sorry state of this road, but they have completely kept a deaf ear to this problem,” Mr Agaba Twinomujuni 36, a boda boda rider in Buhoma Town Council, said.

Ms Jacqueline Musimanta 34, a vendor dealing in matooke, said the road is in appalling condition, which affects the transportation of agricultural produce to markets.

‘Because of the appalling state of this road, food trucks are forced to load half their capacity so that they can manoeuvre through the rough road, and this results in a lot of money being lost because at times we are forced to load two trucks to transport food stuff that were supposed to be transported by one truck,” Ms Mbabazi said.

Buhoma Town Council Mayor Moses Bashaija said tourists visiting Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, which receives approximately 80 international visitors daily, have also decried the sorry state of the road.

‘Many tourists question why such an important tourism route remains in a dire condition despite the significant revenue generated through gorilla tracking permits,’ Mr Bashaija said.

He added:’Beyond tourism, the sorry state of this road disrupts trade, especially during the rainy season when heavy vehicles transporting goods from Kihihi Town Council struggle to access Buhoma and surrounding areas.”

The Kanungu District chairperson, Mr Francis Byamukama Kapesha, said he had informed the Works ministry about the sorry state of the road and expressed hope that the matter would be speedily resolved.

When contacted for a comment, the Kinkizi West area Member of Parliament, Mr James Ruugi Kaberuka, said he had repeatedly presented requests in Parliament for the rehabilitation of the Kanyantorogo-Buhoma-Bwindi tourism road, but in vain.

”This is a tourism road which needs to be regularly maintained, but I wonder why it is not, and for your information, I have tabled this road on the floor of Parliament over 10 times, and the government is aware of its state,’ Mr Kaberuka said.

He, however, promised that would keep on pushing the government to see that this road is worked on.

” I will visit the minister of Works and Transport and inform him about the sorry state of this road,” Mr Kaberuka said.

The district woman Member of Parliament, Ms Patience Kinshaba Nkunda, made similar promises to push the government to repair the road.