Category: Daily Monitor

President Museveni is today expected to honour 33 individuals as the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) marks 40 years in power, celebrating achievements since it took control of government in 1986 after a five-year guerrilla war in the Luweero Triangle. The recipients, drawn from politics, business, public service and other sectors, will receive various national and party awards, including the Crested Crane-Grand Commander, National Independence Diamond Jubilee Medal, Nalubale Medal, Masaba Star, Luweero Triangle Medal, Personal Sacrifice Award and the Meritorious Service Award. Among those to be decorated at the fete to be held at Kololo Independence Grounds is businessman Harshad Maganbhai Barot, who will receive the Crested Crane-Grand Officer award, one of the country’s highest civilian honours.

The Distinguished Order of the Crested Crane (Grand Officer) is a prestigious Ugandan national honour conferred by the President for exceptional service in the public or private sectors. Mr Barot, 67, the lone recipient in this category, is the founder of the Tirupati Group. He arrived in Uganda in 1993 with starting capital of about $150 (then approximately Shs179,250) and began his entrepreneurial journey as a door-to-door hawker selling household items. Over the years, he has grown into one of Uganda’s prominent property developers, focusing on affordable commercial and residential infrastructure, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In 2006, Mr Barot ventured into providing cost-effective housing and commercial units aimed at supporting SMEs.

His breakthrough came in 2008 with the development of Tirupati Ovino Mall in downtown Kampala, which houses more than 250 shops and helped revitalise the area into a major commercial hub. This was followed by the launch of Tirupati Mazima Mall in 2012, further expanding access to affordable trading space for hundreds of entrepreneurs and boosting local economic activity. Other notable developments under the Tirupati Group include Tirupati Heights in Naguru, Tirupati Kampala Arch Centre, Tirupati Half London, Tirupati Nkumba Village and Tirupati Business Park in Kyebando, which hosts more than 200 SMEs and employs over 1,500 Ugandans.

The Kyebando Business Park, inaugurated by President Museveni in 2015, has since become one of the country’s flagship SME hubs, credited with decongesting Kampala, promoting industrial growth and supporting entrepreneurship. Mr Barot has attributed his business success to the peace, stability and favourable investment climate fostered under the NRM government. Beyond business, he has invested in community development through the LEELA Foundation, which focuses on empowering girls, women and the elderly through skills training, community services and social support initiatives. Through both private enterprise and public-sector partnerships, Mr Barot has participated in government projects aligned with national development goals, with his developments serving as centres of employment, innovation and economic growth.

According to organisers, the NRM @40 awards are intended to recognise individuals whose contributions align with the party’s legacy and its role in Uganda’s political and economic transformation over the past four decades. Speaking ahead of today’s celebrations, the Minister for the Presidency, Ms Milly Babalanda, said the event will be special, featuring a parade by the UPDF, Police, Prisons and the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

‘President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will on this occasion confer different categories of medals to 33 Ugandans. These are distinguished Ugandans who have sacrificed for their motherland in different ways for it to reach where it is today,’ Ms Babalanda said last Friday during a media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre in Kampala. January 26 marks the day when NRA fighters captured Kampala, ending the rule of the Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) junta led by the late Gen Tito Okello Lutwa. This year’s celebrations are themed: ‘Tribute to the patriots who ushered in a fundamental change.’

Women in Nakivale and Oruchinga refugee settlements have been urged to embrace the government-supported Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) Project as traditional donor funding continues to decline.

The call was made during a business training organised by Enterprise Uganda at St Kaggwa Training Centre in Bushenyi District, which brought together women refugees engaged in small and micro enterprises.

Settlement leaders said shrinking humanitarian support, particularly food and cash assistance, has made economic self-reliance increasingly urgent for refugees who have lived in Uganda for many years.

Ms Monica Mugisha, the settlement commandant for Nakivale Refugee Settlement, said donor funding cuts had affected nearly all sectors in the settlement, creating gaps that programmes such as GROW are expected to help fill.

‘We have been experiencing reduced funding across sectors. With GROW coming on board, it is supporting women who are already active in business but lack the capacity to scale,’ Ms Mugisha said.

She noted that although other organisations had previously offered training in Nakivale, their reach was limited.

‘GROW has the capacity to reach a bigger number of women. This will help them not only to grow their businesses but also to manage their households better and seek opportunities beyond the settlement,’ she said.

Ms Mugisha added that Uganda’s refugee policy, which allows freedom of movement, enables women refugees to operate businesses outside settlements, including in nearby towns such as Mbarara.

At Oruchinga Refugee Settlement, the commandant, Mr Charlie Tofias, said the near withdrawal of food and cash assistance by the World Food Programme (WFP) had accelerated the shift toward livelihood-based interventions.

‘Most refugees are now off food and cash assistance. We are looking at self-sustainability, especially because many of them have been here for a long time,’ Mr Tofias said.

He described the refugee situation as increasingly protracted, with limited prospects for resettlement or return.

‘We cannot depend on donors forever. Projects like GROW, supported by the World Bank, allow refugees to grow small businesses into sustainable enterprises,’ he said.

Mr Tofias said empowering women was central to household stability and community cohesion.

‘When a woman is economically empowered, the whole family benefits. Children go back to school, health improves and households become more stable,’ he said, adding that Oruchinga no longer receives new arrivals but still struggles with poverty.

‘A developed refugee population contributes to a calm and stable Uganda. These people are here to stay, and supporting their development is in the national interest,’ he said.

The training focused on business planning, opportunity identification and basic market research, areas that facilitators say are often overlooked by small-scale entrepreneurs.

Mr Andrew Nuwagira, a Monitoring and Evaluation specialist at Enterprise Uganda, said many refugees start businesses without sufficient planning, which limits growth and sustainability.

‘We trained participants on how to identify viable business opportunities, understand their customers, choose business locations and set prices,’ Mr Nuwagira said.

He said the training also encouraged participants to learn from existing businesses and to plan before expanding.

‘Our expectation is that by the end of this programme, participants will be able to grow existing enterprises and, in some cases, start new ones more strategically,’ he said.

Mr Charles Ocici, Director General of Enterprise Uganda, said the GROW Project deliberately targets women because they have historically been confined to informal and micro enterprises, limiting national productivity.

‘For decades, women have been left at the lower end of the private sector. That means we have underutilised half of our population,’ Mr Ocici said.

He said empowering women entrepreneurs has multiplier effects beyond business.

‘A woman improves not only national output but also household productivity and welfare. She influences how resources are used within the family,’ he said.

Mr Ocici said Enterprise Uganda brings more than two decades of experience in private sector development, focusing on business skills, planning and access to finance.

‘We train women to appreciate planning, resource mobilisation and how to graduate from microfinance to commercial and development banks,’ he said.

Participants described the training as transformative.

Ms Medius Kembabazi, a refugee entrepreneur, said she realised that poor financial discipline had held back her business.

‘I learned that I was stealing from my own business by using profits and even capital for personal expenses,’ she said.

She said the training taught her to reinvest profits and value non-financial capital such as time, attitude and knowledge.

‘I have learned that I am my first capital. My mindset matters if my business is to grow,’ she said

At the turn of the 20th Century, physicist Albert Einstein embarked on a quest to develop a ‘theory of everything’-a single, unified framework that could explain all fundamental forces and the interactions between elementary particles, ideally without relying on quantum mechanics. However, as our understanding of nature has evolved, the pursuit of such a grand theory has proven increasingly elusive, if not impossible. In contrast, areal planning science has moved in a different direction. Rather than seeking to unify through reductionism, it has developed frameworks that embrace complexity and inclusivity.

In planning, we arguably do have a kind of ‘theory of everything’-a framework that allows for the meaningful participation of all actors, even within fragmented sectors. This integrative approach makes it possible to coordinate diverse interests and systems within a common planning process, offering a level of unity that the physical sciences continue to seek. It is important to emphasise the final point in the previous statement: the lack of collaboration between Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) often complicates service delivery. Rather than working together toward shared outcomes, MDAs tend to operate in silos, each zealously guarding its mandate.

This disjointed approach leads to duplication of activities, as each entity meticulously plans its own interventions-even when these are clearly part of a broader chain contributing to a common programme output. The result is that resources, which could have been pooled and directed toward a more coherent and impactful intervention, become scattered, misused, or even wasted. Against this backdrop, I wish to demonstrate the value of adopting a land use planning framework as a coordinating mechanism. Such a framework helps to clearly locate actors and align them around common interventions.

By mapping roles, responsibilities, and interdependencies, land use planning can foster collaboration, concentrate expertise where it is most needed, minimise duplication, and reduce the wastage of both time and resources. Most importantly, it helps to relieve the fatigue often experienced by local populations who are otherwise repeatedly engaged by different MDAs operating in parallel and at varying times. Land use planning is a 10-step process that begins with a planning phase in which goals are set, terms of reference defined and agreed upon, and a work plan prepared.

This is followed by analysis of problems within the planning area, identification of opportunities for change, evaluation of land suitability, and appraisal of alternatives based on environmental, economic, and social considerations. The process then proceeds to selection of the best option, preparation of the land use plan, implementation, and finally monitoring, whose outcomes may necessitate revision of the plan. Each step requires the engagement of appropriate actors drawn from mandated sectors, whose expertise and sectoral interests guide the process. The toolkit applied is expansive and varies at each stage, creating opportunities for meaningful multi-sectoral participation.

A key point of convergence for these actors is problem analysis, during which the existing land use situation is examined and constraints identified, including where they occur and who they affect. Overall, the land use planning process provides a unique platform for MDAs to articulate and address sector-specific issues within a shared spatial context, thereby enhancing coordination and reducing costs that would otherwise be incurred through separate consultations.

Before 1986, Uganda’s sporting landscape was stark. The country had several playing grounds, but only one facility that truly deserved to be called a stadium – the War Memorial Stadium at Nakivubo. Everything else fell short of international standards.

Fast forward four decades and the picture could not be more different.

Today, Uganda boasts two major public international-standard stadiums the Mandela National Stadium, Namboole and the newly constructed Hoima Stadium alongside the privately owned St. Mary’s Stadium, Kitende.

Supporting these are smaller but vital facilities such as Fufa Stadium, Kadiba, the Fufa Technical Centre in Njeru (built with Fifa funding) and the refurbished Wankulukuku Stadium. Still in the pipeline are the Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium in Lira City and the Philip Omondi Stadium in Lugogo, under construction by Kampala Capital City Authority.

This is the short version of a stadium infrastructure boom that has unfolded under the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government led by President Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni.

But how did it all begin?

The birth of Namboole

The idea of a modern national sports complex dates back to 1968 during Milton Obote’s first term. Political instability and funding constraints, however, meant the plan survived six regimes without materializing.

That changed after the NRM came to power on January 26, 1986.

In 1987, the government identified and acquired 147 acres on Namboole Hill. A year later, on December 14, 1988, Uganda signed an agreement with China for a $24 million interest-free loan to construct the stadium, a figure that later rose to approximately $36 million due to inflation and delays.

Construction, led by Chinese experts, began in 1993 and was completed in 1997. The Mandela National Stadium was officially opened on January 26, 1999, marking 13 years of NRM rule. A year earlier, South African icon Nelson Mandela visited the site alongside President Museveni, thanking Uganda for honouring his legacy by naming the facility after him.

More than just football

Although Namboole has hosted rugby and athletics, football has been the biggest beneficiary. The stadium has served as the home of the Uganda Cranes and a central venue for the Uganda Premier League.

Yet the NRM government’s infrastructure drive has extended beyond football.

In 2012, Stephen Kiprotich’s historic Olympic marathon gold in London captured the nation and the President’s attention. Museveni pledged to build a high-altitude training centre in Kapchorwa and a decade later, he delivered.

The state-of-the-art Kapchorwa High Altitude Training Centre, completed at a cost of over Shs29b, sits 2,500 metres above sea level on 45 hectares. Commissioned by the President alongside First Lady and Education and Sports Minister Janet Museveni, the facility features an artificial turf track, athletics track, field facilities, hostels and auxiliary amenities.

Afcon 2027 bonanza

In 2022, when CAF opened bidding for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, FUFA President Eng. Moses Magogo made a bold move. Alongside Kenya and Tanzania, Uganda submitted a joint bid, one that required unprecedented political backing.

President Museveni personally engaged his Kenyan and Tanzanian counterparts and unlocked the funding needed to make the bid credible. This triggered Phase II renovations of Namboole, which was upgraded to international standards and went on to host the highest number of matches during the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN).

Phase III is now underway. Once complete, Namboole will expand from 39,000 to 60,000 seats and include a four-star hotel, a multi-purpose indoor arena, a retractable roof, an Olympic-size swimming pool and state-of-the-art VIP lounges.

Beyond Kampala, the Afcon push has delivered two new stadiums. The 20,000-seater Hoima Stadium was commissioned on December 24, 2025 after a record 12-month construction period by Turkish firm Summa at a cost of about $130 million. It features hybrid turf, Var technology and an indoor arena.

In Lira City, construction of the 20,000-seater Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium was launched on January 29, 2025 at an estimated cost of Shs470b, with completion expected by the end of the year. The complex will include an eight-lane running track, an Olympic-size swimming pool, a 2,000-seat indoor arena and parking for over 1,000 vehicles.

Training facilities in Wankulukuku and Kyambogo University have also been upgraded ahead of Afcon 2027.

Money, law and structure

President Museveni long argued that once peace was secured, the government would invest heavily in sports and tourism. That promise has been matched with funding.

In just five years, the sports budget has surged from Shs17b in FY 2020/21 to over Shs508b in FY 2025/26. Government now fully supports national teams, alongside awarding bonuses and incentives to athletes.

To cement these gains, the President signed the National Sports Act, 2023 into law, repealing the outdated 1964 legislation. The Act establishes a strengthened National Council of Sports, protects land designated for sports, creates an independent National Anti-Doping Organisation and introduces a structured athlete rewards scheme.

Uganda’s Minister of Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, has urged National Unity Platform (NUP) leader, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, who is in hiding, to return home, arguing that the state was not looking for him as reports suggest.

Mr Kyagulanyi, who challenged President Museveni in the recently-concluded presidential polls but finished second, escaped from his home in Magere, Wakiso District, on January 16 following a night military raid.

He said security had planned to arrest him following the January 15 polls, whose results he has rejected.

‘There’s no need for him to be in hiding. Nobody wants him. He’s not under pursuit by the police or the army. I’m now speaking as the government of Uganda. He’s free to come from wherever he’s hiding. He should return to his home, be calm and observe law and order. He should stop the drama and theatrics, trying to cause a story where there’s no story. The presidential elections and parliamentary elections are now done. We are now focusing on the remaining few elections to complete the process, and we move on with delivering our manifesto, which we pledged to Ugandans,’ Dr Baryomunsi told NBS TV on Sunday evening.

According to the minister, Mr Kyagulanyi “incited his supporters to look for the vote, protect it and demand it.”

So, how can he go to demand his vote from a bush or wherever he’s hiding? We know where he is, and he’s just safely there, but it’s just cowardice. He can go to the courts of law if he thinks he has evidence that he was rigged. In my own district, Kanungu, he garnered 12,000 votes, which is a big percentage, yet he didn’t even have agents…He has nothing to tell his supporters. He just created a wrong feeling that he was getting stronger, and yet when he led the opposition in the last five years, he could not persuade anybody. Instead of mobilising Ugandans, he was rather creating conflicts within his own party. He never endeared himself to people in places where he had no support,” he added.

The minister also said the police and military presence at My Kyagulanyi’s home is to monitor “the kind of visitors who go thetre and the kind of interaction” they engage in.

However, Mr Baryomunsi’s statement contradicts President Museveni’s son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who said they were looking for Mr Kyagulanyi, whom he described as a ‘coward.’

Gen Muhoozi, who is widely seen as the heir apparent to the Ugandan presidency, also refuted reports that UPDF soldiers beat up Mr Kyagulanyi’s wife, Barbra Itungo, during another night raid at Mr Kyagulanyi’s home by the military on January 23, 2026.

‘My soldiers did not beat up Barbie…Kabobi’s wife. First of all, we do not beat up women. They are not worth our time. We are looking for her cowardly husband, not her,’ Gen Muhoozi who acts as the Chief of Defence Forces posted on X in the wee hours of Monday morning.

The electoral commission declared President Museveni the winner of the disputed elections with 7,946,772 votes, representing 71.65 per cent of the total valid votes cast, securing him a seventh consecutive term in office. Mr Kyagulanyi was given 2,741,238 votes (24.72 per cent) in his second attempt to dislodge the former guerrilla leader who has been in power since 1986.

Mr Kyagulanyi rejected the results, describing them as “fake” and claiming they have “zero backing”. His rejection is based on several claims of systemic fraud and state-led repression. According to him, there was ballot stuffing countrywide and “cooked up” figures by the Justice Simon Byakama-led electoral commission following the widespread failure of Biometric Voter Verification Kits, which forced a resort to manual registers.

Following the polls, several arrests and night raids have been conducted at Mr Kyagulanyi’s home and at his supporters’.

Speaking from her hospital bed on Saturday afternoon, Ms Itungo said the assailants who descended on her at around 10 pm on January 23 broke windows and the door before making their way into the house. Ms Itungo accused the attackers of having molested her. She said one of them had ripped her night garments apart.

‘He went back behind me.I was wearing a biker, and on top of it I was wearing a knight shirt. He held the trousers of the nightie and pulled me up. He held and then pulled the shirt of the nightie from the back. The buttons of the shirt broke, and he stayed with my shirt. I was forced to go and sit in a corner. Some of them were unbothered. Others looked the other way,’ she said.

Ms Itungo said the rough treatment she was subjected to was precipitated by her refusal to acquiesce to a demand to give the assailants the password to her mobile phone handset. The attackers went away with mobile phones and other electronic gadgets. Ms Itungo said she suspected that the attack in which she and all the people in the compound suffered severe beatings was possibly aimed at breaking her husband’s spirit and compelling him to come out of hiding.

‘I think the intention was to break Bobi’s spirit so that he comes out of hiding, but I encourage him to stay strong. He should not come out until it is safe,’ she said.

Ms Itungo said she also suspects that the raid in which two of their dogs were shot and killed could also be about planting evidence to set the ground for bringing trumped-up charges against her husband. ‘They could have planted things in our home to come up with claims that my husband is involved in acts of terror,’ she said.

The raid on Bobi Wine’s abode came hours after Mr Muhammad Muwanga-Kivumbi, one of NUP’s top honchos, was remanded to custody.

The NUP leadership is already under a lot of pressure following the detentions of Ms Jolly Tukamushaba, the party’s Deputy President for western Uganda, and Lina Zedriga, the Deputy President for northern Uganda. Critics say the arrests and dusk raid on Bobi Wine’s abode is intended to have a chilling effect on the party, its members, and planned operations.

The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi, however, said the party will not cower to such intentions.

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) on Monday marked 40 years since it took power, celebrating what it described as a historic liberation milestone. The anniversary, however, has reignited debate among opposition leaders and January 15 presidential contenders who question both the basis and meaning of the celebrations.

Critics argue that the event conflates the 1986 liberation war with the NRM’s later evolution into a political party, while glossing over the political, economic and social realities facing Ugandans today. They say the ideals that inspired the armed struggle have since been abandoned.

Opposition figures point to declining democratic standards, weak internal party democracy, persistent corruption, worsening human rights conditions and failures in key sectors such as health, education and employment. For them, the 40-year mark is less a moment of triumph than an opportunity for national reflection on whether the promises of liberation have truly been fulfilled. Below is what 2026 presidential candidates said on Monday about the NRM/A’s 40th anniversary:

Rt Gen Mugisha Muntu (Alliance National Transformation)

‘There is confusion. What is being celebrated is the liberation war. NRM were systems. In 2004, NRM became a party. It is not the same thing. Remember, many of us were in that struggle when we fought, took power, and established the systems. When parties came back, of course, NRM became a party. Once you claim that, it is imprecise; it is not factual. Individuals made choices; some went into the NRM party, others returned from politics, and others went into other parties. But for losing track of the principles that we fought for, basically, those who went into the NRM lost total direction. If you imagine what took us to the bush to fight, to win the election, it is exactly what is happening now. If you look at the internal electoral process of NRM as a party, it was an absolute mess, and it was self-evident. Anybody honest enough can say that it is a party with no internal democratic processes. And no party can give what it does not have. The struggle continues because the struggle is not about naming, it is about the substance of objectives and intentions.’

Elton Joseph Mabirizi (Conservative Party): ‘When we talk about liberation, there is a song I’m tired of called “Security.” It’s still an issue for 40 years, and a lot of money is being injected into it. So we needed a federal system where security is shared among the regions and the central government. So security has been sung for over 40 years, and then you are celebrating the liberation of what? When we look at health, there are still issues of no medicine in hospitals, people are dying, and the health facilities are poor. Talk about education that is not benefiting the learners, the graduates, or the parents. Someone pays bowls and sacks of money after finishing school and jobs. So, which kind of liberation has not thought about a new system of education, and we still go with the one that was left with us by the whites? And when it comes to a change of leadership. A person who came saying I have liberated you, the problem of African leaders is overstaying in power, and that he won’t cling to power, he has now ruled for 40 years. The same things that took him to the bush are the same things, even more happening in his regime. He changed the constitution, which was captured. All of us are captured now. So I don’t see any reason for celebration. There are no reasons for celebration. No, not at all. When you consider how the nation was moving before the guerrilla war, it was far better than now. Then, when they destabilised the nation for five years, that’s when the nation experienced the bad times. Provocation, abduction, killings, and we are experiencing that same today. So if we are to compare, almost nothing has changed. We are experiencing the same. My brother was picked up and taken away, and he was killed. So the same story today.’

Robert Kasibante (National Peasants Party): ‘It is absurd that the NRM is celebrating 40 years in power when the country’s systems are marred by impunity and unaddressed injustices. This is a system that disrespects the tenets of democracy, where corruption is the order of the day in public offices, and the rule of law is undermined. The continued imprisonment of opposition leaders, including Dr Kizza Besigye, and many other injustices show a government that has abandoned accountability and democratic values. Celebrating under such conditions is a bad gesture to Ugandans who continue to suffer from issues of unemployment and corruption. I call upon every Ugandan not to stay silent but stand up and join hands to restore the integrity and dignity of our nation.’

Mr Mubarak Munyagwa (Common Man’s Party): ‘The National Resistance Movement party should reduce the expenditure on public holidays and make them more meaningful. I strongly believe that those people who went to the bush are indeed heroes. Had I been around at the time, I would have joined them. We can, however, dump the character of public holidays and functions due to the cost involved. Developments could be brought in the areas as a way of remembering their good deeds, which will be of benefit to the people. A launch of a hospital, for example, in the names of Fredrick Jenna could be set up in western Uganda as a way of commemorating their day rather than spending Shs30b.’

Other opposition leaders

Patrick Amuriat (Forum for Democratic Change president): ‘Ugandans have nothing to celebrate as far as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) liberation is concerned. Poverty continues to afflict many citizens despite the party having been in power for 40 years. NRM has failed the economy, because a small section of the population has accumulated wealth, yet the majority of Ugandans remain poor and cannot afford necessities. The NRM has failed to uphold democracy, which was one of the core pillars that pushed the party into the bush. The NRM was born out of a lack of democracy following the disputed 1980 elections, which led to a guerrilla war. We had hoped the NRM would bring democratic change to this country, but they have failed. Bribery, manipulation, and electoral malpractice continue to prevail, as was witnessed during the just-concluded elections. So, the party has failed.’

Joel Ssenyonyi (National Unity Platform spokesperson and Leader of Opposition in Parliament): ‘The plausible way to rate the NRM is against their 10-point program, which they commenced with as an agenda. Our Country’s democracy has degenerated as is seen with the nature of our elections, Uganda is one of the most corrupt nations globally, they talk of security but one can’t move around in the night safely, sectarianism is the order of the day, our sovereignty is at stake because of the numerous problematic loans we get from China and elsewhere, our economy continues to plunge affecting the everyday lives of the citizenry, social services are at an all-time low, the inequality gap continues to widen, Countries in the region relate with us out of fear, institutions have broken down. The biggest achievement for them is that they have managed to keep power for 4 decades, of course, by using the military and rigging elections. Even the good they began by fixing in the first years of taking power has dissipated; it has been eroded over time. It doesn’t matter how much more time they get in power; they can no longer fix the Country. We need a reboot.’

Museveni on his election win, defeating seven opposition presidential candidates: ‘I hear our opposition wasting time. If you don’t know Uganda, you can really waste time. They are lucky all my supporters didn’t turn up. If they’d turned up, there would be no opposition in Uganda.”

President Museveni on Monday vowed that Uganda’s economy would accelerate into double-digit growth this year, linking the surge to the country’s oil production and efforts to fully integrate Ugandans into the money economy.

‘We’re going to grow even more. This year, your oil will start flowing. The people who don’t care about Africa wanted to grab this oil for others. So, the economy is moving very fast and we’re growing at 7%. With the oil, we’re going to go into double digits,’ Museveni said, speaking at celebrations marking 40 years of National Resistance Movement (NRM) rule.

Uganda’s economy has expanded nearly fifteenfold since Museveni’s 1986 power grab, growing from just under $4 billion to around $60.4 billion by the end of 2025, according to government data.

Speaking in his first major public appearance in Kampala since the January 15 general election, the president traced Uganda’s economic journey in five phases: post-conflict recovery, expansion of the small colonial-era economy, diversification, value addition to raw materials, and a knowledge-based economy, exemplified by domestic production of automobiles and electric vehicles.

‘Somebody told me that when you go to the supermarkets now, 65 percent of the things sold there are now made in Uganda. Previously, 100 percent was imported,’ he said, emphasizing the growth of local industries.

Museveni reiterated that commercial agriculture, manufacturing and artisanship, services, and ICT were the four core sectors to drive the economy over his next five-year term.

He also linked economic expansion to improvements in infrastructure, health, education, and markets beyond Uganda’s soil.

‘The next issue is the markets. That’s why we want EAC Federation/intergratioon. The internal market is not enough,’ Museveni remarked.

Museveni also cited Uganda’s positive balance of payments, noting that by October 2025 the country had $2.37 billion in reserves, indicating that the economy was beginning to outperform imports.

‘Where we are now, we’re already moving well and we’re just beginning. The money entering Uganda is more than what we spend to import. We’re going to do much more than that,’ he observed.

Who goes to jail over PDM?

Despite sustained economic growth, Museveni acknowledged that about 30 percent of Ugandans remain outside the money economy.

But he again cast the Parish Development Model (PDM), a government-led poverty alleviation programme launched five years ago, as the main vehicle for bringing them into formal economic activity.

PDM, which channels a minimum of Shs1 million in revolving funds to households, has however faced mismanagement in some areas.

Museveni warned that officials who divert the money for personal gain would face jail, ordering the dissolution of parish committees implicated in misuse.

‘We have already arrested the one of Buwambo. even in Maracha and Iganga districts. All those who were giving PDM funds to themselves, that’s a mistake. They should stop. Those ones don’t have to be sent to jail. They are greedy, should exit leadership and return parish SACCO funds,’ Museveni explained.

He further complained that some PDM funds had been stolen by the so-called ‘focal persons’, parish chiefs and complicit local leaders.

‘That’s not how PDM is supposed to be. the ones who extorted money from the people; I mean those who took a part of money off the intended cash out for PDM; those are going to prison,’ Museveni remarked at Kololo on January 26,

Museveni disclosed plans to expand allocations, particularly in urban parishes, to between Shs300 million and Shs400 million per parish, but said this would come amid efforts to bring all rural households into the money economy within about three years.

‘Graduate fund, Shs15m for political leaders’

Museveni also urged residents to join the general parish savings and credit cooperative (SACCO), stressing that beneficiaries must be aged above 18 and that the order of beneficiaries should be determined through general parish meetings under the new PDM reforms.

‘I hear that in PM Nabbanja’s area, locals use a lottery to decide the order of beneficiaries. So, we’re going to amend those PDM rules,’ Museveni added.

According to him, PDM will be complemented by other wealth-creation initiatives, including ghetto funds, boda-boda support and grants for unemployed university graduates.

‘.the cultural leaders, we shall create funds for them and religious leaders in their dioceses; university graduates who haven’t got jobs for two years; political leaders, we shall add Shs15 million to them per parish,’ he said.

‘What we want is everybody to be involved in wealth creation,’ Museveni added, arguing that once households are economically empowered, the government can concentrate on free education, health care and other social services over the next 5 years.

I have sex about three times a week to exercise and lose weight, but instead, I am gaining weight. Why is that? Oleng

Dear Oleng

Weight management is influenced by multiple factors, including healthy eating, regular physical activity, sufficient sleep, and effective stress management.

A balanced diet that limits processed foods, excessive sugar, and saturated fats is essential, as these can contribute to weight gain even when you are active.

Adults are generally advised to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity weekly, such as brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or strength training, which helps build and maintain muscle mass and boosts metabolism.

Adequate sleep, usually six to eight hours per night, and effective stress management are also critical, because poor sleep and high stress levels can disrupt hormones such as cortisol and ghrelin, which control appetite and fat storage.

While sex does burn calories; approximately 100 for men and 70 for women per session, the intensity and duration are usually not enough to replace regular exercise.

The activity engages muscles in the legs, arms, and core, but not to a degree sufficient for significant weight loss.

Despite this, sex offers other valuable health benefits, including stress relief, improved heart health, and better sleep quality.

For optimal weight management, it should complement a consistent exercise routine and healthy lifestyle, rather than being relied upon as the primary form of physical activity.

Tanzania’s return to the World Bank’s top GovTech maturity tier is intensifying scrutiny across East Africa, as governments face growing pressure to ensure digital systems are not just built, but widely used and delivering measurable results.

In its 2025 GovTech Maturity Index (GTMI), the World Bank placed Tanzania in Group A, ‘Extensive GovTech Maturity,’ its highest category for public sector digital transformation.

While not a ranking, the designation puts Tanzania alongside Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Egypt, countries demonstrating advanced, connected government digital systems.

The GTMI evaluates 48 indicators across four pillars: core government systems, online public services, digital citizen engagement, and GovTech enablers such as legal frameworks, institutional capacity, and digital skills.

The World Bank emphasizes that the focus has shifted from announcements and pilot portals to interoperability, adoption, and impact.

Infrastructure First, Then Scale

Tanzania’s progress rests on its back-end architecture. Officials cite the Government Enterprise Service Bus (GovESB) as the backbone for secure data exchange across ministries, reducing duplication and accelerating service delivery.

Supporting platforms include the Human Capital Information Management System (HCIMS), recruitment via the Ajira Portal, digital procurement through NeST, and high-volume payment processing via GePG, systems handling millions of transactions annually.

‘The World Bank conducted this study over a year, collecting evidence on how ICT is actually used across government.This is evidence-based,’ said Eng Benedict Ndomba, Director General of Tanzania’s e-Government Authority.

The Bank notes that without core systems and interoperability frameworks, online services often remain fragmented and fragile.

Uganda’s Incremental Approach

Uganda’s top-tier status reflects a deliberate strategy focused on shared digital infrastructure, national data policies, and foundational systems rather than rapid front-end expansion.

Under its Digital Transformation Roadmap, Kampala has prioritized government-wide platforms, including the National Data Centre, integrated financial management systems, and digital identity infrastructure, alongside sector-specific e-services in revenue, company registration, and procurement.

A senior official said the government’s approach has been to ‘stabilize the plumbing first,’ ensuring systems communicate before accelerating citizen-facing digital services, a strategy aligned with the World Bank’s evolving doctrine emphasizing integration and sustainability.

Kenya and Rwanda: Citizen-facing digital services

Kenya and Rwanda have prioritized front-end services. Kenya’s eCitizen platform serves as a central gateway for government payments and licensing, supported by a digital ID rollout. Rwanda has integrated GovTech into Vision 2050, combining service delivery platforms with dashboards tracking usage and response times.

Yet the World Bank warns that even high-maturity countries struggle with usage data and outcome measurement.

Weak citizen engagement

Digital citizen engagement, the most politically sensitive pillar, lags behind in East Africa. Tanzania’s e-Mrejesho platform allows citizen feedback, while Uganda and Kenya operate sector-specific grievance mechanisms. However, many governments struggle to demonstrate responsiveness, limiting public trust.

‘Civic tech is where GovTech proves its value or loses credibility. Access alone is no longer enough. Citizens expect response,’ said a Nairobi-based digital governance researcher.

From recognition to accountability

For Tanzania, Uganda, and peers, GTMI recognition brings validation and pressure. Expectations are rising among citizens, investors, and development partners.

‘This recognition should not be treated as an endpoint,’ Ndomba said, adding: ‘Institutions must continue aligning with national standards, strengthen citizen engagement, and ensure systems are connected through GovESB.’

The next phase of East Africa’s digital governments will be measured less by platforms launched and more by outcomes: faster services, lower administrative costs, greater transparency, and improved public trust.

In that test, GovTech maturity becomes a measure of state capacity.

The gaming regulator has proposed tougher penalties for violations of gaming laws as it steps up efforts to promote responsible gambling in a rapidly expanding industry.

The National Lotteries and Gaming Regulatory Board (NLGRB) says it has drafted amendments to the Gaming Act aimed at more than doubling existing fines, which have remained capped at 48 currency points since 2017.

Under the proposals, penalties would rise to 100 currency points, a move the regulator says reflects the industry’s rapid evolution and the need for stronger deterrence.

‘We are considering raising penalties to 100 currency points, reflecting the industry’s evolution and the need for stricter compliance,’ said Alicia Atukunda, NLGRB’s senior manager for licensing and responsible gaming, during the rollout of the Responsible Gaming Directives.

Atukunda said the proposed amendments will soon be submitted to Cabinet for approval, signalling a tougher stance against illegal operations while reinforcing responsible gaming practices.

Each currency point is equivalent to Shs20,000, meaning the current maximum fine of 48 currency points stands at about Shs980,000. If approved, the new penalties would rise to Shs2 million.

The proposals come at a time when Uganda’s gaming industry is experiencing rapid growth. Last week, the NLGRB rolled out Responsible Gaming Directives designed to balance industry expansion with public health concerns.

Introduced in November 2025, the directives mark a turning point for a sector that has shifted from small betting halls to predominantly online platforms.

Atukunda said the directives were prompted by explosive industry growth, increased access to gambling through digital platforms, and a rise in gambling addiction cases.

‘We are seeing more players coming forward with gambling issues, some even requesting to have their accounts closed,’ she said, noting that the directives require operators to embed responsible play tools into their systems to protect both players and the industry.

Under the new rules, operators must demonstrate how they detect problem gambling, integrate safeguards into their platforms, and provide support for vulnerable players.

The directives also introduce stricter age verification measures that block access to anyone under 25, as well as a three-tier limit system covering deposits, spending, and losses.

Atukunda said these measures empower players to set boundaries and encourage gambling within their means.

‘By compelling operators to adopt responsible play tools, NLGRB hopes to reduce addiction cases, protect vulnerable groups, and ensure sustainable growth in a sector that continues to attract new players daily. Compliance is no longer optional; it is now the cost of doing business,’ she said.

Uganda is the first country in East Africa to introduce comprehensive responsible gaming directives.

The gaming industry has grown exponentially, with NLGRB reporting a six-fold increase in annual revenue, from Shs50b in the 2019/20 financial year to Shs323b by June 2025.

Industry turnover has also surged from Shs500b in 2021/22 to Shs8 trillion by June 2025, driven largely by the expansion of online platforms.

Currently, about 52 companies operate in Uganda’s gambling and betting sector. According to the World Health Organisation, industry analysts estimate that global gambling revenue will reach $700b by 2028, with increased smartphone use in low- and middle-income countries expected to drive much of this growth.

Betting consultant Rogers Barungi said the directives largely reinforce existing guidelines rather than introduce entirely new rules.

‘We have lived with these directives for quite some time. As people in the business, yes, we are looking for money and revenue for government, but we also recognise that betting must be controlled,’ he said, emphasising the importance of age restrictions and personal spending limits.

‘If you earn a salary, first invest or save your money. Only use a small portion for betting. This is entertainment, not a path to riches,’ he cautioned.

Barungi added that betting shops employ trained personnel to advise clients on responsible gaming and promote self-exclusion programmes for those struggling with addiction.

While enforcement has not always been consistent, he welcomed the renewed emphasis.

‘These measures are for a good cause. They help protect our clients and ensure that betting remains a regulated form of entertainment,’ he said.