Category: Daily Monitor

With the presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for Thursday, campaigns across the country are entering their final stretch. Promises are being repeated. The future is being argued over loudly and confidently. But malaria does not wait for polling day.

It does not pause for rallies or slogans. In villages like Karubuga in Ntungamo District, it is already at work, silently weakening, quietly disabling, long before a single ballot is cast. The World Malaria Report 2025, released by WHO last December, estimates that Uganda recorded 13.2 million malaria cases in 2024, ranking third globally after Nigeria and DRC, and accounting for about 4.7 percent of cases worldwide. These numbers are not abstract.

They translate into missed school days, lost income, overstretched health facilities, and preventable deaths, especially among children under five and pregnant women. Malaria is among the most preventable diseases Uganda faces. Clearing stagnant water, removing rain-collecting containers, keeping surroundings clean, and sleeping under insecticide-treated nets remain highly effective. Combined with rapid diagnostic tests, effective medicines, and vaccines, these tools have saved millions of lives. The WHO World Malaria Report warns that progress in high-burden countries like Uganda is under threat from declining global health financing, climate-related shocks that expand mosquito breeding, overstretched health systems, and the emerging risk of antimalarial drug resistance in Africa.

Any loss of focus, through funding gaps, supply disruptions, or policy neglect, can quickly reverse hard-won gains. World over, election periods are particularly risky, as they tend to favour short-term visibility over long-term consistency. Malaria control, however, depends on continuity of public health interventions like uninterrupted access to medicines and diagnostics, sustained distribution of mosquito nets, strong surveillance systems, and steady investment in community-level services. Uganda’s malaria story, however, is not only one of burden. It is also one of knowledge, resilience, and innovation. For more than 70 years, Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) has been central to public health training in Uganda and the region.

Researchers trained at Makerere have contributed to malaria epidemiology, outbreak investigation, intervention design, and implementation research, shaping national strategies and informing regional responses, which must be sustained. Therefore, as campaigns intensify and Ugandans go to the polls on January 15, malaria must remain firmly on the national agenda. Voters should look beyond promises and ask practical questions of those seeking office: will malaria services be protected, health facilities kept stocked, and prevention and surveillance funded consistently? Uganda already has the tools and expertise to reduce malaria. The task now is to sustain that commitment beyond election campaigns and apply it consistently to improve lives, long after the rallies end.

Suzan Lamunu embodies the mixed emotions shared by many urban residents as the country edges closer to the January 15 2026, polling day. While she remains hopeful that the electoral process will unfold smoothly, uncertainty clouds her expectations.

Lamunu is already contemplating travelling out of Kampala, a precaution influenced by persistent speculation among colleagues and friends that key service, most notably internet access and mobile money platforms could face temporary disruptions.

Such concerns, rooted in past election experiences, have fuelled anxiety among city dwellers who rely heavily on digital services for communication, business, and access to essential needs. With just days to the polls, the mood across the country remains one of a cautious expectation.

There are some ongoing talks by some Ugandans, increasingly dominated by speculation about what the election period may bring, including fears of possible internet disruptions reminiscent of previous years. But beyond political outcomes, a more pressing concern is emerging; will vital government services, particularly health care continue to function seamlessly during the election season?

Political commentator Thadeo Lubega observes that the current electioneering apprehension, has created fertile ground for speculation, rumours, and unverified claims, particularly on social media. On the question of whether health services may be disrupted during the election period, Lubega remains cautiously confident that essential care will continue uninterrupted.

Drawing from experience in previous poll years, he says there is little indication that health facilities will suspend operations, noting that the preservation of life has consistently remained a national priority. Nevertheless, he urges Ugandans to remain calm and to refrain from acts of violence, warning that unrest not only threatens public safety but also undermines national development. ”Peaceful conduct by citizens plays a critical role in ensuring that essential services, including healthcare, continue to function normally. I believe that Uganda, as a nation, values life, and I expect health facilities to remain operational under normal circumstances,’ Lubega says.

He cautions, however, that while hospitals and clinics may stay open, disruptions to enabling services particularly internet connectivity could indirectly affect health service delivery.

Lwanga explains that modern healthcare increasingly relies on digital platforms, with doctors often consulting colleagues online for specialist advice and referrals. In an increasingly interconnected global environment, he argues, any interruption in internet services could limit such professional collaboration, potentially affecting the quality and timeliness of care.

Government assures

Sylvia Kirabo, a medical practitioner, downplays fears of election-related disruptions to healthcare services, insisting that the sector will continue operating as normal. She says all government health workers are expected to report to their duty stations, as has been the case in previous election periods. According to Kirabo, health workers have not received any official communication directing the suspension of services on polling day, a clear indication that public health facilities will remain open to attend to patients.

She adds that continuity of health care remains a core obligation of the health sector. Emmanuel Ainebyoona, the Ministry of Health spokesperson, has assured the public that there will be no disruption of health services during the election period, stressing that healthcare is classified as an essential service. ‘All public and private health facilities will remain fully operational during and after the elections.

The mandate of health workers is to guarantee uninterrupted access to health services for all Ugandans at all times,’ Ainebyoona stated. He directed members of the public to continue seeking medical attention from their nearest health facilities whenever necessary, confirming that health workers will be deployed and on duty across the country.

Stock supplies

‘First, you must proactively manage your medications by ensuring you have at least a two-week supply of all prescription and essential over-the-counter drugs at home. This buffer is critical because pharmacies may become inaccessible,’ says Dr Mugisha.

Visit your doctor or clinic immediately to request refills for this extended period. Once secured, store medicines properly in their original containers and take clear photographs of all prescription labels. These photos provide vital information for healthcare workers in an emergency if you are separated from your physical medications.

‘Second, prepare a dedicated emergency kit that goes beyond a standard first-aid box. This kit should enable you to shelter safely at home for up to 72 hours. In addition to bandages and antiseptics, include specialised items such as a tourniquet and hemostatic gauze for serious bleeding, and saline solution or a mixture of water and liquid antacid to soothe skin and eyes exposed to tear gas,’ he says.

Your kit must also contain practical survival items, a minimum of four litres of water per person per day, ready-to-eat food, a solar-powered power bank, a battery-operated radio, and a reserve of cash in small denomination notes to cover expenses if banking services are unavailable.

Communication and transport plan

Develop a detailed plan for communication and transport, as these systems are most likely to fail during civil unrest. Save all critical contact numbers, for your preferred hospital, a trusted local clinic, and reliable private transport drivers, directly into your phone’s contacts and also write them on a physical piece of paper.

Do not rely on having internet access to find them. Furthermore, identify in advance the physical location and safest route to your chosen medical facility. Map out a primary and an alternative back-up route that avoids areas where protests or gatherings are likely to occur.

Formalise a support network by designating a family member or neighbour as your emergency check-in contact. Share your entire preparedness plan with this person, including your medication list, chosen hospital, and evacuation routes. Establish a simple daily check-in protocol, such as a pre-agreed text message; if you fail to check in or send a distress signal, your contact will know to try to reach you or alert authorities on your behalf.

Steps to secure your health and safeties supplies

It is good to have a full-backpack containing necessities such as food, water, first aid kit, battery-powered radio, flashlight, whistle, cell phone, medications, personal documents, and cash. Keep them in an easy-to-carry bag.

Have a plan for emergencies. Know your community plan.

Stay informed. Monitor local news and weather updates.

Practice safety drills.

Help others if you can.

For decades, Dr Jamirah Namusoke has been a lifeline to patients who walk into hospital wards in pain, fear and uncertainty. As Uganda’s first female orthopaedic surgeon, she broke barriers in a male-dominated field and dedicated her life to restoring mobility and dignity to countless people. Today, the doctor who has healed so many now urgently needs healing herself.

Dr Namusoke is battling advanced kidney disease and requires an urgent kidney transplant abroad. The life-saving procedure and related care are estimated to cost about $55,000 (approximately Shs200 million), a sum far beyond the reach of an individual public servant in Uganda. Friends, colleagues and well-wishers have therefore, launched a public appeal to raise the funds needed to save her life.

Those who know Dr Namusoke describe her as compassionate, tireless and deeply committed to service. Even as her health has deteriorated, she has continued to show up for her patients and students whenever she can, driven by a strong sense of duty and love for her work.

Her selfless service once touched a life that would later come full circle. In 2019, Dr Namusoke was part of the team that treated Samuel Leeds, a UK tourist and philanthropist who sustained serious injuries while rafting on the River Nile. Moved by the care he received, Mr Leeds, through the Samuel Leeds Foundation, later donated Shs1 billion to build and equip an orthopaedic ward at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, where Dr Namusoke works. It was a powerful reminder that compassion often returns in unexpected ways.

Now, as she faces her own medical crisis, many are hoping that the same spirit of generosity will be extended to her.

Dr Namusoke’s journey is one of resilience and quiet excellence. She began her career in 1995 as a qualified dispenser at Entebbe Grade A Hospital. Determined to do more, she pursued medicine between 1999 and 2004, later serving as a medical officer at Kibuli Hospital. Her passion for orthopaedics led her to further studies, and she graduated with a Master of Medicine in Orthopaedic Surgery. Since 2016, she has worked at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, helping to grow the orthopaedic department into a teaching centre for postgraduate students. She also lectures at Kampala International University, inspiring many young women to consider careers in surgery.

A mother and wife, Dr Namusoke traces her education to Bukoyo Primary School in Iganga, and later Tororo and Nabisunsa Girls’ schools. Her life story mirrors that of many Ugandans who rise through determination, faith and service to others.

To financially support Dr Namusoke, contributions can be made to her Account Number 0151386842700, Standard Chartered Bank Uganda Ltd, Kampala (Swift Code: SCBLUGKAXXX). For more information, Dr Jamirah Namusoke can be reached on 0772 560289, or Dr Suzan Kizala on 0772 968584.

The NRM party leaders in Kigezi sub-region have formed a task force of 63 members in every village to boost and canvas votes for President Yoweri Museveni and their party flag bearers, targeting 99 per cent vote in the area.

In the 2021 general elections, 666,873 registered voters in Kigezi sub-region participated in the exercise and Mr Museveni won with an average vote of 83.2 per cent – 84.5 per cent in Kabale , 84.17 per cent in Kanungu, 90.5 per cent in Kisoro, 87.17 per cent in Rubanda, 81.7 per cent in Rukiga and 71.4 per cent in Rukungiri District.

The NRM party grass root mobilisation team led by the NRM deputy treasurer Ms Jaqueline Kyatuheire appealed to the corporate class to join the mobilisation team to guide the less privileged in electing leaders that will foster national development.

‘We have formed a task force of 63 members in every village in Kigezi region to boost and canvas votes for President Museveni and all the flag bearers to avoid a discord currently staged by the independent candidates. Each of the members is expected to mobilize at least 12 people or more depending on the population in that village,’ she said.

Ms Kyatuheire appealed to independent candidates to withdraw from the race and support the flag bearers, citing examples from Rwampara and Isingiro districts.

She added that denying independent candidates votes will scare away other people from contesting in the next cycle of elections after losing their party flags. She also asked the youth to avoid being used in acts of election violence to avoid related consequences.

The vice chairman for the NRM grass root mobilization team in Kigezi region Lt Col (rtd) Edward Natukunda warned that any person that involves themselves in acts of election violence shall be dealt with in accordance with the laws.

‘Do not be intimidated by the negative forces. On the voting day, come early and witness the opening of the ballot boxes, cast your votes and go home or stay 20 meters away if you wish. While at the polling stations, please respect the electoral commission guidelines. Security is guaranteed for all the voters and the election officials during the polling exercise,’ he said.

As we begin a defining week towards the January 15 General Election, the stakes could hardly be higher. This is not merely another electoral cycle marked by rallies and slogans but a moment of reckoning over the kind of nation we want to build.

After nearly four decades under the same political leadership, we are once again weighing continuity against change amid rising economic pressure and growing demands for accountability. Central to this election is the question of democratic space. In recent months, Opposition activities, particularly those linked to the National Unity Platform (NUP), have repeatedly been disrupted by security forces, with reports of blocked rallies, arrests, and the use of tear gas.

Human rights organisations have documented cases of excessive force against Opposition supporters and restrictions on peaceful assembly. These incidents have sparked debate in Parliament and concern among civil society, raising fears that political competition is being unevenly policed. Such developments matter because elections derive legitimacy not only from ballots cast, but from the freedom with which citizens can organise, speak, and choose. A peaceful election is not one without disagreement but one in which the rule of law is applied impartially, and dissent is protected rather than criminalised. Beyond politics, economic realities weigh heavily on voters. Youth unemployment remains stubbornly high, and the rising cost of living continues to strain households across the country.

From urban informal settlements to rural farming communities, many Ugandans express frustration that years of promised transformation have not translated into secure jobs, affordable healthcare, or quality education. Poverty, especially in vulnerable regions, continues to limit opportunity and fuel voter apathy. Corruption also remains a persistent concern. Repeated reports of mismanagement and loss of public funds have eroded trust in State institutions and undermined service delivery. For many citizens, the fight against corruption is no longer rhetorical but directly linked to whether hospitals have medicine, roads are completed, and public programmes reach their intended beneficiaries.

This election must, therefore, be about more than personalities. It must be about restoring trust in institutions, protecting political freedoms, and delivering an economy that works for the many, not the few because patriotism demands scrutiny, not silence. Uganda’s future will not be determined by speeches slogans or hashtags, but by the courage of its citizens to insist on fairness, accountability, and hope. The ballot may be small but its power remains immense. Let this election be a step toward that future, not a step back into the politics of the past.

My child has been experiencing fevers that appear during the cold nights and goes away during the warmer daytime hours. This has been happening repeatedly, even though blood tests for malaria came back negative. I am concerned about the ongoing symptoms and would like to understand: What could be causing this recurring nighttime fever? Is there a reason for the fever pattern related to temperature changes and should we consider other possible diagnoses, since malaria was not confirmed by testing? Asia

Dear Asia,

Fever (increase in body temperature) much as it is hated by many, is a bodies way of trying to defend itself from parasites (malaria),viral (common cold), bacteria (typhoid) and other germs that may have attacked the body. When invaded by some of the said germs, the body raises its temperature as a way to fight against the gems while boosting other body defences including the immune system.

Cold temperatures and fevers often go hand-in-hand because feeling cold or feeling chilly with sometimes shivering and fever are both ways the body tries to fight germs that infect us. That said, tissue inflammation, some cancers (Hodgkins), tissue destruction, allergies (though not directly) among others may also lead to a fever usually measured in various parts of the body by a thermometer.

Though the normal body temperature varies from person to person, by age, physical activity, the body part where it has been taken from and time of day, body temperature above 37.2°C, may signal a fever.

Malaria a common cause of fever when its parasites invade blood, may lead to high fever (in cycles depending on the type of parasites affecting the blood) and this may coincidently happen at night regardless of whether it is cold or not.

This could be the reason why the tot’s blood was checked for malaria. Cold weather does not directly cause fever, but may create conditions for germs especially viruses to thrive, leading to fever requiring that many more tests are done by medics to get to the root cause of the fever.

The Supreme Court in Uganda has dismissed an application seeking to halt Uganda’s electoral process and invalidate the outcome of a previous General Election, ruling that the matter was a pre-election dispute that fell outside its constitutional mandate.

The decision was delivered in a brief ruling read by Justice Christopher Madurama on behalf of a seven-member bench comprising Prof Lillian Tibatemwa, Mike Chibita, Catherine Bamugemereire, Muzamiru Kibendi, Anna Mugenyi and Stephen Musota.

The case was filed by Patrick Mukisa against the Attorney General, the Electoral Commission and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. The applicant sought wide-ranging declarations, including orders stopping the conduct of elections, nullifying the results of an earlier general election, dissolving the government formed from it, and establishing an interim administration.

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Court records indicate that the Electoral Commission opposed the application, and that all respondents consented to the Commission’s affidavit in reply being adopted as their joint response.

In its ruling, the court first addressed the question of jurisdiction. Justice Madurama stated that the Constitution establishes the Supreme Court as the final arbiter of appeals and limits the scope of its original jurisdiction.

‘The exercise of original jurisdiction by this court is specifically provided for presidential election petitions filed by candidates after a declaration of results,’ Justice Madurama ruled.

He explained that while the Supreme Court enjoys inherent jurisdiction, such authority cannot be exercised in a manner that contradicts the Constitution or statutory law.

‘The Supreme Court enjoys inherent jurisdiction, but that jurisdiction cannot be invoked to injunct an election process where the dispute is pre-election in nature,’ the ruling stated.

The bench found that the issues raised by the applicant were pre-election matters and therefore could not be entertained by the Supreme Court. Justice Madurama emphasised that elections, particularly presidential elections, are a mandatory constitutional duty.

‘To bar an election would amount to stopping a mandatory constitutional obligation,’ he said.

The court further addressed the applicant’s request to be admitted as a friend of the court.

Justice Madurama ruled that the applicant did not qualify for such admission.

‘The applicant does not qualify to be a friend of the court as he is not admitted, and there is no matter pending before this court that would permit such admission,’ he ruled.

The court added that a friend of the court must be a neutral party and can only be admitted where there is a properly constituted matter before the court.

The Supreme Court also considered the applicant’s standing to bring the application. It held that post-election matters are time-bound and must be brought by parties recognised under the Constitution and electoral laws, particularly aggrieved candidates in presidential election petitions.

On the issue of the third respondent, the court noted that President Museveni is a sitting president. Justice Madurama held that under the Constitution, a sitting president enjoys immunity from proceedings of the nature brought before the court.

‘In the circumstances, the third respondent is a sitting president and enjoys immunity. The proceedings against him are struck out,’ he ruled.

Having addressed the preliminary issues of jurisdiction, locus standi and immunity, the Supreme Court dismissed the application in its entirety.

‘The application is incompetent and is accordingly dismissed,’ Justice Madurama concluded.

Following the ruling, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka addressed questions regarding the implementation of earlier court recommendations on electoral matters, including prisoners voting rights and Ugandans living in the diaspora.

Mr Kiwanuka said the laws of Uganda provide that elections are conducted in gazetted areas where there is access to the general population.

‘The laws of Uganda allow elections to be conducted in gazetted areas where there is access to other people,’ Kiwanuka said.

He added that prisoners who wish to vote may apply to the courts for permission to participate in the electoral process.

On the issue of diaspora voting, the Attorney General said Ugandans living abroad are free to return home to exercise their right to vote within the existing legal framework.

He noted that the current laws do not prevent citizens from voting once they are physically present in the country.

The Supreme Court did not issue any further orders beyond dismissing the application and striking out the proceedings against the sitting president.

The ruling reaffirmed the limits of the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction in electoral disputes and underscored that challenges to elections must follow the procedures and timelines set out in the Constitution and the electoral laws.

Special prayers were held yesterday for jailed veteran Opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye and other political prisoners, amid mounting criticism of what Opposition figures describe as escalating repression ahead of Thursday’s elections. The prayers held at Besigye’s Kasangati home in Wakiso District brought together Opposition leaders, families of detainees, religious leaders, and supporters, who called for the release of political prisoners and peaceful elections. Ms Winnie Byanyima, Dr Besigye’s wife, said the political environment has steadily deteriorated since Dr Besigye broke ranks with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). ‘When we started, there was not much repression.

But from the time Dr Besigye left the NRM, hatred has continued to grow from one election to another,’ Ms Byanyima said. She condemned what she described as systematic violence against Opposition supporters during the campaign period. ‘What kind of campaigns are these where an Opposition candidate cannot hold a rally without people being beaten, abducted, arrested, killed, or imprisoned? Rally after rally, there is violence, and then they wait to declare themselves winners. What kind of victory is that?’ she asked. Ms Byanyima said jailing political opponents and their supporters was a sign of weakness rather than strength, and urged Ugandans to reject violence and brutality. ‘This is not just an election. It is a stand against dictatorship.

That is why we support the idea of a protest vote,’ she said, calling on Opposition leaders to mobilise supporters to protect the vote at polling stations. She also criticised the arrest and continued detention of clergy, including Deusdedit Ssekabira, the former Masaka Diocesan youth chaplain, saying denying him bail was unacceptable. The National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, said: ‘The hardest part of politics is standing before the relatives of political prisoners. Sometimes I break down. What affects one of us affects all of us as a country.’ He thanked families of detainees for their resilience and solidarity, and said Dr Besigye had contacted him from prison to express support.

‘God stands on the side of the oppressed. We must not allow ourselves to be divided, because dictators thrive on division,’ Mr Kyagulanyi said, urging supporters to remain united and peaceful. Mr Kyagulanyi also praised Dr Besigye, a four-time presidential candidate, as his political mentor, and said without him, he wouldn’t be where he is now politically.

‘Your husband is an honourable person. Had I not stood with Dr Kizza Besigye, I would not be here today. I did not know that I, too, would end up under house arrest. This should remind us that what affects one of us affects all of us as a country,’ he said. He added: ‘We are all in the same boat, whether you are up or down, because everyone is being arrested. I also received a call from Dr Besigye, and he told me that he stands with us.’

Background

Dr Besigye and his aide, Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, have been on remand at Luzira Prison since November 2024, facing treason charges following their abduction from Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, and return to Uganda.

The Supreme Court in Uganda has dismissed an application seeking to halt Uganda’s electoral process and invalidate the outcome of a previous General Election, ruling that the matter was a pre-election dispute that fell outside its constitutional mandate.

The decision was delivered in a brief ruling read by Justice Christopher Madurama on behalf of a seven-member bench comprising Prof Lillian Tibatemwa, Mike Chibita, Catherine Bamugemereire, Muzamiru Kibendi, Anna Mugenyi and Stephen Musota.

The case was filed by Patrick Mukisa against the Attorney General, the Electoral Commission and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. The applicant sought wide-ranging declarations, including orders stopping the conduct of elections, nullifying the results of an earlier general election, dissolving the government formed from it, and establishing an interim administration.

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EC boss Byabakama joins electoral reforms choir

2026 elections to cost Shs1.3 trillion

Court records indicate that the Electoral Commission opposed the application, and that all respondents consented to the Commission’s affidavit in reply being adopted as their joint response.

In its ruling, the court first addressed the question of jurisdiction. Justice Madurama stated that the Constitution establishes the Supreme Court as the final arbiter of appeals and limits the scope of its original jurisdiction.

‘The exercise of original jurisdiction by this court is specifically provided for presidential election petitions filed by candidates after a declaration of results,’ Justice Madurama ruled.

He explained that while the Supreme Court enjoys inherent jurisdiction, such authority cannot be exercised in a manner that contradicts the Constitution or statutory law.

‘The Supreme Court enjoys inherent jurisdiction, but that jurisdiction cannot be invoked to injunct an election process where the dispute is pre-election in nature,’ the ruling stated.

The bench found that the issues raised by the applicant were pre-election matters and therefore could not be entertained by the Supreme Court. Justice Madurama emphasised that elections, particularly presidential elections, are a mandatory constitutional duty.

‘To bar an election would amount to stopping a mandatory constitutional obligation,’ he said.

The court further addressed the applicant’s request to be admitted as a friend of the court.

Justice Madurama ruled that the applicant did not qualify for such admission.

‘The applicant does not qualify to be a friend of the court as he is not admitted, and there is no matter pending before this court that would permit such admission,’ he ruled.

The court added that a friend of the court must be a neutral party and can only be admitted where there is a properly constituted matter before the court.

The Supreme Court also considered the applicant’s standing to bring the application. It held that post-election matters are time-bound and must be brought by parties recognised under the Constitution and electoral laws, particularly aggrieved candidates in presidential election petitions.

On the issue of the third respondent, the court noted that President Museveni is a sitting president. Justice Madurama held that under the Constitution, a sitting president enjoys immunity from proceedings of the nature brought before the court.

‘In the circumstances, the third respondent is a sitting president and enjoys immunity. The proceedings against him are struck out,’ he ruled.

Having addressed the preliminary issues of jurisdiction, locus standi and immunity, the Supreme Court dismissed the application in its entirety.

‘The application is incompetent and is accordingly dismissed,’ Justice Madurama concluded.

Following the ruling, Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka addressed questions regarding the implementation of earlier court recommendations on electoral matters, including prisoners voting rights and Ugandans living in the diaspora.

Mr Kiwanuka said the laws of Uganda provide that elections are conducted in gazetted areas where there is access to the general population.

‘The laws of Uganda allow elections to be conducted in gazetted areas where there is access to other people,’ Kiwanuka said.

He added that prisoners who wish to vote may apply to the courts for permission to participate in the electoral process.

On the issue of diaspora voting, the Attorney General said Ugandans living abroad are free to return home to exercise their right to vote within the existing legal framework.

He noted that the current laws do not prevent citizens from voting once they are physically present in the country.

The Supreme Court did not issue any further orders beyond dismissing the application and striking out the proceedings against the sitting president.

The ruling reaffirmed the limits of the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction in electoral disputes and underscored that challenges to elections must follow the procedures and timelines set out in the Constitution and the electoral laws.

Dear Tingasiga

Greetings from Kabaare, where mist and fog have claimed their usual place of pride this morning. The dense white fog, with its ancient and invincible power that our elders narrated in our fireplace stories, reminds me of a beautiful childhood. It is a response that seems hardwired into my being.

Mist transforms familiar landscapes into alien territories. The terraced hills and verdant valleys of Kigyezi that have provided visual pleasure for decades become disorienting, even fearsome, when shrouded in fog. Trees in this compound emerge as shadowy figures, bird sounds become distorted and directionless, and distance becomes impossible to judge.

However, the mist this morning appears to have a more mysterious dimension. The unease about the unknown seems stronger than usual. Methinks that this week, in which Ugandans go to the polls to cast their ballots, may have something to do with it.

I have already enjoyed three lovely weeks in Uganda, a therapeutic experience that has been enhanced by social interaction with family and friends, and a rather irresponsible mission to eat of this country’s abundant food. I have watched, with alarmed interest, some reckless driving on the highways, but this has not stopped me from taking the wheel in the unavoidable madness.

I have also watched and listened to politicians doing their thing, all competing for the hearts and votes of citizens, complete with empty promises dispensed with mischief masquerading as sincere interest in the welfare of ‘the people.’ Cash is king. Politicians are buying voters. The latter know that their lot will hardly change once the new honourables have taken their oaths of office.

I have been amused by the sight of political candidates guarded by armed policemen, presumably to protect them from the voters. Wonders never cease. A playwright should craft a script about this paradox for the theatre.

Here in Kigyezi, the competition for parliamentary and district offices has become an overt interreligious contest between Anglican Protestants and Roman Catholics, a throwback to the vicious fights that I witnessed at the dawn of our political independence, over 60 years ago.

While my old self would have pleaded with my kinsmen to abandon the foolishness of this sectarian narrowmindedness, I have found myself smiling in resigned acceptance of my people’s choice to engage in this pointless self-flagellation.

It is all about ego, not development. It is futile mass suicide of which my generation can speak with authority. We saw the fruits of our parents’ regrettable foray into the foolishness of religious and other factional conflict.

I have kept in touch with friends in and outside Uganda. A friend in Nairobi is hosting ‘election refugees’, Ugandan folks who have repaired to that city because they are afraid that ‘something’ will happen after the elections. Friends in Kampala have kept me supplied with updates that hint at ‘something nasty’ lurking behind the façade of a tranquil capital of the republic.

Reports of massive police and army deployment in the city, meant to enhance security, have upped the proverbial mist that shrouds the land because most Ugandans do not have a memory of fair and violence-free elections. A dear friend wrote to me from Southern Africa to express her concern for her family members in Uganda. Fear is king.

Which brings me back to the mist that engulfs Kabaare as I write. We are visual creatures that rely on sight to navigate and assess threats. Mist strips away our early warning visual system, and we cannot see what is coming.

The connection between mist and fear runs deeper than simple fireside stories that we heard from our elders. It speaks to fundamental truths about human perception, vulnerability, and the unknown. The fear that mist inspires is the fear of that uncertain space between the known and unknown. We see with clarity that which is immediately around us. Our vision encounters graduated zones of obscurity, with hazy objects quickly giving way to the impenetrable wall of white where anything might lurk. We are simultaneously grounded in reality and suspended in possibility. The ground beneath our feet is real, but what lies 10 paces ahead exists in a realm of imagination until we reach it.

It is always what lies behind that wall that inflicts fear that forces the faint of heart to seek refuge in predictable, fogless climes until the mist lifts. That mist externalises people’s internal states of confusion and dread. It perfectly mirrors the state in which many Ugandans find themselves – gibberish chatter by politicians and military men, obscured truth, and inability to see what threatens them.

Of course, much of what frightens people is not what they see but what they cannot see. The imagination, given incomplete information, fills the gaps with nightmares. A figure glimpsed through fog becomes more menacing than one seen clearly, precisely because our minds project onto that uncertainty. Our imagination triggers a cascade of increasingly fearsome images. We become unhinged from reality. But perhaps what makes mist truly frightening is its reminder of how thin the veneer of our mastery over the world really is. We live in an age of technologies designed to penetrate obscurity and render everything visible. Yet a simple thunderstorm or other meteorological phenomenon can reduce all this to nothing. In mist, we retreat to a more primitive state, forced to rely on basic senses and instincts like fear and impulsive decisions.

Likewise, the jolly world of magnificent weddings and funerals, economic growth and relentless social intercourse at which Ugandans excel, becomes disrupted by what, in most countries, is a routine democratic exercise of choosing who governs the land.

Elections in countries like Australia, Botswana, Canada, Germany, Ghana, Japan, Mauritius, Namibia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and the United Kingdom occur in sunny clarity that renders them almost boring. Not so in Uganda, where our struggle for democracy remains mired in the fear of a misty uncertainty, of reduced control, of being reminded that clarity is not our natural state.

The political world of countries like Botswana, Mauritius and Namibia is legible, predictable, and well-lit. Uganda is misty, dark, uncertain, and understandably fearful for many.

However, I hang onto the hope that sanity will strike one day, and this country’s politicians and military folk will discover the truth of their inescapable mortality. Then the fog will finally lift, the familiar landmarks of civilized co-existence of the colonial days will re-emerge, and predictable human rights for all will become as clear as the terraced hills of Kigyezi at mid-afternoon.

Perhaps – just perhaps – this week’s electoral effort will defy predictions, and the morning after will witness relative peace and calm. It is doable, for it is within the human will to accomplish. Starting with the rulers and their main opponents. We live with hope.