Category: Daily Monitor

As schools reopen, many parents and guardians are forced to make quick financial decisions, sometimes selling off assets to raise tuition. Among the most common assets put on the market are cars, with owners hoping for fast buyers before the academic term fully kicks in.

But beneath the urgency lies a reality many sellers only confront at the point of sale: resale value is not guaranteed. Not every car attracts quick interest, and fewer still fetch the price owners expect.

A costly assumption

Richard Draku from Mukono learnt this the hard way when he was suddenly pressed to raise school fees within a short time. With limited options, he turned to his Mercedes-Benz, believing the luxury badge would guarantee a quick sale.

Instead, the market responded differently.

Despite several inquiries, most prospective buyers offered far below his expected price. Their reasoning was consistent: luxury vehicles are expensive to maintain, consume more fuel, and require costly spare parts compared to more common models on Ugandan roads.

Others simply said they were wary of rising living costs and preferred vehicles that are cheaper to run and easier to resell.

‘The pressure was real. School was about to open, and I needed money urgently,’ Draku recalls.

As the reporting date drew closer, he tried car bonds, hoping for a quick deal. The advice was blunt; if he needed an immediate sale, he would have to accept a significantly lower ‘giveaway price’.

Unwilling to absorb such a loss, Draku abandoned the sale and instead turned to a money lender who advanced him Shs5m on a six-month repayment plan.

While the loan solved the immediate crisis, the experience left him with a hard lesson: urgency can expose the real value of a car in the market.

Fuel consumption

Joseph Komakech, the chairperson of sales executives at the Jumbo Car Dealers Association, says fuel consumption is one of the first considerations for most buyers.

‘With fuel prices and the cost of living, people are very careful about running costs. Once we assure them that a vehicle is fuel-efficient, they are more willing to buy,’ he says.

He explains that fuel-efficient cars tend to move faster in the second-hand market because buyers are increasingly prioritising affordability over prestige or appearance.

Power versus practicality

However, Komakech notes that fuel-hungry vehicles are not entirely out of favour. Some still attract strong demand because of their performance strengths, including four-wheel drive capability, durability, comfort, and stability on rough terrain.

Such vehicles appeal to buyers who prioritise reliability, long-distance travel, and road strength over fuel economy.

Why some cars sell faster than others

Beyond fuel use, maintenance costs and spare parts availability play a major role in determining resale value.

Cars with readily available and affordable spare parts tend to sell faster because buyers are confident they will not struggle with repairs.

On the other hand, vehicles associated with expensive maintenance often take longer to sell, even when they offer superior comfort or luxury appeal.

‘People now calculate total cost of ownership, not just the purchase price,’ Komakech explains.

Cars that hold value in Uganda

In Uganda’s second-hand market, certain models consistently maintain stronger resale value. These include the Toyota Premio, Toyota Harrier (locally known as Kawundo), and Toyota Spacio, among others.

Their popularity is driven less by status and more by practicality, fuel efficiency, reliability, and affordable maintenance costs.

These factors have made them dependable favourites in a market increasingly shaped by economic caution.

Numbers that matter: Plates and mileage

Beyond model and brand, even registration plates influence perceived value. Newer plates are often associated with relatively recent imports or lower usage, making them more attractive to buyers.

Mileage is equally important. A lower reading often signals less wear and tear, which increases buyer confidence.

For instance, a 15-20-year-old vehicle with under 85,000 kilometres may attract a better price than a newer-looking car with over 130,000 kilometres. Buyers increasingly associate mileage with future repair risk.

Interior condition: The silent deal-breaker

Interior condition is often underestimated by sellers, yet it can determine how quickly a car moves.

Clean seats, a well-kept dashboard, and a fresh interior impression often give buyers confidence that the vehicle has been properly maintained.

Dealers advise sellers to invest in basic restoration before listing a car, as small improvements can significantly improve both interest and negotiating power.

When urgency meets value

In the end, resale value is shaped less by emotion or prestige and more by how the market evaluates long-term cost of ownership.

As Draku’s experience shows, urgency can force a painful reality check, where buyers begin to factor in fuel consumption, maintenance costs, mileage, and practicality over brand or sentiment.

For many owners, the lesson comes too late: a car is not simply what you paid for it, but what someone else is willing and able to live with after you let it go.

Experts also advise owners to keep proper service records, as documented maintenance history can significantly improve buyer confidence.

A vehicle with receipts for regular servicing, timely repairs, and genuine replacement parts often commands a better price than a similar model with no maintenance trail.

In a market where buyers are increasingly cautious about unexpected repair costs, transparency about a car’s condition can become a valuable selling point.

How to boost your car’s resale value

Fix small faults first. Minor issues like broken lights, faulty handles, or worn wipers can signal bigger hidden problems to buyers.

Deep clean before listing. A well-detailed car creates a strong first impression and immediately boosts buyer confidence.

Prepare paperwork early. A ready logbook, service records, and transfer documents speed up negotiations and reduce delays.

Time your sale wisely. Demand often rises before school terms and festive seasons when buyers are more active.

Price realistically. Matching market rates attracts buyers faster.

I have always loved fashion. Perhaps too much. I find myself consumed by the latest trends, tracing their migration from Milan to New York, watching as hemlines rise and fall, as colours shift. One of my favourite reading materials is Vogue because it understands something that political analysts often miss; people are moved by what is fresh. Before they are moved by what is right, they are moved by what is new.

This is a fascination I share with many women. And many men, though fewer admit it. There is something deeply human about the desire for renewal. If we had our way, we would change our wardrobes every season. Because it gives us hope, that vain belief that a new look might help us become a slightly better version of ourselves.

And in that way, we change leaders the same way, making way for stock empya every season.

I hope the stock empya, the shiny new ones in power, are paying attention. Your appeal is seasonal. Right now, you are the silk in a room full of cotton. The fresh cut. The unexpected colour. Constituents smile at you, not yet tired of your face or familiar with your flaws. Colleagues applaud you, still uncertain where your weaknesses lay. That is the window. That is the season of favour.

But here is the sobering truth, favour fades faster than fabric.

A politician’s efficacy in office is highest when they are both new enough to be trusted and wise enough not to waste that trust. The first months, sometimes the first year, are the runway. Everyone is watching, but they are also hoping.

That hope is capital. And like all capital, it must be invested before it depreciates.

Yet so many leaders mistake the season of favour for a permanent condition. They preen. They postpone hard decisions, believing the applause will last. They surround themselves with people who tell them the trend will never end. But the trend always ends. The old stock is not discarded because it is ugly. It is discarded because it is familiar. And familiarity is the enemy of enthusiasm.

So what does this mean for your efficacy?

Real impact happens before the season turns. While you are still shiny, while constituents lean in to hear you, while colleagues hesitate to oppose you, that is the moment to do the difficult, unglamorous, necessary work. Pass the bold policy. Root out inefficiency. Protect the vulnerable. Do not wait until you are the old stock, wondering where the love went.

The most effective leaders are not the ones who stay fashionable. They are the ones who become classic. A classic is not trendy. It outlasts trends. It may not turn heads on the runway, but decades later, it still fits. It still serves. It still commands respect.

If you govern only for your season of favour, you will be forgotten when the next collection arrives. But if you use that season to build something lasting, something true, something just, something that does not depend on your popularity, then you will not need to be new. You will need only to be right. And that never goes out of style.

So I ask you, the stock empya not to waste your window. Because as you might be learning people are fickle and time itself is unkind to hesitation. Every day you wait, the shine dulls. Every decision you postpone, the season shortens. You tell yourself there will be a better moment, when the political winds are more forgiving. But the winds are never more forgiving than right now, when you are still a promise rather than a record.

That is the cruel elegance of fashion; it rewards the bold and forgets the cautious. Designers who wait for perfect conditions never show a collection. Leaders who wait for perfect approval never make a difference.

Do not misunderstand me. I am not asking you to be reckless. I am asking you to be intentional. Use this season not to settle scores or accumulate wealth or build monuments to your own ego.

Use it to do the things that will be harder later; because later, when your novelty has worn thin, every move will be contested. Every hand you extend will be examined for hidden motives.

Now, while they still want to believe in you, is when you prove you deserve that belief.

The world has no shortage of leaders who were once shiny. What it lacks are leaders who, when the shine faded, left behind something that still stood. Be that rare kind. Be the classic in a world addicted to the new. The people may forget your arrival, but they will never forget what you built while you had their attention.

And that, is the only thing that outlasts the season.

There is a lot of evidence, as you have shared in your letter, to show that all is well. ‘Everyone’ knows you are together, and the two children you have are an indelible footprint of the relationship. Interestingly, his decision to visit his mother with you was another validating step that acknowledged your existence and the family you now have.

However, there is this one issue that has caused you to pause; the way he introduced you to his mother. It is not difficult to see why you might feel offended or begin to second-guess your relationship based on that singular experience.

We cannot belittle it or simply wish it away.

That said, there are five years and two children between you, along with overwhelming evidence that you are not just friends. The facts clearly show otherwise. Let us, however, take a closer look at him introducing you as a friend to his mother.

Fact number one is that, legally speaking, you are not his wife, and he is not your husband. Sometimes people whose value systems adhere strictly to the legal definition of a wife or husband will reflect that in the language they use. Do you know how he views legal marriage versus cohabitation? If his value system is that a wife is someone he has formally married, that could explain his choice of words on that occasion.

I also suspect that the word ‘friend’ may have been used in a local language rather than in English. If that is the case, local languages often carry nuances and meanings that English may not fully capture. You, therefore, need to be more insightful, using more thought than emotion, before drawing a conclusion. You may find that, from his perspective, the word translated as ‘friend’ means much more than the ordinary English definition suggests.

Remember, too, that he has never used this description elsewhere when referring to you; it happened only in the presence of his mother. This is important because sons and mothers can have ways of communicating that an outsider may easily misunderstand. Before allowing yourself to become distressed over that incident, look for evidence and patterns that validate any fears you might have.

To add to the above, mothers can sometimes be influential in their sons’ lives and may wish to choose wives for them. It appears to me that his decision to take you to the village to meet his mother, seemingly for the first time, may actually have been an affirmation to her that you are the woman he has chosen, perhaps even against her wishes.

It is possible that the language he used when introducing you was his way of being ‘political’ with his mother. There could be much more going on between them than you were able to decipher.

This is why, again, it is important to look for evidence. Things may be much different from what you imagine; in fact, they may not be nearly as grim as your fears suggest.

There is a scriptural proverb that carries wisdom. Proverbs 19:11 says: ‘A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.’ The evidence does not support all the conclusions your fears may be leading you toward.

However, there is nothing wrong with remaining alert to any future patterns that might suggest otherwise.

There is also wisdom in working toward legalising the relationship so that it is recognised in law as a marriage. Doing so would help protect both you and your two children, and it would establish you as a wife without leaving room for anyone to question your place in the family.

Please contact us on sssetumba@ug.nationmedia.com

Reader advice

This is not an insult

Shalot Shaz Kirungi. In many African cultures, when a man introduces you to his parents as ‘my friend,’ it is not necessarily an insult. Often, it simply means the traditional marriage process has not yet been completed. Since no dowry has been paid and no formal introduction made, he may not feel comfortable calling you his wife. The official titles usually come after the customary requirements have been fulfilled.

Evaluate relationship

Madiina Nyakato. If that is the case, then it raises an important question; does it mean you are not yet married in the eyes of the family and community? Many people assume that living together or having children automatically makes a couple husband and wife, but traditional and legal definitions may say otherwise.

Have an honest talk

Dora Ofori. My sister, perhaps the issue is that you and your partner are viewing the relationship differently. While you may see him as your husband and life partner, he could still be seeing the relationship as something less formal. It is important to have honest conversations about expectations and where the relationship is headed.

You must get married

Ronald Ssenkya. You are still considered friends until the relationship is made official through the recognised traditional, religious or legal processes. Feelings, children and years spent together may strengthen the bond, but formal recognition often changes how families and communities describe the relationship.

Speak up

Omosalewa Oyetunde. Perhaps you should have taken the opportunity to introduce yourself and explain your place in his life. Sometimes people remain silent and expect others to define the relationship for them. If you believe you deserve a different title, then a conversation about the future may be necessary.

Do not overthink this

Nachie Urshie Mpanga. Honestly, the mother probably understands the situation perfectly well, whether her son calls you a friend or something else. Parents are often more aware than we think. They can usually tell when a relationship is serious, even if certain words are not spoken openly.

Demand for clarity

Victorious Judy. Sometimes the simplest advice is the hardest to hear. If after years together someone still struggles to acknowledge your place in their life, it may be worth reconsidering the relationship. Everyone deserves clarity, respect and a shared understanding of where they stand.

Outgoing Minister of Internal Affairs Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire has criticised sections of the Uganda Police Force over failure to heed his directives.

Speaking during the handover ceremony at the Ministry of Internal Affairs on Thursday, Gen Otafiire said some officers repeatedly ignored his instructions despite several warnings.

‘I have issues with them, the police. Some of them were not listening. You tell them, ‘Don’t do this, don’t do this,’ and later you hear they have gone ahead and done exactly that,’ Otafiire said.

Gen Otafiire, who was appointed Minister of Water and Environment, officially handed over office to his successor, Prof Ephraim Kamuntu at a formal function witnessed by the ministry’s technical staff.

Reflecting on his tenure of office, Gen Otafiire singled out the Police Force as one of the institutions that presented him with the greatest challenges.

The veteran politician and former bush war fighter said attempts to steer certain decisions within the force were sometimes frustrated by officers who either disregarded advice or withheld information from the ministry.

‘You remember, I would call them here and ask, ‘Gentlemen, what happened?’ At one point, they denied me information. What they did not know is that I am an intelligence officer. Everything that was happening, I knew. The difference is that I kept quiet,’ he said.

In remarks that drew laughter from some members of the audience, Otafiire said he often chose patience over confrontation, allowing events to unfold naturally.

‘If you want people to hang themselves, give them enough ropes. I knew what was happening and I kept quiet. I allowed events to unfold,’ he said.

The outgoing minister, however, contrasted his experience with the Police Force with that of other agencies under the ministry, particularly the Directorate of Citizenship and Immigration Control and the Uganda Prisons Service, both of which he praised for their performance.

Otafiire strongly defended the current leadership at the Immigration Directorate, crediting them for overseeing reforms in the institution.

He said such officers deserved to be retained rather than replaced.

He specifically endorsed senior immigration officials whom he said had played a central role in transforming the department into a modern and efficient institution.

‘Kambere participated in the transformation of the department. They have institutional memory and are responsible officers. When you bring in new people, it takes time for them to learn the system,’ he said.

The former minister revealed that he had advised against replacing some of the officers with personnel transferred from the military, arguing that continuity was necessary to safeguard gains made in service delivery.

According to him, introducing new officers unfamiliar with the department’s operations could reverse years of progress.

‘During that period, we could easily slip back to what the department used to be. Since they grew within the department and witnessed the transformation, they are best suited to continue with the work,’ he said.

Otafiire also commended the Uganda Prisons Service, describing it as one of the most stable institutions under his supervision.

‘I have no problems with prisons. They have been doing very well. It is the department that has given me the least worry and therefore required the least interference from me,’ he said.

Throughout his speech, the outgoing minister repeatedly emphasised his leadership philosophy of allowing institutions and technical officers to perform their duties without excessive political interference.

‘My style of leadership has always been simple: do your work. I don’t want to do anybody’s work,’ he emphasised.

Addressing Prof Kamuntu, who assumes leadership of the ministry following a recent Cabinet reshuffle, Otafiire expressed confidence in the ministry’s technocrats and senior officials, saying they would provide the support necessary to ensure continuity.

‘Professor, they will help you. I am comfortable with the team here. Some people may be victims of circumstances, but over time things will sort themselves out,’ he said.

He also used the occasion to urge leaders to exercise patience and strategic thinking, likening effective leadership to the hunting style of a leopard.

‘Learn to hunt like a leopard, not a lion. When you go around announcing that you are a lion, everyone prepares for you. A leopard moves quietly. People do not see it coming. That has always been my style of leadership,’ he said.

Otafiire leaves the ministry after overseeing key agencies including the Police, Immigration Directorate, Uganda Prisons Service and the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA). His successor inherits a ministry at the centre of immigration management, internal security coordination, citizenship administration and prison services.

The handover ceremony was attended by senior government officials, security leaders and ministry staff, who paid tribute to Otafiire’s tenure while welcoming Prof Kamuntu to his new role.

Uganda’s three-man team is plotting for more medals at the Genocide Memorial Kung-Fu Wushu Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda, this weekend.

This year’s tournament marks 32 years after the genocide in Rwanda that killed about 700,000 people, mostly Tutsi, in 1994.

Nahia Nayiga, 14, will be competing at the annual tournament for the second time, having debuted in 2024, and will hope that this time she will reap a medal like her seniors at previous tournaments. At the 2023 Ivan Wong, Ssengendo won gold in the Sanda 76kg-82kg category, Jonathan Mugwisa (62kg-68kg) and Deo Bago (90kg) won silver medals.

His teammate Haitham Lubega, 15, will also hope for the best possible performance as both teenagers seek to qualify for the Youth Olympics in Dakar, Senegal, in October.

‘The Genocide Memorial event is one of those that may enhance our qualification to Dakar. So, amid all the financial constraints, we have sent a team, and we hope it performs well,’ said Uganda Wushu Federation president Eddie Gombya.

Coach Robert Kizito guided Nayiga and Lubega to the IWUF African Youth Wushu Training Camp and African Youth Championships in Ismailia, Egypt in February. He will want his trainees to showcase their newly acquired skills and stage confidence in Kigali.

THE TEAM

Nahia Nayiga

Haitham Lubega

Coach: Robert Kizito

Meat prices in several cities and towns in Uganda have skyrocketed, leaving many consumers feeling the pinch.

In the cities of Lira and Jinja, a kilogram of beef now costs between Shs18,000 and Shs 20,000, up from Shs 16,000-Shs 17,000 previously.

In Lira, goat meat is being sold at Shs 20,000 up from Shs 16,000 and beef is going for Shs 18,000 up from Shs 14,000. In Jinja, goat meat is even pricier, retailing at between Shs 22,000 and Shs 25,000 per kilogram.

Traders are pointing fingers at escalating transport costs, livestock quarantines, and stiff competition from regional buyers.

Mr Moses Mukajjanga, chairperson of Mafubira Slaughter House, blames rising fuel prices for the increased cost of transporting animals to slaughter facilities.

‘The cost of transporting animals has gone up because of the increase in fuel prices, and this has directly affected the price of meat,” he says.

“Some areas are under quarantine because many animals are sick. This has reduced the number of animals reaching the market and pushed prices higher.”

The shortage of livestock is also driving prices up. Mr Ronald Mutabi Byarugaba, general secretary of the Jinja City Abattoir, notes that slaughter numbers have decreased, with butchers now slaughtering only about eight cows and 20 goats daily, down from 14 cows and 26 goats previously.

According to Mr Mukajjanga, many traders are now sourcing animals from the Teso Sub-region, particularly Soroti District, to meet demand in Jinja and neighbouring areas.

Mr Abdallah Bogere, a meat dealer at Nile Market in Njeru Municipality in Buikwe District, says: “One of the major factors behind the price increase is fuel. We source most of our animals from the Teso sub-region, which is quite far, making transport costs very high.”

He notes that diesel prices, currently averaging about Shs6,500 per litre, have significantly increased the cost of moving livestock from cattle-producing areas to slaughterhouses and markets.

Mr Bogere also points to growing competition from buyers from Kenya and South Sudan, who are willing to pay higher prices for livestock, thereby driving up costs for local traders.

“The demand from Kenyan and South Sudanese buyers has intensified competition for animals. This pushes livestock prices up even before they reach our markets,” he said.

According to Mr Bogere, traders selling beef at around Shs 18,000 per kilogramme are likely sourcing animals from nearby areas, enabling them to keep transport costs relatively low.

Mr Musa Yuma, a butcher operating in Adjumani Town, says meat prices have remained stable for now, but consumers should expect an increase in the coming weeks due to a shortage of cattle and rising transportation costs.

According to Yuma, a kilo of beef currently sells at Shs 16, 000. However, he notes that the limited supply of cattle in the area, coupled with the high cost of fuel, is making it increasingly difficult for butchers to maintain current prices.

“At the moment, a kilo of meat costs Shs 16, 000. In the past, livestock traders would bring cows to us and we would simply buy them. These days, I have to travel into the villages myself in search of cattle,’ he says.

‘Sometimes I spend an entire day looking for a cow without success, yet the following day I must buy fuel again for my motorcycle and continue the search.”

He says the situation has been worsened by the absence of an established livestock market in the Madi Sub-region, forcing butchers to move from one area to another in search of animals for slaughter.

In Arua City, locals have for several months been buying a kilo of meat at Shs 20,000. Ms Fortunate Candiru, a resident, says: ‘It is now over five months that meat is now at Shs 20,000. I have reduced meat consumption because with the seven people I have, one kilo is not enough.’

She notes that there has been an unexplained reason for the increment.

‘In West Nile, we do not have commercial pastoralists. Many people keep cattle for their own consumption, especially for cultural or funerals. So, I usually see cattle being transported from Lira or from Western Uganda.’

Mr Muhammad Alio, who works at a butcher, says: ‘Prices of cattle and transport costs are high. So, this has made many people increase their prices from Shs 16,000 to Shs 20,000. Even then, sometimes, you may make losses because few people are now buying meat.’

‘What is helping us is now the fridges because there is now a reliable power supply. But some people do not like to buy meat stored in fridges, they want fresh meat because they are used to it,’ he adds.

Mr Sulaiman Ssempijja, a butcher on Idi Amin road in Arua City, says animals have become so expensive from where they buy them from.

“A bull we used to sell at Shs 800,000 in Lango, Nakasongola and Western Uganda, now it goes for Shs 1 million and above. Additionally, transporters are also charging us highly under the pretext that fuel prices are up. So, what do you expect us to do?” he charges.

In Yumbe, Dr Neckyon Mukasa Matinda, the Yumbe District veterinary officer, says the prices of meat have gone up due to the reduction of supply of animals.

He says the current price of meat in Yumbe is Shs 18,000 for beef and Shs 20,000 for goat meat.

‘We were getting animals from the Balalo at a fair price. Since they were chased, this created the scarcity of animals for sale. The cost of production of animals has gone very high in terms of labour, veterinary services and some inputs of production for animals has also gone very high,’ Dr Mukasa explains.

He adds that the region depends on places like Nakasongola for supply of animals and people from DR Congo come to buy animals from Yumbe. As a result, people have basically hiked the prices of animals.

‘The hiking of the animals’ prices and their products to me is a very good thing for farmers. People must begin to go and look after animals so that they also sell them at a good price,’ he says.

In Mbale, residents are expressing concern over the continued rise in meat prices, saying the increasing costs are making it difficult for many families to afford a balanced diet.

In the markets and several butcheries across the city, a kilogram of beef now costs between Shs18, 000 and Shs20, 000 depending on the location and quality of the meat.

Goat meat also costs now at Shs20, 000 per kilogram while liver is being sold at the same price.

Many consumers say they have been forced to reduce the amount of meat they buy or switch to cheaper alternatives due to the high prices.

“I have taken time without buying meat because the price is high,” Mr Asuman Gidudu, a resident of Mbale City said.

Butchers attribute the price increase to the rising cost of livestock, transportation expenses and reduced supply of animals on the market.

In Gulu City, the situation is different. Meat prices have largely remained the same except for pork due to the scarcity of pigs.

A kilogram of goat meat has stagnated at between Shs17,000 and Shs18,000, while beef is sold at Shs16,000 per kilogram across most parts of the city.

In Mpigi, consumers across several trading centres are grappling with rising meat prices, with a kilogram now selling at more than Shs20,000.

A survey conducted in Kayabwe Town Council, Bujuuko and Kammengo trading centres found that butchers have adjusted prices upwards in recent months, citing increased operational costs.

Sheikh Jumah Magatto, a resident of Jjandira Cell, Kayabwe Ward in Kayabwe Town Council, attributes the high beef prices to the increasing cost of fuel.

“The biggest challenge is fuel. Transporting animals from farms to slaughter points and later to markets has become very expensive. These costs are eventually passed on to the final consumers,” he says.

Richard Mugoya, a butcher in Nama Sub-county, Mukono District, says the increase in meat prices is largely driven by high transport costs.

‘I sell meat at Shs 20,000 per kilo because transporting it is expensive. With fuel prices continuing to rise, I may be forced to increase the price further,’ Mugoya explained.

Another butcher in Mukono Town, Junior Mugenyi, says meat prices depend on the cost at which they purchase it from abattoirs.

‘The prices we charge are determined by how much we buy the meat. When we go to the abattoir, the price they sell to us affects how we sell to our clients,’ he says.

In Kabale, the situation is the same. Here a kilo of goat meat and mutton has increased from Shs13,000 to Shs20,000.

The chairman of Meat and Cattle Traders Association at Kabale Main Abattoir, Mr Jackson Nasiima, says there is a ban of cattle movement from the neighbouring district of Ntungamo, which has been their main source of supply of cattle.

In Ankole Sub-region, meat prices remain at Shs 18,000 (cows meat) and Shs 20, 000 (goat) in most districts such as Ibanda, Ntungamo, Isingiro, Mbarara, Bushenyi and Kiruhura save for Mbarara City where beef has increased from Shs 18,000 to Shs 20000 and goat meat from Shs 20,000 to Shs 22,000.

Mr Musa Asiimwe who owns a butcher at Mbarara Central says: “Because of the increase in fuel prices transporting animals has become expensive. This is the reason we have increased the prices of meat.”

Kampala’s wetlands have dwindled dramatically in just three decades, shrinking from 3,201 hectares in 1994 to 1,388 hectares in 2024, representing a staggering loss of over 56 percent, a new report shows. The decline of Kampala’s wetlands is not just a loss of land covered by water but a threat to the city’s resilience against flooding, water purification, and biodiversity, according to environmentalists and physical planners. This information is contained in the 2025 Kampala City Wetlands Situation Report, conducted by Subamu Investments Limited, a firm contracted by the government to evaluate the wetlands’ status.

Researchers and government officials attribute the decline to increased human encroachment for settlements, industrial development, and agriculture. They warn that this is exacerbated by weak enforcement of protective laws and inadequate or absent urban planning in rapidly expanding areas. ‘The wetlands in Kampala have largely declined since 1994 to date, and we’ve lost about 2,000 hectares of land to this, a representation of about 56 percent of that total acreage of the wetlands since 1994,’ Dr Ivan Bamweyana, a consultant with Subamu, revealed.

Most affected

Dr Bamweyana said Lubigi is the most affected wetland of the eight in Kampala, with 21,249 buildings, while Namalusu is the least affected because of its aggressive flooding. The wetlands evaluated include Lubigi, Nakivubo, Kinawataka, Kansanga Ggabba, Kalidubi, Walufumbe, Kyetinda and Namalusu.

In an interview , the consultant attributed the loss of wetlands to a combination of factors. ‘There have been major causes: people taking up land to settle there, and people developing industries there,’ he said. ‘This [decline] can [also] be attributed to the population pressure, people requiring new areas to settle, and people being unguided on what a wetland is or being uneducated about what our wetland is,’ he added.

The report indicates that the number of buildings in wetlands nearly tripled, rising from 20,958 in 2004 to 56,679 in 2024. The firm said they used satellite imagery, aerial photography, and field surveys to come up with the report. The KCCA Deputy Director of Land Use Planning and Development, Mr Ivan Katongole, points to the complex issue of land ownership as a key driver. ‘The landholding system vests some wetlands in private hands,’ he said, explaining that many constructions on wetlands are informal and unapproved.

‘Our approval system requires that people should not construct in wetlands, but because of these private holdings, there is informal development of land, where people assume that they’re exerting their right to use the properties that belong to them,’ he added. Mr Katongole also highlights the pressure for urban growth, noting that some wetlands, deemed ‘vanquished’ by a policy committee on the environment, have been approved for industrial development.

‘The other one is the pressure for growth and development of the city, where you find that due to gross growth pressures, some areas have even been formally approved for development,’ he explained. ‘You’ve heard about vanquished wetlands? There is a policy committee on environment which at some point declared some wetlands vanquished, and so often those ones are used for industrial development,’ he added.

Political challenges

Mr Katongole also highlights that political challenges further complicate enforcement, particularly in informal settlements on wetland fringes. ‘We also have the political pressure. It’s very hard to implement some of our development control measures in some of the informal settlements. Most of these are within or on the fringes of wetlands,’ he added. Mr Vincent Barugahare, the assistant commissioner for wetlands at the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE), blamed poor planning for exacerbating the crisis.

‘In Wakiso, where I stay, there’s no plan. People settle, and the government only intervenes after decades,’ he said. He stressed the need for coordinated planning between Kampala and neighbouring Wakiso to prevent contradictory policies. Mr Barugahare also laments the attitude and orientation of people, adding that many Ugandans prioritise short-term gains over long-term sustainability. ‘In this country, there are two categories of Ugandans: there are those who look at the future, we think about how our children will be but there are those who have read too much the Bible and they think they will get a good life somewhere else, and that is the biggest number. I deal with enforcement but Ugandans are not the right people to deal with,’ he said.

Mr Katongole said KCCA would demolish some of these structures to save the environment. ‘We are going to see that we try to bring some of these structures down, especially those that are in very fragile ecosystems within the city. So, we are not taking this issue lying down,’ he added. The industrial push has further strained wetlands, with developments such as the Namanve Industrial Park encroaching on these ecosystems. Ms Evelyn Anite, while still serving as the State minister for Investment and Privatisation, said the government had resolved that the next industrial park would be built on dry land not wetlands, to protect the environment. Ms Anite is now a senior presidential adviser.

The High Court in Kampala has directed Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba to file his defence within one week in a case in which jailed opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye accuses him of issuing death threats and making prejudicial public statements against him.

Justice Emmanuel Baguma on Thursday ordered Gen. Muhoozi, the Attorney General, and two Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers-Col Peter Ahibisibwe and Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga-to respond to the application by June 18.

“The respondent (Gen. Muhoozi), take note, is given one week to file a reply by June 18,” Justice Baguma directed.

Also to file their defense within one week are the Attorney General and two officers of the Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces (UPDF); Col Peter Ahibisibwe and Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga, whom Dr Besigye accuses of participating in his alleged abduction from Nairobi and subsequent transfer to Uganda in 2024.

Further, the judge ordered Dr Besigye’s lawyers to file any rejoinder by June 25, before setting June 30 as the date for hearing the application.

“…Then hearing will be on June 30,” Justice Baguma held.

During the proceedings, one of Besigye’s lawyers, Mr Eron Kiiza, requested written orders to facilitate service of court documents on the respondents.

“I have fixed this matter for hearing,” the judge responded before rising from the Bench and walking away.

The response appeared to dissatisfy some of Dr Besigye’s supporters who had packed the courtroom, prompting them to break into songs criticising the presiding judge.

‘Twamuganye Baguma Twamuganye, Twamuganye Baguma Twamuganye…literally meaning, we have refused justice Baguma, we have refused him.’ they chanted on

The application before the Criminal Division of the High Court was filed by Dr Besigye and his co-applicant, Hajj Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, on Monday. The two are currently facing treason-related charges before the High Court.

In the application, Dr Besigye contends that Gen. Muhoozi, who is also President Museveni’s son, has repeatedly used his X social media account to make statements threatening him and commenting on his guilt before the conclusion of judicial proceedings.

According to court documents, Dr Besigye argues that the statements amount to interference with his constitutional rights and undermine his entitlement to a fair hearing before an independent and impartial court.

“The 1st respondent’s adverse and prejudicial public statements threatening death, violence, torture and execution, and characterising the 1st applicant as a criminal, individually and cumulatively, give rise to violations of, and continuing threats to, human rights and freedoms,” the application states.

The former four-time presidential candidate further argues that public declarations of guilt by a senior military officer could prejudice ongoing court proceedings.

“Public pronouncements of guilt, and of a predetermined fatal outcome, made by such a figure while assessors are yet to be empanelled and witnesses heard, contaminate the atmosphere of an independent and impartial court and pressure the trial court,” the court documents add.

Among the social media posts cited in the application is one allegedly published on January 16, 2025, stating: “We will hang KB on Heroes’ Day. That’s the best day for him to die.”

Another post allegedly made on February 19, 2026, reportedly stated: “Besigye wanted to kill Mzee, so as far as we are concerned, UPDF, he is a dead man walking.”

A third post allegedly suggested that Dr Besigye could either be hanged or shot.

Dr Besigye is seeking declarations that the statements by the CDF violated his constitutional rights and that the treason and misprision of treason charges brought against him are inconsistent with principles of fair trial, human rights, the rule of law and extradition law.

The application also raises allegations surrounding the circumstances of his arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2024.

According to court filings, Dr Besigye and Mr Lutale were in Nairobi attending a book launch hosted by Kenyan opposition politician and former Justice minister Martha Karua when they were allegedly abducted by Ugandan security operatives and transferred to Uganda without undergoing formal extradition proceedings.

The applicants further allege that upon arrival in Uganda, they were detained at Makindye Military Barracks, denied access to lawyers, family members, and medical personnel, and subjected to violations of their constitutional rights.

The Attorney General, Gen Muhoozi, and the other respondents are yet to file their responses to the allegations.

The matter will return to court on June 30 for a hearing.

When President Museveni seized power in 1986, Uganda’s economy was in ruins, damaged by years of political disturbance, a collapsing shilling, and a financial system barely holding together.

He was emerging from a five-year guerrilla war that had destroyed all tenets of economic progress, hundreds of thousands of people had died in the war and infrastructure was in shambles. The war had disrupted crop production and marketing. The roads were in an acute state of disrepair; manufacturing activity had virtually ground to a halt; water and electric power supplies were unreliable and many Ugandans had fled to exile.

Back in Kabale District, a five-year-old boy named Henry Musasizi Ariganyira was just beginning life. Today, that same man stands at the helm of Uganda’s Treasury as Finance Minister. His appointment in May closes a long arc of economic stewardship that has seen nine different Finance ministers serve under Museveni, shaping 40 national budgets and attempting to steady Uganda’s complex economy. Each minister inherited the same burden: rebuild trust, enforce fiscal discipline, and reduce reliance on foreign funding and loans.

But behind the budgets and balance sheets lies varied stories of individuals who came with energy to change and impress both their master, President Museveni, and the general public. Some lasted long enough to leave a mark, while others had stints as short as just a budget cycle.

The first experiment: A minister taking on the ruins

Uganda’s post-war government began with Prof Ponsiano Serumaga Mulema as its first Finance minister in 1986 in Mr Museveni’s first 12-member Cabinet sworn in after the National Resistance Army (NRA) overran Kampala in January 1986. He was an unusual choice in a Cabinet dominated by former guerrilla fighters. He was reportedly linked to the Democratic Party and was not among the fighters who had just emerged from the bush. No wonder, his time in office was brief, lasting only six months, and reading only one Budget speech.

Building the foundations

Dr Crispus Walter Kiyonga, the current Second Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament, took over at a time when Uganda needed structure more than slogans. A medical doctor by profession, he helped lay the groundwork for modern revenue collection, including the establishment of the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), a turning point in formalising tax administration. Dr Kiyonga, one of the cadres of Museveni’s party from the 1980s understood his dream more than Prof Mulema did. Dr Kiyonga, who was replaced by Jehoash Mayanja Nkangi in February 1992, brought in policies, including the currency reform of 1987 in which the shilling was devalued by knocking off two zeros and taking off 30 percent. A million shillings was reduced to Shs7,000. Other reforms included the structural adjustment policy, as well as divestiture and privatisation.

Mayanja Nkangi deepened these reforms. His era is remembered for strict fiscal discipline and a push for price stability, working closely with Bank of Uganda technocrats such as Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, who in 1992, was appointed Permanent Secretary in the newly merged Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, a consolidation he had strongly advocated for. The merger strengthened policy coordination and fiscal discipline, setting Uganda on a path toward macroeconomic stability. He later became the Governor of Bank of Uganda from 2001 until his death in 2022. Under his watch, the Bank of Uganda Act (1993) was passed, which strengthened central bank independence and insulated monetary policy from political interference. Nkangi’s tenure ended in 1998 and he was replaced by Gerald Sendawula.

Winning donor confidence

Ssendaula inherited a more stable but still fragile economy from Mayanja Nkangi. Ssendaula’s tenure, between 1998 and 2005, is widely credited with strengthening Uganda’s credibility in the eyes of international lenders such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank. During a recent interview, Sendawula, acknowledging that the size of the economy has expanded, said managing with fewer resources required discipline, transparency, and coordination with development partners. He said clear communication about available resources helped stakeholders align expectations with reality.

He said the main challenge then was limited access to external financing, dependence on donor support, maintaining discipline in expenditure, and balancing competing demands across sectors, saying despite these pressures, strong accountability and careful planning helped sustain the system. It was a period of rebuilding trust; both at home and abroad.

Expanding access, deepening reform

Prof Ezra Suruma, who took on from Sendawula in 2005, pushed Uganda further into financial inclusion. His legacy is tied to the expansion of Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (Saccos), bringing formal credit closer to ordinary Ugandans and rural communities. He was replaced by Syda Namirembe Bbumba in February 2009, earning herself the honour of being Uganda’s first female Finance minister. She took over the ministry amid rising inflation pressures and her firm monetary stance helped stabilise the economy and earned her continental recognition as African Finance Minister of the Year in 2010. She lasted only two years and was replaced by another experienced woman, Maria Kiwanuka.

The Budget for a changing nation

Ms Kiwanuka inherited a shifting economy and focused on aligning national spending with long-term development goals. Her budgets emphasised infrastructure growth and youth employment at a time when Uganda’s population was rapidly expanding. It was during her tenure, between 2011 and 2015, that the country started allocating a big chunk of money to infrastructure development, especially roads. Although started in 2006, the Uganda National Roads Authority under Mr Sebugga Kimeze and later Ms Allen Kagina gained more prominence and received more funding.

The long tenure: Stability, shocks, and strain

Mr Matia Kasaija’s 11-year stewardship became one of the longest in Uganda’s post-independence economic history. He entered office at 71 in 2015 and exited at 82, just last month, overseeing a period marked by both bold investments and significant shocks. Before becoming full minister, he served in various roles, including State Minister for Finance (Planning) and State minister for Internal Affairs. Earlier in his career, he held positions in the private sector and public administration, including managing the Departed Asians Property Custodian Board (1987-1990).

Under his watch, Uganda saw major infrastructure projects such as the Entebbe-Kampala Expressway and the revival of Uganda Airlines, a national symbol of ambition, but one later weighed down by governance and financial challenges. His most challenging period was the Covid-19 pandemic.

The pandemic hit like a fiscal earthquake, closing borders, grounding flights, collapsing tourism, and choking trade. In response, government rolled out large-scale recovery programmes such as Emyooga and the Parish Development Model (PDM), aimed at lifting household incomes and stimulating grassroots enterprise.

But the recovery came at a cost: rising public debt, tighter fiscal space, and growing pressure on the cost of living.

A new era begins

Now, the responsibility shifts to Henry Musasizi.

A trained accountant and seasoned legislator, Musasizi’s journey began quietly, working at Caritas Kabale and later AMREF before entering politics in 2011. From there, he rose steadily: three consecutive terms as MP for Rubanda East, chairing Parliament’s Finance Committee, and later serving as State Minister for Finance. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Commerce from Makerere University and an MBA from Heriot-Watt University. He steps into office at a moment of mounting fiscal pressure: a Shs84.3 trillion National Budget for FY2026/2027, much of which is already earmarked for debt servicing and recurrent expenditure.

Economists warn that while the Budget reflects ambition, it leaves limited space for transformative investment. ‘The Shs84.3 trillion Budget reflects government’s ambition to finance its development agenda, but it also exposes the growing pressure on Uganda’s finances,’ said Timothy Chemonges of the Centre for Policy Analysis (CEPA). A significant portion, he added, will go toward debt servicing; crowding out sectors that directly improve livelihoods.

Musasizi’s first major parliamentary test came swiftly: defending a pound 168.9 million loan (about Shs734 billion) for solar-powered irrigation projects, approved shortly after presentation and a day before he read his first Budget as Minister of Finance.

The weight of the office

Uganda’s Finance ministry has never been just about numbers. It has been about survival, ambition, and political endurance. From a shattered economy in 1986 to today’s trillion-shilling budgets, nine ministers have carried the same burden; each shaping a different chapter of Uganda’s economic story. Now, Musasizi inherits not just a ministry, but a test of whether Uganda’s growth can finally outpace its pressures.

Hello Joshua, a 360-degree camera system does not rely on a single camera. Instead, it uses multiple wide-angle cameras positioned around the vehicle, typically at the front grille, rear number plate area, and beneath each side mirror. These cameras capture different views of the surroundings, and the vehicle’s software combines, or ‘stitches,’ the images together to create a seamless bird’s-eye view around the car.

Because the system depends on multiple cameras and sophisticated software, even minor issues can cause image distortion. One of the most common causes is dirty or obstructed camera lenses. Since the cameras are mounted low on the vehicle, they are constantly exposed to dust, mud, rainwater, and road debris.

Even a small amount of dirt, a fingerprint, or water droplets on a single lens can interfere with image quality. When one camera provides a compromised image, the software struggles to blend it with the others, resulting in warped lines, stretched objects, or mismatched angles. This problem is particularly common in Uganda, where dusty roads and rainy conditions frequently affect vehicle-mounted cameras.

Another major cause of distortion is camera miscalibration. The system requires each camera to remain precisely aligned at a fixed angle. A slight shift in position can affect the accuracy of the stitched image. Misalignment can occur after hitting potholes, brushing curbs during parking, or even following suspension repairs and wheel alignment work. Although such incidents may appear minor, a movement of just a few millimetres can distort the composite image. Drivers may notice that the vehicle appears off-centre on the display or that surrounding objects look stretched or incorrectly positioned.

In some cases, displayed distances may not accurately reflect real-world distances, creating potential risks while parking or reversing. Correcting calibration issues usually requires specialised diagnostic equipment and professional workshop assistance.

Stitching errors

Software-related image stitching errors can also contribute to distortion. Modern 360-degree camera systems rely heavily on software to merge multiple video feeds into a single image. If there is a software glitch, an incomplete system update, or a problem within the infotainment system, the processing of camera images may be affected.

Distortion may appear intermittently, particularly when starting the vehicle, changing gears, or operating other electronic systems. In some cases, performing a system reset or installing a software update can resolve the issue.

Persistent problems, however, may indicate deeper calibration or hardware faults. Hardware failure is another possibility.

Each camera contains sensitive electronic components that can deteriorate over time. Moisture ingress is a common concern, especially during heavy rains or when seals around camera housings begin to fail. Water entering the camera can cause internal fogging, blurred images, or intermittent distortion.

Electrical problems such as poor grounding, damaged wiring, or voltage fluctuations may also affect image quality and synchronisation between cameras. A useful clue is when distortion affects only one section of the 360-degree view while the remaining sections appear normal. This often suggests a fault with a single camera rather than the entire system.

Although a distorted image may indicate that the system is still technically functioning, its effectiveness depends on accuracy and precision. Even small distortions can cause drivers to misjudge distances and obstacles, reducing the safety benefits of the technology. This is particularly important in tight parking situations where centimetres can make a significant difference.

If your 360-degree camera display appears distorted, start by thoroughly cleaning all camera lenses, including the front, rear, and side-mirror units. If the image returns to normal, dirt was likely the cause.

If the problem remains, have the system professionally inspected and recalibrated.

Should calibration fail to resolve the issue, technicians should examine individual cameras for moisture damage, wiring faults, or sensor deterioration. Early diagnosis and repair will help restore accurate imaging and maintain the system’s reliability.