Category: Daily Monitor

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) is investigating alleged fraud at Southern Range Nyanza Workers’ Association, a 2,000-member sacco run by Southern Range Nyanza Limited (Nytil) in Njeru Municipality, Buikwe District.

The probe comes after Nytil dismissed Mr Wycliffe Wamembo and Mr Julius Webisa, who were at the centre of probing the alleged irregularities.

Management cited ‘gross insubordination’ and ‘fundamental breach of obligations’ under the Employment Act. According to management, the pair resisted their transfer from the quality control department to the garments department effective last October, leading to their dismissal in December, which has sparked accusations of victimisation and unlawful termination.

The dismissed workers claim they were targeted for pushing accountability reforms within the sacco, and petitioned the SHACU on November 13, 2025.

‘. . . We believe that there are people behind the illegal running of the association activities. A lot of the association money is being misused and diverted for other personal use contrary to its intended purpose,’ their petition reads in part.

‘. . . Your intervention shall save the majority of the workers whose voices are silent due to their fear of losing their jobs,’ the petition adds.

The SHACU spokesperson, Ms Mariam Natasha, said investigations are underway.

‘What I can confirm is that the petition was received and investigations commenced. I will give you an update in due course,’ she said without divulging further details.

Mr Wamembo earlier alleged that the association has gone for more than 10 years without elections, annual general meetings (AGMs) or accountability, and that members have also been denied access to passbooks and that the sacco runs businesses generating more than Shs500 million annually without transparent profit sharing.

He further claimed that the association was registered as a limited company with directors appointed by management without members’ knowledge, while Mr Webisa sought accountability for workers’ savings over the past 10 years and justice for what he believed was illegal dismissal without payment of benefits.

Mr Jacob Muduaulira, one of their lawyers from Wasswa P Silas and Co Advocates, said their investigations reveal that the sums involved ‘could run into billions of shillings’. Lawyers from Guma and Co Advocates, also representing the pair, on Tuesday wrote to the Buikwe District Labour Office, saying their clients’ dismissal was in breach of the Employment Act, among other provisions.

‘. On behalf of our clients, we hereby request your statutory office to carry out an inquiry into our clients’ grievances and issue appropriate orders to wit; payment of salary arrears, compensatory orders, severance allowance, gratuity, and NSSF remittances for the period leading up to December 22, 2025, to ensure that our clients are made whole.’ The same lawyers have also written to the Registrar General of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB), requesting an investigation into alleged breaches committed by the association.

Nytil speaks out

The Nytil group head of human resources, Mr Anthony Katta, in minutes of a disciplinary committee meeting, said the transfers of Mr Wamembo and Mr Webisa were conducted in line with the company’s internal framework, while Ms Harriet Mawano Kyolaba, a member, advised against conflating sacco governance issues with internal staff transfers.

Ms Joan Nakaweesi, the Nytil human resource officer, in recordings of a meeting with a reporter who visited the company on July 28, 2025, said people were voted to head the association but this was halted because someone mishandled the finances.

‘The company decided that voting people into office wasn’t tenable. Some years back when she had just joined, the person who was in charge was a Kenyan, the association had two trucks, I think. One got lost, while the second one is available, but in the name of the person who left.’

Ms Nakaweesi further explained that the reason the association is not holding elections is because a number of things are being streamlined.

I just dug my way out of an online avalanche; just in time to pen this piece and then hibernate; far away from all manner of civilisation. I am embracing my inner hermit. Or maybe not. Why the dramatic opening, you may ask.

Unless you are living under a rock-today’s speak for having no social media account, you have certainly been called to a multi-day public lynching of yours truly. It has been like one massive party of ‘punch-a-Tony’.

See, I occasionally give some passing commentary on things public affairs. Sometimes, I pen a piece in these pages; a privilege I quite feel fortunate for because our dad raised us on Daily Monitor political commentary by the likes of Austin Ejiet (RIP), Charles Onyango Obbo, Allan Tacca etc. But most of my work is on X. To me, a lot of my takes seem rather like obvious portrayals of daily life; banal even.

But occasionally, said opinions draw significant backlash that I usually put down to polarisation of society that will take the most basic of statements, twist it and package it for outrage. Controversy sells. I get it. Nothing serious. But the end of last week, leading into this one, has been particularly ferocious. Casus belli? Must be that election work we did.. Hmmm! I sure stepped in it!

Each day, I have woken up to chants rising like dark incense smoke from poop infested altars. I have read missives from literal strangers who seem to know me better than my own dad, siblings, Namilyango College friends and even more than I know myself. My largely imagined sex life has become canon fodder for online jokes and chatter.

For the most part, I cannot quite recognise the person these people are talking about but sometimes, I have found myself smiling and wishing my life was that exciting. If I did, these pages would certainly read like grande debauchery on tap, as I regale you with tales of my conquests, parties and nights of binge drinking. But alas, I am not a fiction writer.

Panicked friends I have not spoken to in more than a decade have inundated me with calls reminding me to keep my head up, keep doing me but embrace a silence of graveyard weight. That last piece of advice reminding me why we have not spoken in ages. These people do not know me. I have not found a battle I did not like. I quite like to stare down highly unsophisticated globules of testosterone hidden behind a keyboard and face their flatulence with eloquence. But this week, I have been drinking from a geyser.

The overwhelming supply of online invective has got me looking over my back in the real world. It is particularly rough when individuals you have broken bread with, come holding pitchforks and axes in the form of twisted information aimed to just injure for injury’s sake. The likes and laughs from strangers are the currency they seek. I guess.

That feeling of betrayal that you get is not just pain; it is a sudden, cold square of metal in the chest. But I find comfort in knowing that I am simply answering a call of duty.

To channel Noam Chomsky, it is the responsibility of intellectuals to seek the truth and expose lies ‘hidden behind the veil of distortion and misrepresentation’. But what the American father of modern linguistics did not say is that this triggers online trolls in a way that no kryptonite can extinguish. The punches come in all shapes and forms; some are well constructed uppercuts that give you that ‘ouch, that was cold’ feeling, while others read like neurological events typed out at the tail-end of a particularly long, drunken night.

Muhammad Ali meets Chris Baryomunsi; all in one fell swoop. But hey, if one does not stake their reputation on the truths they posses, they are merely voyeurs watching someone else’s war. So, the show goes on.

My Bugisu ancestors would not have it any other way. Do not call me. Send hugs. And copious whiskey or beer, depending on which troll you listen to. Also, Mark Ssegirinya better not have me in his ‘The Timeline’ this week. We shall fight!

You are leaving the supermarket and realise your car is not parked where you left it. How are you reacting?

Confusion first. I would double check that I am in the right place, start tracking it, call my insurance, report to the nearest police station, then proceed to cry. Because what do you mean my car has been stolen?

On a scale of one to 10, how much do you miss the perks of your Login era?

Let us say five. It is 50/50. I now attend events to enjoy, not to work, so it is more nostalgia than missing it.

How long have you known your boda guy?

Gweeee! I have many; home, work, business. I have known them a long time. Those are my Gs!

Never wear make-up again or never go to brunch?

Make-up can go. Gudubayi!

If your entire wardrobe caught fire and you could only save five items, what would they be?

That should never happen, but if it did; my black office pants I can pair with anything, a dress, a two-piece outfit, my gym wear, and my lingerie and waist trainer.

Have you ever pretended to like something boujee that you secretly found tacky, just to maintain the aesthetics?

Actually no. It would be written all over my face. I like what I like, aesthetics or not.

It is Cabinet list season and the President appoints you Minister in-charge of Soft Life. Who is on your team?

My team would be shuffled every other week. What I know for sure is that we would serve well. Hahaha.

What does soft life look like to you? Paint us a picture.

Doing what I want, when and how I want. Being in charge of my time is such a luxury.

Any ‘peasant habits’ you are willing to confess?

God forbid peasantry, Amen! But yes, I enjoy roadside rolex and watching a VJ Junior translated movie. I also like doing some home chores myself even when I can get help. Is that peasant? You tell me.

What is the most diva thing you have demanded on a trip or holiday?

I love good service. If I paid for something, I expect it. If you serve me cold food, I will politely ask you to warm it. I do not eat cold food. Is that diva behaviour?

Girls’ night out. You walk into the bathroom and meet Vera Wang. What do you do?

I would say ‘hi’, compliment her work in revolutionising bridal fashion, then invite her to my wedding so she can see Ugandan bridal designers on me.

What is the cringiest thing people do on social media?

Everything about social media is cringe. You share your life with strangers hoping they relate. That alone is cringe enough.

If only people knew.

I give what I receive. I mirror energy. Everyone should know that.

If you had to pick one slightly useless superpower for a week. What do you choose?

A superpower and useless in the same sentence? I would choose the ability to heal. I hate pain. No one should live in pain.

Funniest assumption people make about you?

People are always surprised that I am friendly and warm, even with people I have just met. A social girlie.

Craziest girls’ trip story you are tired of keeping in the circle?

Iyiiii hahaha look at you snooping. But I have many of those. Flying from Marbella to Ibiza [Spain] was chaos. Two girls’ luggage did not make it, I booked my flight for the correct date but wrong year, someone forgot their passport on a yacht, another twisted their ankle. It was crazy, yet so fun!

One fashion rule you break unapologetically?

I dress for comfort, not trends. If it is not comfortable, I am not wearing it.

Which Ugandan artiste would shock us if we snooped on your Spotify?

None. I am a big consumer of Ugandan music.

Which Ugandan celebrity do you secretly wish you were friends with?

None. I know most of them personally. I keep it professional or acquaintance-level. The ones I love, I support openly.

When you go home for the holidays, what do the villagers call you? Any nicknames?

My name Tinah is short for Christine. In the village they call me Chris, but with a strong Rukiga accent it becomes ‘Kulisi.’

Uganda has always loved its scientists and engineers, and the admissions data prove it. Public universities publish government sponsorship lists where medicine, engineering, computer science, and statistics sit firmly at the top of cut-off tables year after year, demonstrating how national merit admissions have long tilted toward technical disciplines.

Bridging schemes such as the Higher Education Access Certificate were also designed to widen access into tertiary study with a specific emphasis on science and innovation fields. Significant scholarship resources have followed this pathway.

A recent programme worth more than Shs95 billion was launched specifically to help rural girls enter STEM programmes in universities and vocational institutions, showing the scale of investment dedicated to these fields. None of this is wrong. Science will always be essential. But it is no longer enough.

Uganda is one of the youngest nations on earth. More than 70 percent of its people are under 30, and 22.7 percent fall into the youth category. If Uganda is truly committed to solving youth unemployment, it must shift attention to the industries that are already proving capable of hiring rapidly, growing without heavy capital needs, and rewarding initiative without delay.

These industries are in the creative economy, and the evidence is undeniable. According to Uganda Bureau of Statistics, arts, entertainment, and recreation rose from just above two percent of gross domestic product in the 2021 to 2022 financial year to more than four percent in 2022 to 2023.

National accounts confirm that services led the country’s 5.2 percent economic expansion in that period, with creative sectors among the activities that rebounded strongly. Another national analysis places the creative economy at 3 percent of GDP in 2023, valued at about Shs4.2 trillion, placing it on par with mining and exceeding several agricultural value chains. These are not small numbers. They are signals of an industry that is doing exactly what Uganda needs most: absorbing young people quickly and sustainably.

For more than 12 years, the Uganda Film Festival has served as the country’s leading platform for recognising creative excellence, annually presenting about 25 awards across film, television, and technical categories. Institutions like MultiChoice Uganda have helped strengthen this ecosystem by supporting training and professional development that raise industry standards.

Alumni emerging from these creative training pathways continue to excel, winning at the Uganda Film Festival and at the IKON Awards. Their success now extends across the continent, with nominations and wins at major platforms including the Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards, Women in Film Awards, among others.

At the same time, Uganda’s digital creators are rewriting the country’s employment map. TikTok has become a true marketplace, not a pastime. Young people in Masaka, Mbale, Gulu, and Kampala are building businesses from their phones.

Dancers, comedians, stylists, beauty artists, musicians, commentators, and storytellers are earning income from brand deals, digital gifts, sales, and event bookings, even if much of this new digital economy remains uncaptured in official statistics. The mobile phone is now a studio, a shop, and a global export channel.

If Uganda wants to reduce youth unemployment, it must support the platforms and institutions that are nurturing this creative rise. Initiatives like the Uganda Film Festival must continue receiving national support because they spotlight the professionals driving one of the most vibrant sectors of the economy.

The same must be said for creative training pipelines which train hundreds of filmmakers across the region and whose alumni are contributing significantly to national productions and regional media. This is no longer just an artistic choice. It is an economic opportunity with real, measurable outcomes.

Uganda cannot continue expecting the sciences and a handful of traditional industries to shoulder the burden of national employment. They cannot do it alone. The creative economy is growing fast enough, accessible enough, and dynamic enough to meet the needs of a nation that grows at more than 3.5 percent annually. It is time for policy, investment, and national attention to shift.

Uganda’s youth are already doing the work. They are creating jobs for themselves and others. They are exporting culture. They are winning awards. They are running micro enterprises from their pockets.

The country must now meet them with belief, with funding, with protection, and with visibility. The future will belong to the nations that understand the power of creativity. Uganda has the talent. It has the youth. It has proof. All that remains is the choice to act.

President Museveni’s son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who acts as Uganda’s military chief, last night stirred more debate on social media after he posted a photo showing the “capture” of the wife of his father’s political opponent, Robert Kyagulanyi, in a recent military raid.

‘This is when our soldiers captured and then released Kabobi’s wife, Barbie. She was very helpful in helping us find her husband,’ reads Gen Muhoozi’s caption on the photo in one of the series of posts on X hours after the Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, told NTV Uganda on Thursday evening that no one had stopped Mr Kyagulanyi, who’s currently on the run from staying in his home.

“Everyone is wondering why he chose to leave. He is not wanted by the government,” said Ms Nabbanja during an interview on NTV’s political talk show, On The Spot, echoing similar statements made earlier by Minister of Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance, Chris Baryomunsi and other government communication officers.

To Gen Muhoozi, however, Mr Kyagulanyi, who came second in the January 15, 2026, General Election after his father secured a resounding victory, is wanted dead or alive.

‘We are most certainly hunting Kabobi. He is wanted Dead or Alive! It doesn’t matter how long it takes us, we will get him.Kabobi is next. As he is taking selfies and videos, his wife was captured. The definition of an IDIOT!….As far as I’m concerned, we captured the man, Barbie, a week ago. The fugitive on the run is the wife…Kabobi,” Gen Muhoozi added.

According to him, “any foreign powers who attempt to smuggle Kabobi outside the country are going to create a serious rupture in relations.”

In another series of posts in the wee hours of Friday morning, Gen Muhoozi who acts as his father’s senior advisor on Special Operations accused the current administration at the US Embassy in Uganda of aiding Mr Kyagulanyi’s escape from his home in Magere, Wakiso District, during a January 16, 2026, night military raid.

“Fellow Ugandans, because of the present situation where an opposition leader kidnapped himself and is missing, and according to our best intelligence, did all this in coordination with the current administration at the US Embassy in our country. We, as UPDF, suspend ALL cooperation with the current administration at the US Embassy in Kampala. This includes our work in Somalia…The very precious security co-operation between Uganda and the United States has been undermined for a decade now (since 2015) by unimaginative bureaucrats at the Embassy. This is in spite of the excellent political relations between the two countries,” Gen Muhoozi said in X posts he has since deleted and apologised.

During the interview with NTV’s On The Spot host Patrick Kamara, the Prime Minister highlighted the professionalism of the army under the leadership of Gen Muhoozi as one of the achievements of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) regime that has been in power for four decades.

‘As NRM professionals, one of the gains we are safeguarding is that, with the UPDF, people no longer live in fear of our security personnel,’ Ms Nabbanja said.

On January 24, 2026, Mr Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, said troops broke into his residence overnight, assaulted staff and choked his wife, Barbara Kyagulanyi, forcing her to seek medical treatment.

Mr Kyagulanyi has been in hiding since January 16 following the East African nation’s disputed presidential election in which President Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, was declared winner with 71.65 per cent of the vote cast.

Bobi Wine, a pop-star-turned-politician, has accused Ugandan security forces of harassment since the January 15 presidential election in which he finished second. He has rejected the result, alleging fraud.

It is unclear why the military is searching for him.

Rights groups and the opposition have long accused Mr Museveni’s government of using the military to suppress dissent, accusations the government denies.

Do businesses know how many customers they serve per minute? What is the profit created per minute of operations? When the C-suite is lost, the quickest way to find itself is to return to this insane obsession about the numbers.

I still remember him, that one technical director. I was working under his wing. To win his trust, you had to know your numbers off the fingertips, to the exact dot. Not estimates, not assumptions, but the actual number.

Initially, all this seemed as rigorous work, keeping all these numbers in the head, unsure about which one he would pick on. Now that I am older, when I look back, I realise that something that has gone missing out of boardrooms is this penchant for numbers. Because the numbers do not lie, they are the most neutral object in the business world.

Above all, that devil is always hidden in the numbers. Whereas one board will report growth based on EBITDA, another will report growth based on Operating Margin. When it comes to unit costs, once again, more facts are revealed. Nothing screams louder than the unit cost of anything. If a company calculated profitability per employee, again, that is a number that will reveal a hidden story.

But, how do you know what number matters? What number to track? What number should be on the fingertips? It is one thing to have the numbers, it is another thing to have numbers that drive business growth.

For some numbers tell you a story of the past, while others tell you what kind of future you can expect.

A common futility is tracking a number for the sake of tracking it, surely, some numbers are not worth holding in the head, for they tell you nothing about the business. They are good to know, but they are not must-nos.

But the point is clear, there is a much-needed renaissance in most C-suites, having discussions than run more around the number and less around the executive gutfeel. Do businesses know how many customers they serve per minute? What is the profit created per minute of operations? When the C-suite is lost, the quickest way to find itself is to return to this insane obsession about the number.

Numbers are not something to be left to the CFO and the CEO, numbers are for everyone that enters that C-suite. The numbers surely do not lie.

Cash is king, but are your suppliers alive?

One of the metrics that businesses love to track is the Accounts Receivables and Accounts Payables. Ideally, the goal of any business is to ensure that your customers pay you faster than you are required to pay your suppliers.

With the learnings of the pandemics, businesses learned that nothing is as precious as cash. Cash at hand, cash in bank, anything cash and its equivalents.

Thus, businesses decided to elongate their payment terms. Those that paid suppliers after 30 days upon receipt of an invoice moved to 60 or even 90 days. What better way to make more money using your suppliers’ money.

But Newtonian thinking applies everywhere, for every business action, suppliers developed a reaction. They learned to factor in these payment terms in their pricing, they factored in other aspects such as invoice discounting.

All these interest rates got factored in, not forgetting the ‘black tax’ in most organisations. In the end, it came back to bite organisations, suppliers either compromised on quality or inflated the quotations.

Yet, there was also a group of suppliers that got stifled out of the game, they could not compete since winning bids is also about who gets to underprice best. Most suppliers got choked, as they ran out of operational funds. The few suppliers that managed to make it through this fight hit stagnation. Often, one hears about suppliers that have not grown despite all the years they have spent dealing with the ‘big’ organisations.

Did the Accounts Payable, and cash conversation come at a disservice to these suppliers? This is where the sustainability conversation comes in. Are businesses truly sustainable if their suppliers that been grounded by long payment terms? What is the long-term effect of such payment terms?

Parting shots

Thus, as the business chases the big number, it is also prudent that the ‘number’ does not harm some stakeholders in the process (customers, suppliers, employees). It is to raise the alarm on a prudent pursuit of the number. To go back to the adage, it is not just what the business does or achieves, it is also the means it employs to achieve those results.

But to also state the fact, these two facts are not contradictory, they are mutually reinforcing. The business can have a great love for its numbers, and equally a great love for its stakeholders (in this case, the suppliers).

How does the C-suite evolve into a place where each party keeps the other honest to the facts? Honest to the numbers? And honest to the impact of those numbers. How do we chase the number while ensuring that no harm is done in the process? Executive Prudence reigns..

The Archbishop of the Church of Uganda, Dr. Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, has called on Christians to reconcile and unite, despite divisions caused by the ongoing elections.

Speaking at the opening of the four-day Annual Brethren’s Conference in Kabale, he emphasised the need for harmony as children of God.

“Brothers and sisters, though division has plagued us for years, the call today is clear: we must reconcile and set aside our enmities. Jesus is the ultimate fountain of peace,” he said, citing the angelic message at His birth, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace among His people.”

The conference, being held under the theme “Jesus Is Our Peace,” derived from Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 2, Verse 14, is a timely reminder of the importance of peace and unity.

Archbishop Kaziimba stressed that true peace with one another begins with peace with God, saying, “In these times, our primary calling is to cultivate a deep relationship with God… This is a season for reconciliation, repentance, renewal, and revival. When we are right with God, we find the strength to remain at peace with each other regardless of political party or personal difference.”

He urged dialogue, humility, and prayer for reconciliation, adding, “Politics must not divide us. An election is only a passing moment, it should not leave a permanent scar. I invite you to a season of reconciliation. It is time to let go of the past. As children of God, there is no room for division among us. Many of the leaders we supported have moved on, yet we remain here together. Even if our clergy were divided, we must refuse to live in the past. Now is the time for forgiveness. Everyone has the right to their own choice, but no one has the right to hate. Let us not be divided by tribe, for our diversity was authored by God Himself.”

The Archbishop, who is also on a four-day pastoral and farewell visit to the diocese ahead of his retirement next year, called on winners to celebrate with maturity and humility, honoring God without provoking others, while offering hope to the defeated.

“If you or your candidate were successful, celebrate with maturity and grace. Do not use your joy as a weapon to provoke those who are grieving a loss; remember that all authority and victory ultimately come from God. For those who did not win, remember that there is still hope. As we rejoice, let our focus be on gratitude to God rather than triumph over our neighbor,” he said.

He emphasized the importance of forgiveness and letting go of past differences, saying, “Let us forgive one another and move forward in love, compassion, and understanding, just as God forgives us through Jesus Christ.”

The Archbishop’s message is a call to action for Christians to prioritize peace, unity, and reconciliation, especially in the face of division and discord.

Twelve incumbent district Woman Members of Parliament (MPs) in the Ankole Sub-region will not return to Parliament. The Ankole Sub-region comprises 13 districts: Mbarara City, Rwampara, Ntungamo, Isingiro, Ibanda, Mbarara, Kazo, Kiruhura, Bushenyi, Rubirizi, Mitooma, Sheema, and Buhweju. Only one incumbent, the Bushenyi District Woman MP, Annet Katusiime Mugisha, is returning to Parliament. Ms Katusiime, who garnered 59,472 votes, defeated three challengers.

She had earlier survived a tough contest in the NRM primaries held in September 2025, which emboldened her competitors in the general election.

‘This election was hot, but we thank God that we won. In this next term, we are going to fight poverty. I will be hatching 1,000 chicks per month for the next five years, and for the youth, we shall provide layers. I also have a coffee project where we shall distribute seedlings to farmers,’ she said. The incumbent Mbarara City Woman MP, Ms Ritah Atukwatsa Bwahika, who lost in the NRM primaries, contested as an Independent candidate, but was defeated by NRM’s Charity Kibaaju.

Ms Bwahika said she would continue serving residents in other capacities.

Kiruhura and Rubirizi districts had unopposed candidates after nominations, as incumbents who lost in the NRM primaries opted not to contest in the general election.

In Kiruhura District, Ms Jovanice Rwenduru lost the NRM flag to Ms Ruth Rujoki and later chose to respect party principles by allowing Ms Rujoki to go unopposed. In Rubirizi District, Ms Grace Kasande Bataringaya, who came third in the NRM primaries, decided not to challenge the party flag bearer, Ms Jeniva Arinaitwe Nalongo, in the general election.

Ms Arinaitwe was subsequently declared unopposed by the Rubirizi District Returning Officer, Mr Nicolas Twinomujuni, following nominations on October 24, 2025.

‘I want to focus on connecting the district with other districts through improved road networks to boost tourism. Rubirizi is a tourism district, but it has not been fully exploited. I thank the people of Rubirizi for allowing me to serve them,’ Ms Arinaitwe said.

Ms Arinaitwe, who was contesting for the first time, received overwhelming support during the NRM primaries, discouraging other potential candidates and enabling her to go through unopposed.

‘Team Nalongo prepared very well to ensure victory, even though this was my first time in elective politics. People want services, and I have been serving them in different capacities outside politics,’ she added.

The Mbarara District Woman MP, Ms Margret Ayebare Rwebyambu also contested in the general election after losing the NRM primaries to Ms Loydah Kyarikunda Twinomujuni but was defeated again.

Ms Ayebare garnered 16,075 votes compared to Ms Kyarikunda’s 31,456. Similarly, the incumbent Mitooma District Woman MP, Ms Juliet Agasha Bishasha, decided not to concede defeat after losing in the NRM primaries.

In the general election, she polled 23,413 votes against NRM’s Ms Rabecca Kyarampe, who secured 43,687 votes to enter Parliament for the first time.

Ms Rosemary Nyakikongoro of Sheema District did not contest in the general election after losing in the NRM primaries. The Isingiro District Woman MP, Ms Clare Mugumya, opted to run for the Bukanga North parliamentary seat as an Independent candidate but lost to the incumbent, Mr Nathan Byanyima. Ms Mugumya polled 740 votes against Mr Byanyima’s 11,228.

Other incumbent Woman MPs who will not return to the 12th Parliament include Ms Jennifer Muheesi (Kazo), Ms Oliver Katwesigye Koyekyenga (Buhweju), Ms Jane Bainomugisha (Ibanda), Ms Molly Asiimwe (Rwampara), and Ms Bata Kamateneti (Ntungamo).

The Katikkiro of Buganda Kingdom, Charles Peter Mayiga, has cautioned graduates of technical and vocational institutions against rushing into self-employment without first acquiring adequate industry experience. He warned that practical skills alone are not enough to guarantee business success.

Speaking at the 20th graduation ceremony of the Buganda Royal Institute of Business and Technical Education, Mayiga said, “Graduates should not rush into self-employment simply because of the practical skills they have acquired. Each one of you needs to begin your journey under the stewardship of experienced hands.”

He explained that working under established professionals helps young people understand market realities, customer preferences, and cost-effective production methods – lessons that cannot be fully learned in training workshops alone.

“Experience remains the best teacher, even for those with hands-on skills,” he said.

Mayiga dismissed claims that having a business automatically makes one wealthy, noting that scale, management, and market access matter more than simply owning an enterprise. He urged graduates to focus on competence, integrity, and discipline.

“I urged you to make yourselves useful. Be good ambassadors of our King, whose vision led to the establishment of this institution. Wherever you go, let your work speak for you,” he said.

He commended the institute’s governing council, management, and staff for steering the institution through changing economic conditions while maintaining its mission of producing competent artisans and entrepreneurs. He also acknowledged the support of government, particularly the Ministry of Education, and other partners.

The Principal of the Buganda Royal Institute, Joseph Balikuddembe Ssenkusu, said the institute has continued to equip workshops and laboratories with modern technologies and prioritizes staff development. He added that 1,261 graduands were presented, with women accounting for 58.4%.

“The institute will continue reviewing policies and curricula to ensure relevance, conduct tracer studies to assess graduate employability, and strengthen partnerships with industry,” Ssenkusu said.

He noted that all academic programmes are fully accredited and that the majority of learners sit national examinations administered by UVTAB, guaranteeing national recognition of their qualifications.

Ssenkusu also highlighted the institute’s commitment to community service, including plans to support redevelopment of selected tourism sites managed by the Buganda Heritage and Tourism Board and complete sanitation facilities at the Naggalabi Coronation Site, drawing on the technical expertise of its students and staff.

First Lady Janet Museveni has expressed happiness with the increase in the number of pupils completing Primary Education, saying it’s a sign that more children are starting and finishing.

Speaking at State House Naksero during the release of Primary Leaving Examination results for 2025, she said, “This is an indication that more children who started Primary One in the 2025 Primary Seven cohort remain in school to the end of the cycle.”

However, she expressed disappointment with the existing disparities in the number of boys and girls finishing primary education, noting that the proportion of boys completing the cycle has been decreasing.

“I become concerned about the fact that the proportion of the boys completing this cycle has been decreasing. Is this purely a demographic matter, or are more boys than girls indeed dropping out of school?” she asked.

Museveni praised the government’s policy on inclusive and equitable education, citing the performance of children with special needs.

“When the right environment is provided, these children perform as well as those without disabilities. Therefore, this shows that the government’s policy on inclusive and equitable education is bearing good fruit,” she said.

She also commended the Uganda Prisons Service for providing inmates with education opportunities, saying it’s an impactful way of rehabilitation.

“I firmly believe, as I am sure others do, that giving this opportunity is an impactful way of rehabilitating the inmates. The education they acquire should enable them to integrate back into society easily and more profitably, and reform into better citizens,” she said.

The results show that more learners passed in Division One compared to 2024. UNEB Executive Director Dan N. Odongo said more girls (52.4%) completed primary education than boys (47.6%). “This has been the trend in recent years. The percentage was 52.5% for the girls in 2024, whereas for the boys it was 47.5%,” he said.

Museveni said the government has invested in Seed Secondary Schools and TVET institutions to absorb more learners transitioning from primary education.

“As the government, our investments in establishing additional seed schools in recent years have created room to absorb more learners who are transitioning from Primary Education to O-Level,” she said.

She highlighted the establishment of the Technical Vocational Education system, regulated by the TVET Council, as another pathway for learners completing Primary Seven.

“The government has 42 Community Polytechnics – in addition to about 100 privately owned Community Polytechnics, that can also absorb learners from Primary Seven,” she said.

Museveni emphasised the importance of competency-based learning, saying it’s the direction the country is heading.

“The examination emphasised the competency-based learning approach that the country has adopted, and the questions tested knowledge, understanding and application of the knowledge to solve problems in the community,” she said.

The Ministry of Education is implementing interventions to ensure quality capacity building of teachers, in line with the National Teacher Policy 2019.

The Selection Exercise for Senior One will take place on February 12-13, 2026, and the First Term for Senior One starts on March 2, 2026.