Category: Daily Monitor

It’s a new year. New resolutions. The promise of a ‘new Uganda’ (no pun intended) buzzes on, but the same old noise of urban Uganda, especially Kampala Metropolitan, still lingers like an incurable ailment; sadly, despite some of the finest diagnoses and prescriptions like Nema’s noise standards and control regulations, crafted 23 years ago.

I went to bed by 8.30pm on the first Saturday night of 2026, hoping to be up by 5am to start my day ‘in power’; hour-long exercise, a few book pages, morning quiet time, then prepare for the Sunday service. Alas, I was up at 2 am. I had lost sleep barely five hours after finally finding it! Loud music blasting all night in my neighbourhood in Mukono from what seemed to be a political-rally- ‘after party’ just couldn’t let me ‘rest in (temporary) peace’.

Normally, when you suddenly lose sleep at night, it’s advisable to try to get yourself back by staying in bed, eyes closed, lights off. If it persists, then maybe, you could, with warm light- continue reading the bedside book you dropped when you finally dozed off, until you do again. However, none of that worked, the noise was simply too much. My ear drums were vibrating while my chest heaved from annoyance due to the noise disturbance! After 30 minutes of wriggling in bed with failed attempts to ignore the kinyanya, I reached for my phone (never a good practice at night) to complain on a WhatsApp group with one of my Mukono Members of Parliament (MP).

Now don’t be fooled, I know about the legal provision for formally lodging a complaint against those emitting noise beyond permissible decibels. (Let’s not even go there). Anyway, no sooner had I began typing my message in this group, than I saw a message (link) posted at 1.28am by the area MP inviting members to either join a TikTok Live or watch a TikTok video. I immediately stopped typing. How could I expect action, let alone empathy for my sleep deprivation from a ‘night-lifing’ legislator!

I closed WhatsApp and asked Gemini for the list of the ‘noisiest cities in the world’. I saw Cairo, Delhi, Buenos Aires, Mumbai, New York, among others. Kampala wasn’t among, to my disappointment; even when I later narrowed my scope to Africa. Does that mean we’re good by international standards. No! How come we make it to global indices/rankings for other out-ward looking vices like corruption, human rights violations, epidemic outbreaks, and anything that threatens the international community! Two reasons: First, as it stands, Kampala’s multifaceted dysfunctions disqualify it from systematic, global, metrical analysis, let alone recognition as a city, essentially.

Second, for seemingly innocuous vices such as noise pollution, everyone’s got to clean their own house. Besides, our ‘generous’ neighbours like America, who normally run to our rescue albeit for their political interests, have noisy New York and Los Angeles to deal with. However, what makes Kampala’s situation particularly disheartening is that- as the song has always been sung- ‘we have some of the best (most refined) laws in the world’ including those on noise pollution- but just like the rest of the laws, they fail on enforcement largely due to lack of political will.

Maybe because this dire auditory dysfunction benefits the politicians and their noise-polluted political system: A noise-dulled/damaged intellect won’t cut through flimsy manifestos! Even worse, perhaps, due to long, undiagnosed partial hearing loss, the masses can barely detect the same lie/promise told five years ago/later. The World Health Organisation classifies anything over 65 decibels as noise pollution- unwanted or harmful sound that disrupts daily life. Ugandan health researchers should study the correlation between noise pollution and mental health in Uganda. We may be surprised by the results. Some of the notable risks of noise pollution include hearing loss, cognitive disorders such as stress, anxiety, memory loss, etc.

Even with elections looming, scarcely does one hear majority politicians’ manifesto specifically address this critical issue as part of their public health and social order agenda. Neither those vying for urban domains nor even one of the green coloured parties that should, obviously, for symbolic reasons, be more vocal on environmental issues. One thing is certain; we need to urgently turn down the noise gain in urban Uganda for a saner society; it’s not one to be protected.

Hopefully, I can catch some more sleep after checking out ear muffs online; it’s going to be a long day-you know how Sundays can be around Kampala, thanks to our Pentecostal and charismatic neighbours, who must apparently shout for their God’s attention; or has the city noise overtime also deafened their God, too?

Kamuli District Health Department has received 31,280 insecticide-treated mosquito nets for free distribution to residents, amid warnings against their misuse.

Receiving the consignment from the Ministry of Health, the Assistant District Health Officer in charge of Malaria Control, Ms Winnie Kaiza, said all preparations for distribution had been completed.

“We have already concluded the training of our personnel and finalized the mode of distribution. The community is eagerly waiting to receive and use these mosquito nets,” Ms Kaiza said.

She added that the district received 6,256 bales, each containing 50 insecticide-treated nets, and assured residents that distribution would target the rightful beneficiaries.

“Malaria accounts for about 30 per cent of all reported illnesses in Kamuli and remains the leading cause of blood transfusions. These nets are a key intervention in reducing the disease burden,” Kaiza noted.

However, Kamuli Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Ms Rose Birungi warned that misuse of the mosquito nets could undermine government efforts to fight malaria.

“We must intensify public awareness on the proper use of these nets so that they deliver the expected impact in malaria control,” Ms Birungi said.

She cautioned that government investment would be rendered futile if the mosquito nets were diverted for other purposes.

“These resources must not be wasted. Communities must take responsibility through monitoring, education, and embracing mosquito nets as a primary preventive measure,” she added.

Meanwhile, Mr Jackson Mukungu, a social worker in the district, called for improved hygiene and sanitation alongside strict enforcement against defaulters.

“Preventive approaches such as sanitation, hygiene, and community health outreaches are more cost-effective than curative interventions and will greatly reduce the disease burden,” Mr Mukungu said.

Free mosquito net distribution is a government-led health initiative aimed at preventing malaria by providing insecticide-treated nets to households at no cost. The exercise targets vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and children, and communities are encouraged to use the nets properly for sleeping to reduce malaria infections.

The National Unity Platform (NUP) party presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine has rallied Ugandans to overcome fear when making political decisions.

Addressing supporters at a campaign rally in Rubindi town, Mbarara District on Thursday, Kyagulanyi said Ugandans are yearning for change but are held back by fear.

“The 21st challenges cannot be solved by the current government, it’s us the young generation, but the challenge we are facing is because we are ruled by fear. I am happy that the young people are now coming up to show that they want change but have been controlled by fear and intimidation,” Kyagulanyi said.

He emphasized that confidence and hope are key to making meaningful political decisions, urging Ugandans to focus on values rather than emotions when choosing their political path.

“When you talk to some Ugandans, even those in government, they tell you that things are not going well, they want change, and they know the current leadership cannot deliver this, but they cannot vote for you because of things like tribal sentiments,” Kyagulanyi said.

He cautioned against sectarian tendencies, saying the country has been divided along sectarian lines for too long.

“For the last forty years, the country has been divided along sectarianism, this is very bad for the country. The bad roads, poor quality education, the poor health services, the justice system knows no tribe or religion, our mission is to unite all Ugandans for the better of our country,” he said.

Kyagulanyi also highlighted corruption as a major challenge, citing instances where candidates have been allegedly bought out of the race.

“You can see how corrupt the regime is, even in this political season, we hear they are buying some candidates at Shs 500 million for political races, and you trust this government to develop this country?” he said.

NUP coordinator for Ankole region, Bright Muhumuza, said the people face numerous challenges but are often manipulated to support the system through politics of intimidation.

The battle over the Makindye Division mayoral seat is shifting to the courts after 11 disqualified candidates vowed to challenge the Electoral Commission (EC) decision that left the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party’s Yasin Omari unopposed, with barely days to the polls.

Several of the affected aspirants told reporters on Tuesday that they were consulting lawyers to explore legal options, including filing an election petition and seeking judicial review of the EC tribunal ruling that knocked them out of the race.

Some even stormed the EC headquarters with their supporters, carrying placards, demanding the release of a copy of the ruling that would enable them to appeal before the High Court for redress.

‘We are not going to let this matter end here,’ said former candidate Haruna Ssebaggala.

‘We complied with the requirements, we were nominated, we campaigned, and now we are being told we never qualified. That is unacceptable.’

The EC tribunal, chaired by Justice Simon Byabakama, ruled that the candidates failed to submit the legally required minimum of 20 valid supporter signatures from at least 20 of Makindye Division’s 25 parishes. The ruling followed a petition filed by Mr Omari challenging the authenticity and origin of the signatures.

The decision effectively handed the mayoral seat to the NRM without a vote, sparking accusations that the EC had undermined competitive politics in one of Kampala’s traditionally Opposition-leaning divisions.

Mr Joel Jjuko Nakibinge, another disqualified aspirant, said: ‘The EC claims some of my supporters came from districts I have never visited…If such basic verification can be mishandled, then the integrity of the entire electoral process is at risk.’

The developments come at a sensitive time for the Opposition in Makindye Division, currently led by NUP’s Ali Nganda Mulyanyama, who is contesting for the Makindye East parliamentary seat.

In contrast, Mr Omari defended the EC ruling, insisting the process was lawful and transparent. ‘Some candidates submitted signatures from outside Makindye,’ he said.

EC spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi said the Commission acted within the law and dismissed claims of bias. Legal experts said while the aggrieved candidates are free to seek redress in court, overturning the decision may be difficult given the strict timelines governing electoral disputes.

Senior lawyer Wandera Ogalo noted that nomination requirements are clear and unforgiving.

‘Courts rarely interfere where the law has been plainly breached,’ Mr Ogalo said. ‘If signatures were invalid or sourced outside the division, the EC acted correctly.’ However, political analysts warn that the Makindye episode could further erode public trust in the electoral process, especially in urban areas where opposition support is strong.

‘This feeds into a wider narrative of managed elections,’ said media scholar Isaac Akugizibwe.

‘Even when the law is followed, perception matters, and this decision reinforces Opposition’s claims of a tilted playing field.’

In Uganda, where family is traditionally seen as the domain of women, and where a man’s worth is often measured by his ability to provide in conventional terms, Shafic Ssentume’s journey is the anomaly. The 24-year-old filmmaker and photographer, has spent the last two years packing toddler snacks and bottles of formula, learning to braid hair from YouTube tutorials. Ssentume spends each morning planning feedings, nap schedules, and film edits.

Clashing with custom

Ssentume’s journey into parenthood began in what felt like a scene from one of his films. While covering a school graduation ceremony, he met the woman he believed he would build a life with.

‘I fell in love with a beautiful girl and immediately knew we belonged together,’ he recalls.

Their relationship grew in the glow of shared dreams, but it soon met the firm structures of Ugandan tradition. When she became pregnant, Ssentume, young but earnest, hoped to build a peaceful and stable home. He did the kwanjula and bride price negotiations, to affirm his readiness and get the family’s blessing. When her family learnt of his intention, they questioned his ability to provide, against the backdrop of what a ‘real’ man should do.

‘They said I was joking around and needed a serious career to marry their daughter,’ Ssentume explains.

In a society where careers such as law, medicine, or business are prized, filmmaking is often viewed as idleness or a young man’s pastime. Even his partner, swayed by the powerful voice of the clan urged him to find a ‘decent’ job. But Ssentume held his ground.

The day everything changed

Three months after their daughter was born, his partner left. In Uganda, when a relationship fails, children, especially infants, almost automatically remain with the mother or her family. Ssentume did not fight her departure, but he made one unusual request:

‘I told her to leave the child with me and go.’ And just like that, she left, forcing him to step into a role few Ugandan men fully inhabit; the primary, solo caregiver.’

The first nights were a struggle with me trying to fight fatigue and making endless feeding bottles,’ he recounts. He turned to the only source he was familiar with; YouTube for guidance.

Juggling diapers and deadlines

Balancing work and parenthood required Ssentume to organise his life with precision, but it also means doing so under the gaze of a curious community. When he is on location, he relies on trusted friends, a chosen family replacing the traditional kinship network. When they are unavailable, he does what many Ugandan mothers do; he carries his daughter on his back. But on a film set, this image causes concern. A man with a baby secured snugly against his spine, directing a shoot or adjusting a lens, is a powerful visual disruption. It draws comments; some encouraging, many questioning. He has had to develop a thick skin against the whispers of ‘why can’t he hire a nanny?’ In a culture where fatherhood is often expressed through provision and discipline from a slight distance, his hands-on, public caregiving is unusual.

Facing the critics

Society’s judgment is a steady undercurrent.

‘People around me think I should give my child back to her mother,’ Ssentume shares.

This advice is rooted in a deep-seated belief in the proper, orderly way of doing things. In this order, a child belongs with the mother, especially when she is breastfeeding. A man raising an infant alone is seen as going against nature and culture. He encounters this at the clinic, where nurses always ask, ‘Maama w’omwana aliwa?’ (‘Where is the child’s mother?’), where elders gently suggest he send the baby to the maternal grandmother. But Ssentume remains steadfast. To him, his daughter is his responsibility.

‘If her mother had wanted her, all she would have done was to take her but she did not. She just walked away from all of us,’ he shares.

Redefining fatherhood

This is not merely a story of a father raising his daughter alone. It is a quiet manifesto, written not in ink, but in the lived language of daily rituals-a testament to love’s ability to create its own world. His deepest anxiety is not a personal failing, but a social phantom: the unspoken pity his daughter might one day face for being ‘motherless’ in a society that sanctifies motherhood.

‘They do not know our story,’ he says, a simple statement that holds within it both a wound and a shield.

His defiance against this silent judgment is not found in argument, but in action; his resistance is built in the solace of new, deliberate traditions. These traditions are the architecture of their unique universe. The evening walks that trace the same paths, the silly, improvised songs that become their anthems, the way he chronicles her life not just in photographs, but in the very texture of his art, each is a brick in a home built for two. He is not filling an absence, but founding a new lineage. This daily, deliberate practice is the essence of redefining fatherhood. Through the mundane chaos and the fragile calm, he demonstrates that the role of a parent transcends the old binaries of provider and nurturer. He proves that fatherhood can be as much about the soft hum of a lullaby as it is about paying school fees, that it can be woven just as authentically from the gentle threads of emotional attunement, threads a culture often reserves for mothers.

His camera, once a tool for telling others’ stories, has become a diary of this quiet revolution. It captures the intimate narrative of a Ugandan man learning, day by day, to be both father and mother, not as a performance, but as an expansion of the heart. He navigates the weight of stigma with love as his only compass, transforming potential pity into a private language of strength.

As the dust settles on the daring US military operation-“Operation Absolute Resolve”-that captured Nicolás Maduro on January 3, the world is left reeling. President Donald Trump’s swift decision to seize the Venezuelan leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, and fly them to New York for trial on narco-terrorism charges has thrown Latin America into turmoil. Handcuffed and facing justice in a Brooklyn detention centre, Maduro’s ouster marks a dramatic turning point, with Trump boldly declaring that the US will temporarily “run” Venezuela to stabilise it, secure its vast oil reserves, and pave the way for democracy-potentially with American companies at the helm.

Last week, the National Unity Platform (NUP) unveiled Bitchat, an offline messaging application designed to function without mobile data, Wi-Fi, SIM cards, or cellular networks, positioning it as a contingency tool in the event of internet disruptions.

The application uses Bluetooth mesh technology to allow peer-to-peer communication between nearby devices, creating a decentralised network that does not rely on central servers. Independent software expert William Ssenteza describes Bitchat as a potential lifeline for communication during a blackout, noting that it operates entirely offline.

‘The app works without internet, servers, or mobile networks,’ said Mr Ssenteza. ‘Once users turn on Bluetooth, allow offline permissions, create a username, and open the app, they can communicate with nearby devices.’ He advised users to disable GPS, avoid using real names, and verify information before sharing to minimise risks of tracing and misinformation. Mr Ssenteza said the decentralised nature of the platform makes it difficult to shut down.’To block it, authorities would need to deploy Bluetooth jammers across large areas, which is economically unviable,’ he said. However, other experts caution that the app has significant limitations.

IT specialist Elvis Katumba said Bitchat’s reliance on Bluetooth restricts its effectiveness to short distances, typically between 10 and 100 metres, depending on device strength. ‘In densely populated urban areas, a mesh can form easily, allowing messages to propagate,’ Mr Katumba explained. ‘But in rural polling stations, where there are fewer users in proximity, messages may stall or fail to reach intended recipients.’ He also warned that anonymity presents challenges in verifying information. ‘Messages are tied to temporary device identifiers, not known individuals or accredited polling agents,’ he said. ‘This makes it difficult to establish trust or distinguish accurate information from misinformation.’

Bitchat, developed in the United States and launched in July 2025 by tech entrepreneur Jack Dorsey, a co-founder of X (formerly Twitter), is still new to Africa. The app requires no phone number, email, or SIM card, making users anonymous by default. Though there is no conclusive evidence, similar offline messaging tools were reportedly used during youth-led protests in Nepal in September 2025 after the government blocked major social media platforms. The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has downplayed the significance of the app. Addressing journalists on Monday, UCC Executive Director Nyombi Thembo urged Ugandans not to ‘over-excite’ themselves over Bitchat, because misuse would attract legal consequences.

‘We know this app very well. It is a small thing,’ said Mr Nyombi. ‘Anyone who wants to commit a crime using it, my sympathies.’ He reiterated that the internet would remain available during and after the elections. Uganda has an estimated 10.6 million internet users, according to UCC data, underscoring the economic and social stakes of connectivity.

During the 2021 General Election, the government imposed a nationwide internet shutdown that lasted about 100 hours. According to estimates by TOP10VPN, the restrictions cost Uganda approximately Shs390b, placing the country among the top five globally in economic losses linked to internet shutdowns.

As election day approaches, Bitchat has emerged as both a symbol of digital resilience and a reminder of persistent mistrust over information access during next week’s polls.

In the volatile ecosystem of social media, where scandals flare and fade in a matter of hours, a different kind of video went viral in Uganda. It featured not a dance challenge or a comedic skit, but a raw, unflinching confession from a man at the pinnacle of his creative career.

Renowned music producer and director Didi March Muchwa, known to fans and the industry as Producer Didi, sat before the camera, his frame thinner than the public remembered, and announced he was living with HIV. The digital aftermath was a brutal display of humanity’s capacity for cruelty; a torrent of judgment, mockery, and false accusations. But Didi’s intention had never been to court public opinion. ‘I decided to let the world know about my status,’ he says, his gaze steady and clear, ‘to save others.’

At least two people have been confirmed dead and three others injured after a speeding saloon car collided with a truck in Bukomansimbi District.

The driver of the saloon car, Sharif Ntale and a 15-year-old passenger, only identified as Harriet Nalubega died following the Thursday afternoon crash at Kagologolo Village along Villa Maria Sembabule.

Their car is said to have got a tyre puncture and it overturned several times before hitting a tipper truck.

According to eyewitnesses, the driver of the saloon car that was transporting passengers from Sembabule District heading to Masaka City when the crash happened.

‘ He[driver of saloon car] was speeding and failed to control the car forcing it to turn several times before ramming into the oncoming truck,’ Solomon Ssekitto , a resident in the area said.

Police identified one of the injured truck driver as Balikowa Aggrey, 43, a staff of National Water and Sewerage Corporation attached to Kyotera District NWSC office.

The other injured persons are yet to be identified since they did not have identification documents.

Southern Regional Police Spokesperson, Mr Twaha Kasirye said the wreckage of the two cars had been towed to police for inspection as investigations continue.

He, however, warned motorists against reckless driving to avoid such crashes.

“We ask all motorists to always be cautious while on the road. Speeding is a major risk factor among the causes of crashe. Motorists ought to check their vehicles before hitting the road,” he added.

The bodies were taken to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital for postmortem.

As the world saw the shocking image of President Nicolás Maduro handcuffed, forced to march in humiliating fashion with nothing but a water bottle in hand, it became painfully clear: Donald Trump’s assurances that he would ‘never start a war’ were, at best, theatrical fiction. The spectacle was more than political theatre-it was a vivid reminder that imperialism has not retired gracefully to history books.

Trump had, in fact, started a war not for democracy, not for humanitarian intervention, but to seize natural resources, all the while keeping Greenland in his crosshairs, hinting that Arctic minerals might be next on the menu. This grotesque display is a salutary reminder that imperialism is alive-a powerful foreign power can humiliate a leadership, occupy a territory, and casually threaten a sovereignty.

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