Category: Daily Monitor

Dear Tingasiga;

Celebration of this year’s formal Christmas is behind us. We look forward to the end of this artificial calendar year, one in which humanity has carried on with our usual variety of good and bad thoughts and deeds. Wars between countries, terror of man against man, and all manner of human rights abuse have been dispensed with brutality that has conformed to the script that has been followed down the ages. Interpersonal and group interactions have held fast onto their relentless display of fallen humanity’s failure to consistently abide by the Golden Rule.

‘Do unto others what you would have them do unto you’ has remained unattainable, with consequences that have at times shocked us despite their familiarity. One is not surprised by our failure to attain that ideal, for we are hopelessly incapable of doing so under our own steam. We have tried to worship God and seek His hand in our lives and interactions. Unlike North America and Europe where the attrition of those who identify as Christians continues unabated, church attendance in Uganda remains relatively healthy. Some churches have seen increasing numbers. Rituals of worship, and individual thanksgiving celebrations, suggest a healthy church in the land.

However, the visible and consequential actions of many church members, me included, are inconsistent with our claim to be Christians. Religion and its rituals have trumped the essence of Christ in our lives. Worship of God without transformed hearts and lives has become a way of life for millions of church goers. Political and economic leaders offer large sums of money to the churches, even as they cause human pain and suffering in their insatiable quest for power and satisfaction of the desires of their flesh. While they may deceive fellow humanity and themselves, the Lord knows their hearts. God says through the prophet Isaiah in 1:11-15: ‘The multitude of your sacrifices-what are they to me? I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals. I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

When you come to appear before me, who has asked this of you? This trampling of my courts? Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me. New moons, Sabbaths and convocations. I cannot bear your worthless assemblies. Your new moon feasts and appointed festivals I hate with all my being. They have become a burden to me. I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands in prayer, I hide my eyes from you; even when you offer many prayers, I am not listening. Your hands are full of blood!’ The Lord reminds us that we cannot deceive Him. In Isaiah 19:13-16, the Lord says, ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but t5heir hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based in merely human rules they have been taught. Therefore, once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder.

The wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish’ Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the Lord, who do their work in darkness and think, ‘Who sees us? Who will know?’ you turn things upside down as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘You did not make me’? Can the pot say to the potter, ‘You know nothing’? There is nothing wrong with formal worship of The Lord in the sanctuaries and other places where we gather on Sundays and other special days of fellowship. Most church rituals are harmless, though not essential to worship of the Lord. However, indulging in these rituals while inflicting or enabling injustice, violence, corruption, and other abuse of God’s children is hypocrisy that does not escape God’s notice.

Which brings me back to last week’s celebration of Christmas. Let Christmas be every day. Let it not be about the fact that Jesus was born. Let the reason why he was born engage our hearts and minds, not just on Christmas day but every single day of our lives. And the reason Jesus was born is this; He was born to suffer and die so that we would be saved. He was born to die so that our lost relationship with God could be restored. Christmas only happened so that there would be Easter. Without Easter, there would have been no need for Christmas. Without Calvary, there would have been no Bethlehem. Without His death, there would have been no need for His birth.

The Lord summed it up with His response to Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee and Member of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish High Command) who came to talk to Him secretly at night. We read in John 3:16 the summary of Christ’s message to Nicodemus, to you and to me. ‘For God so loved the world that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.’ That is the story of Christmas. That is the story of the church that the disciples of Jesus. The Apostle Paul, and other early messengers planted nearly two thousand years ago. And once we have believed in Him, we must seek to be like Him. We cannot attain that desirable goal while we live on earth.

But we must give ourselves to him for transformation by His Holy Spirit , so that we think and act in a manner that emulates Him. We read in 1 john 2:6, ‘Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked.’ This is my message to President Yoweri Museveni, to Mrs. Janet Museveni, to their political, military and other armed subordinates. This is my message to the opposition politicians and to all people with power and responsibility in this country. This is my message to leaders of churches and their congregations. This is my message to you, Tingasiga, and to me.

The Electoral Commission (EC) in Kampala has asked the High Court to dismiss a case where Mr Ronald Katushabe sued them for not being nominated to contest in next year’s polls.

The Commission through its lawyers led by Hamid Lugolobi informed Justice Bernard Namanya that the High Court should not entertain an application which contravenes with the provisions of the Constitution.

‘Proceedings [are] unconstitutional in as far as it offends the Article 139 of the Constitution and Article 64(1) and 61 of the Constitution and Section 15 of EC Act,’ Mr Lugolobi said last Friday.

Adding: ‘… Article 64 states that any person aggrieved by decision of the Commission in respect to any problem appeals to High Court. In [this] electoral matter, Court has Appellate jurisdiction not original.’ Section 15 of the Electoral Commission Act mandates anyone who is dissatisfied with the decision of the Commission to appeal to High Court and the decision of High Court shall be final. ‘Proceedings before you are challenging a decision of the Commission. This is [a] cause which is appealable to the Court of Appeal,’ he said.

Mr Katushabe’s lawyers led by Sentumbwe Yasin Muna Gomba of Ecala Associated Advocates, and Kumbuga Bak Richard of Kumbuga and Co Advocate objected to the plea and asked the judge to go on with hearing the petition.

‘Application before you is not an Appeal it is an Application seeking this Honorable Court to invoke its supervisory power over subordinates to judicial bodies,’ Mr sentumbwe submitted.

He added: ‘It is our submission that this is not an appeal that this Court invokes it’s supervisory power because our client is aggrieved on how the respondent exercise the Constitutional power we are challenging the procedure through which the decision was made..it’s a unique application.’

Mr Katushabe through his lawyers M/S Kambuga and Co Advocates sued the Electoral Comission after it it refused to nominate him despite allegedly fulfilling the requirements.

The Commission throughout Katushabe and more than 100 other members after they failed to raise the required 9,800 minimum supporter signatures in accordance with the law. Since September, the EC filed it’s affidavit on December 26 through a one Samuel Kiyingi who said is an employee.

Mr Kiyingi said he had sworn it [affidavit] on behalf of the second respondent who does not exist on the petition. But Katushabe’s lawyers asked the Court to dismiss the affidavit and rule the case in their favour, which the judge denied.

‘I reject the prayer of the applicant. Grant us leave to cross examine the deponent of the considered affidavits. We may not be able to proceed with the hearing of the application,’ Justice Namanya ruled amid opposition from Katushabe’s lawyers. The lawyers said it’s unconstitutional for the judge to entertain an affidavit which was sworn on behalf of a non-existent respondent. A plea by Katushabe’s lawyers to cross examine Mr Kiyingi also proved futile after EC lawyers objected.

‘Cross examination is not an automatic right. The party seeking to cross examine must put clearly the areas to cross examination, short of that you cannot merely wish to cross examine without first identifying those areas …,’ the EC lawyers indicated.

Uganda has joined the Roosevelt Africa Trail, a cross-continental socio-economic initiative positioning tourism, coffee, agriculture and conservation, export-driven industries and the United States in an effort to enhance trade.

The trail is inspired by former United States President Theodore Roosevelt, who, in 1909, undertook an expedition to Africa to collect plant and animal specimens for the newly established Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C.

Roosevelt travelled to East Africa, arriving in Mombasa on April 21, 1909 before beginning a journey that would span more than nine months across the continent.

The expedition, documented by his son Kermit Roosevelt, himself a one-of-encounters with people, cultures, landscapes and civilisations from Mombasa through Kenya, Uganda, Belgium, the Congo and back to Khartoum, was a significant source of cultural exchange.

The Smithsonian has since expanded and continues to commemorate the expedition with the Smithsonian African Expedition, among others, highlighting Roosevelt’s legacy.

Mr Sentongo says this positioning is further amplified by the upcoming opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library on July 4, 2026, coinciding with America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

Earlier, the potential of this project was outlined at two-day meetings in New York City, which brought together government officials, private sector partners and technology firms, according to a statement from Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Moderated by historian Jonathan Earle, the discussions explored how Roosevelt’s encounter with Kabaka Daudi Chwa influenced his political legacy.

‘The Roosevelt Africa Trail not only reminds American buyers and Ugandan entrepreneurs of a time of powerful cultural diplomacy between the two countries during the early 1900s, but creates an unprecedented brand.

‘Today and in the future, that broadens and promotes numerous Ugandan products and the coffee market to buyers throughout the United States: in homes, museums, and everyday shops, further tapping into a coffee industry valued at over $43.2 billion annually, up 52.4 percent since 2015,’ said Mr Earle.

Coffee market

Kahawa 1893 CEO Margaret Nyamuwombo said the company has over 1,500 retail outlets in the US.

‘Under the partnership, up to 450,000 tonnes of coffee annually could be unlocked, potentially Uganda’s largest single coffee supply deal,’ she said.

Several schools countrywide overemphasise academics at the expense of extracurricular activities such as sports, music, dance and drama. Extracurricular activities are important because they play a crucial role in the holistic development of learners, enabling them to acquire skills that academics, alone, cannot teach them.

However, several schools do not accord learners enough time to engage in extracurricular activities, with many misguided teachers and school administrators thinking that time spent doing these activities would best be used for academics-related engagements. Some schools are so academic-oriented that they do not even have sports grounds.

They pile learners with academic work with little time to rest and this leads to stress that compels some learners to drop out of school. It is unfortunate that these misguided school administrators are supported by some parents who put so much emphasis on high academic grades and view extracurricular activities as a waste of time.

This is wrong because there is so much learners can achieve from regular participation in extracurricular activities. Activities such as sports and dancing provide learners with physical exercises that burn excess calories and keep them healthy, fit, preventing diseases and health complications caused by sedentary lifestyles such as hypertension, obesity and diabetes.

Sports activities teach learners about team work, fosters discipline, resilience and helps reduce stress from participating in highly competitive academic undertaking. Activities such as music, dance and drama enable learners to embrace and appreciate their cultures. They also enable pupils and students to learn about and respect other people’s cultures, thereby fostering tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

Through engaging in extracurricular activities, learners are able to acquire skills that enable them to build careers in sports and entertainment industry, among others. Several of the celebrated sports personalities and renowned musicians and actors were nurtured in schools and or institutions that enabled their talents to blossom.

The sports and entertainment industries employ thousands of people countrywide and world over, enabling them to earn a decent living. We, therefore, call upon the authorities to compel all schools to integrate extracurricular activities in their learning programmes.

All schools should be compelled to establish playgrounds where learners can engage in various sports disciplines. The authorities must also ensure learners are allowed to participate in music, dance and drama because these activities mould them into well-rounded individuals.

The NRM presidential candidate, Mr Yoweri Museveni, has hit out at Opposition politicians who he described as inferior and inexperienced to lead the masses.

Mr Museveni cautioned voters to desist from giving mandate to inexperienced politicians, especially from the Opposition whose focus he claimed is frustrating government’s development initiatives.

‘Don’t take decisions by gambling, which you will later regret. Vote the NRM to be sure because our track record on development is known and seen,’ said Mr Museveni who is seeking his 7th term. Accompanied by his wife, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Ms Janet Museveni, Mr Museveni made the remarks yesterday as he kicked-off his campaigns in Greater Mpigi, beginning with Butambala District.

His campaign Butambala came barely two days after his closest rival Mr Robert Kyagulanyi of the National Unity Platform (NUP), campaigned in the same district last Saturday.

Mr Kyagulanyi who got 72 percent of the total vote cast in Mpigi beat Mr Museveni with a margin of 614,677 votes in the 2021 General Election

Mr Museveni got 838,858 votes against Mr Kyagulanyi 1,453,535. The NUP leader lost the national polls after emerging as the second in the race, securing 3.6 million votes, against Mr Museveni’s 6.01 million votes.

The NRM also lost at least 10 central region parliamentary seats to NUP, including those that were being held by ministers and Mr Museveni’s then vice president of 10 years, Mr Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi.

The ministers and ministers of state who lost include Ms Judith Nabakooba (Land, Housing and Urban Development), Mr Vincent Bamulanzeki Ssempijja (then minister of Defence and Veteran Affairs), Mr John Chrysostom Muyingo (State for Higher Education), Ms Beti Olive Kamya (former IGG), Ms Nakiwala Kiyingi (then State for Sports), and Mr Haruna Kasolo (State for Microfinance).

The other is the former Government Chief Whip, Ms Ruth Nankabirwa, who is the current Energy minister. This huge victory made NUP the largest Opposition party with 57 MPs. Speaking at the rally yesterday, President Museveni said it’s crucial for voters to elect ideologically-oriented leaders aligned to the NRM party to support all development interventions.

He emphasised that the NRM’s pledges were not mere promises but extensions of the achievements already delivered.

‘What we are talking about are not promises; we show that we have delivered over the years, and now we are adding on to our promises,’ he said.

On peace, the President reflected on Uganda’s turbulent past and the unity achieved under NRM leadership.

‘Uganda was ungovernable at some point. Today, we are all united regardless of tribes, religion, or gender. Everyone can see it, it’s not about saying, it’s about doing,’ he added.

Highlighting Butambala’s progress, the President pointed to infrastructure, electricity, and water supply.

‘We passed here in Butambala while working on the Kisozi-Mpigi-Kibibi- Gombe-Kyanje-Mpenja-Kanoni-Kabulasoke road,’ he said.

‘All sub-counties in Butambala now have electricity, and 82 percent of villages enjoy safe water.’

President Museveni also outlined projects that shall be worked on very soon including the Mitala-Maria and Bulo- Kanoni roads, as well as water initiatives in Butambala District.

On personal initiatives, the President shared his own example of productive farming.

‘I have a personal model farm, one acre for coffee, one for bananas, one for pasture, and one for cattle and fish. I earn Shs100m per year and after costs, I remain with Shs70m.’

He also underscored the NRM’s role in promoting coffee farming in Buganda, saying, ‘Masaka, Sembabule, and Rakai people are coffee growers because of the NRM. Those who claim they introduced coffee are not telling the truth.’ President Museveni further highlighted the importance of wealth creation as a complement to development.

He cited Ms Rashidah Namubiru, a PDM beneficiary from Butambala, who transformed her life using PDM funds.

‘I visited Rashidah myself. She started with goats and land, and today she has multiplied her livestock and income. She is a living example of how PDM changes lives,’ he said. Addressing misconceptions about employment, the President noted the limits of government jobs. ‘Uganda has about 480,000 government jobs for a population of 50 million. You cannot talk about jobs without talking about wealth. Jobs come from commercial agriculture, factories, services, and ICT,’ he said.

He cited Mbale Industrial Park, which houses 75 factories and has created thousands of jobs.

‘While the government employs 480,000 people, new factories across the country have already created 1.3 million jobs, nearly three times more than the public sector.’

President Museveni revealed that the government was going to set up a Presidential Zonal Industrial Skilling Hub in Greater Mpigi to train the youth in the area. Furthermore, President Museveni urged Ugandans to embrace the opportunities provided by NRM programmes, emphasising that peace, development, and wealth creation remain the pillars of the party’s agenda.

The President also handed over the NRM flags to aspiring Members of Parliament, LC5 chairperson, councillors, and other party candidates in Butambala District, formally endorsing their participation in the upcoming elections.

On her part, the First Lady called on residents of Butambala to turn out in large numbers and support President Museveni and the NRM, saying the party remains the strongest guarantor of Uganda’s unity and peace.

‘As you come here today, remember that this enthusiasm should translate into votes. We are looking at 70 percent and above,’ she said. She cautioned NRM supporters against limiting mobilisation to rallies, urging them to ensure that no one is left behind on polling day. ‘These numbers you see here should not be for this rally only. When January 15, 2026 comes, go out and vote. Do not leave anyone at home. Let everyone participate,’ she said.

The NRM First National Vice Chairperson, Mr Moses Kigongo also rallied residents to support the ruling party, describing it as a movement founded on truth, discipline and service to the people. ‘We have come here at the right time to ask for your votes. We need disciplined people who are patriotic and love their country,’ Mr Kigongo said.

State House has denied claims that President Yoweri Museveni’s convoy caused the traffic gridlock on the Kampala-Masaka Road, calling the reports “inaccurate and misleading”.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, State House explained that limited and time-bound road closures during presidential movements are standard procedures and were carefully coordinated to minimise disruption.

“Very limited and time-bound road closures during presidential movements are standard operating procedures world over and are carefully coordinated to minimise disruption,” the statement reads.

The State House attributed the congestion to other factors, including heavy end-of-month traffic, poor road discipline, and a heavy downpour that reduced visibility.

“These included the heavy end-of-month traffic as many motorists were returning from upcountry holidays, poor road discipline by some drivers who failed to respect other road users and created multiple lanes, and a heavy downpour that reduced visibility and compelled some motorists to temporarily park and wait for the storm to subside,” the statement adds.

State House urged the public to consider the full context and exercise patience and responsible road use during periods of heavy traffic and adverse weather conditions.

“Significant overnight delays occurred at the same time last year, when there were no presidential campaigns in districts along the route. It is therefore incorrect to politicize and wrongly attribute this unfortunate event,” the statement concludes.

The Ministry of Works and Transport echoed State House, stating; “We categorically dismiss claims that the gridlock was caused by road closures for presidential activities. The President has consistently demonstrated responsibility and strict adherence to protocols, conducting public engagements exclusively at designated venues.”

According to the ministry, the gridlock was primarily caused by traffic indiscipline, with motorists blocking intersections and encroaching into oncoming lanes, especially at choke points in Mpigi.

“The Uganda Police Traffic Directorate has deployed aerial surveillance and ground officers to identify and clear gridlock points, restore lane discipline, and traffic flow is steadily improving,” the statement issued on Tuesday reads.

The ministry appealed to motorists to ensure orderly driving, respect lane discipline, and comply with traffic officers’ directions, especially during the festive season.

“We call upon motorists to ensure orderly driving, respect for lane discipline, and compliance with traffic officers’ directions,” the ministry urged.

Background

Traffic along one of Uganda’s busiest transport corridors, the Kampala-Masaka Highway, remained paralysed for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, forcing hundreds of motorists to spend the night in their vehicles as an unprecedented gridlock stretched for more than 30 kilometres.

The congestion, which began around 6:00 pm on Monday, left traffic virtually at a standstill between Buwama Township in Mpigi District and Kyengera Township in neighbouring Wakiso District.

By 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, long queues of stranded vehicles remained in both directions, while police conducted aerial patrols along the highway to pinpoint the ‘root cause of the crisis.’

Traffic police had earlier advised motorists travelling to Kampala to divert via the Kasanje-Nakawuka route, while those heading to Masaka were urged to use the Gomba-Sembabule Road.

President Museveni has praised businessman Dr Amos Nzeyi for his contributions to Uganda’s economy, describing him as a ‘genuine indigenous investor’ who has helped create jobs and foster economic transformation.

Museveni, represented by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa, spoke at a thanksgiving ceremony for the late Nathaniel Sebugunzu, Dr Nzeyi’s father, held on December 28 at St Peter’s Cathedral Rugarama, the headquarters of the Diocese of Kigezi in Kabale town.

Sebugunzu, who died in 1997 at the age of 110, was remembered as a hardworking man who labored at the White Horse Inn hotel in Kabale, ironing and washing guests’ clothes, not knowing that his son would one day purchase the hotel.

‘It is indeed befitting to thank God for sustaining Amos Nzeyi and enabling him to make a commendable contribution to the social economic transformation of Uganda. His book titled Learning Beyond the Classroom is more than a personal story because it shows Uganda’s remarkable journey of transformation from economic and political turmoil to stability and prosperity,’ Museveni observed.

The president added that Dr Nzeyi belongs to a category of investors who have worked with government to usher in Uganda’s industrial revolution.

‘Through his business enterprise, he has been able to boost the creation of jobs and incomes for our people. The NRM is always willing to work with people who have entrepreneurial foresight to see opportunities in Uganda. I therefore thank the indigenous entrepreneurs like Amos Nzeyi for leading and showing the way in exploiting Uganda’s resources to create wealth and jobs,’ Museveni said.

Other speakers highlighted the influence of Sebugunzu’s parenting in shaping his son’s success. Church of Uganda Anglican Archbishop Grace Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu encouraged parents to guide their children through work, humility, and discipline.

‘Don’t allow your children now on holiday to sleep because you have house helpers. Doing domestic work is not punishment; teach your children how you make money. disciplining a child is not child abuse,’ Archbishop Kaziimba said.

He also called for political tolerance and peace during the electoral period as Uganda prepares for the Janaury 15, 2026 General Election.

‘We need to work together to have peace in Uganda regardless of our religious denominations. Let’s forgive each other,’ the archbishop added.

The ceremony concluded with the official opening of the Sebugunzu Convention Centre at White Horse Inn, built by Dr Nzeyi in memory of his late father.

The event was attended by former Prime Ministers Amama Mbabazi and Dr Ruhakana Rugunda, Commissioner General of Prisons Dr Johnson Byabasheija, Works and Transport Minister Gen Katumba Wamala, and other dignitaries.

About Nzeyi

Dr Amos Nzeyi, born December 25, 1945, is a wealthy Ugandan businessman and entrepreneur.

He serves as the chairman of Crown Beverages, widely recognised for leading Pepsi Uganda and for his investments in the tourism sector.

Grief overwhelmed hundreds of mourners on December 29 as seven members of the same family who died in a road crash were mourned during a church service at Kyoogo Church of Uganda in Kamwezi Sub-county, Rukiga District.

Tears streamed down faces as relatives and friends laid wreaths on seven caskets containing the bodies of Ivan Niwagaba, his wife Brendah Ainembabazi, their five children – Agaba Keron, Masiko Kenen, Atuheire Keisha, Keith Agaba – and Niwagaba’s cousin, Sayuni Turihohabwe. The family perished in a motor road crash on December 27 along the Kampala-Mbarara Highway.

The caskets were lined beside the altar as Kigezi Diocese Bishop Gaddie Akanjuna, led the Anglican service. Government was represented by Rukiga Member of Parliament Roland Ndyomugyenyi.

Some mourners at the service questioned their faith, saying it was difficult to comprehend why an entire family would be taken by God at once. But Amos Mwesigwa, a close family friend, said the deaths should be accepted as God’s will.

‘It was purely God’s plan to take the deceased in such a way because Ivan who was driving the vehicle in which all perished was a senior driver, not just a learner. We are so grateful to all the people that supported us during this time of grief. We strongly believe it was purely God’s plan to take them in that arrangement,’ Mwesigwa said.

Winfred Buyonjo, an aunt to Niwagaba and Sayuni, urged mourners not to blame God. She recounted how she was meant to travel with the family from Kampala for their customary end-of-year gathering but postponed the trip.

‘Shortly after the fatal accident, some people believed that I was among the victims because they knew that it was our usual custom of travelling together during such days,’ Buyonjo said.

A recorded message from Benon Turyamureba, Niwagaba’s father and Sayuni’s uncle, was played to mourners.

Bedridden before the crash, he asked for prayers, saying the deceased children had been a source of comfort during his illness.

‘Although I am in deep pain because of my poor health, I am in deep sorrow for the untimely death of my children. I need your support and prayers amidst this situation,’ Turyamureba said.

His wife, Kyomugabe Turyamureba, described the loss as terrifying, saying it occurred while she was caring for her sick husband.

Bishop Akanjuna described death as ‘a thief’ and praised the police and well-wishers for retrieving the bodies and supporting the family.

‘Losing seven people from one family at ago is not only scaring but very unusual,’ he said.

After the service, the bodies were laid to rest at their ancestral home in Rwamasyazo Village, Kamwezi Sub-county.

Four inmates occupy space meant for one prisoner in Ugandan jails, according to a report by the Uganda Prisons Services (UPS). UPS states that the prisons occupancy rate is 353 percent. This places Uganda among the top five countries with overcrowded prisons.

According to a statement by the spokesperson of the UPS, Senior Commissioner of Prisons Frank Baine, there were 79,653 inmates in the 269 prisons units by December 8, 2025.

‘As of December 8, 2025, 42,458 were convicts, 36,485 were on remand, 710 were debtors totalling to 79,653 inmates plus 287 kids kept in 269 prisons units grouped in 19 regions,’ Mr Baine said. The UPS facilities have a holding capacity of 22,569 prisoners.

According to UPS reports, 62 percent of the prisoners are youth between the ages of 18 and 30 while 36 percent are between ages 31 and 59.

Only 2 percent are 60 years and above. Both the UPS and Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) agree that the situation in the prisons is a humanitarian crisis. In August 2025, the Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons, Mr Samuel Akena, told Members of Parliament that the prison population is rising by eight percent annually, yet the facilities extension is nearly static.

Mr Akena said the rising prison population has put pressure on both staff and inmates. With the increase in arrests and remands due to the campaigns for the 2026 General Election that has been marred by violence, the number of inmates’ population is expected to increase farther. Several of the former inmates described life in the prisons as horrible.

Mr Norman Tumuhimbise, the executive director of Digitalk Online TV, who has been on remand in prisons several times, decried the congestion in the jails, describing it as hell on earth.

‘On Friday (on his first day in jail), I slept very poorly. You are put in a congested cubical. The place is so congested that there is an RP (prefect), whose work is to arrange the inmates so that they can fit in the ward,’ Mr Tumuhimbise said.

He said inmates are arranged in rows and face to the side, but when the first one’s torso is left, the immediate neighbour must put his or hers on the opposite side.

‘All inmates sleep on the side of their body. There is no space to turn your body at night. If you are to change the sleeping position, all inmates in the row have to change,’ Mr Tumuhimbise said.

He said the inmates are packed so tightly that their lives are in danger.

A former editor of Red Pepper, Mr Richard Kintu, who was once remanded to Luzira prison over media-related offences in 2017, said conditions at the jail are inhumane.

‘The first day is when you experience real congestion in the prison. Regardless of the social status, all the new inmates spend the night in that section. The situation is so bad there. We were packed in a room where the body heat emitted makes everyone sweat,’ Mr Kintu said, adding that no space is spared including the passageway.

‘If you have digestive problems and you have to visit the toilet at night, you have to raise your hand for the RP to remove inmates from the passageway to enable you to wade through,’ he said.

On the second day, he said, the situation improves for inmates with a higher social class. The prisons warders give out blankets to new inmates. Mr Kintu said every day, inmates are given a cup of porridge in the morning, and one other meal at lunch time.

‘You are given beans first at midday then two blocks of posho are served later, at around 3pm. Those posho blocks and beans are your lunch and supper,’ he said.

Dire situation

The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) 2024 report showed that pre-trial detention is among the major causes of overcrowding in prisons.

‘The major causes of the increase in prison population are excessive pre-trial detention and incarceration for minor and petty offences. Furthermore, the number of prisons or their capacity has not increased proportionately to population growth,’ report stated.

The UPS report that data between January 2025 and August 2025 showed that occupancy rate in 24 of the 269 prisons was over 600 percent. For instance, Kicheche prison, whose capacity is eight prisoners, had 80 inmates in August, which is a 1,000 percent occupancy rate.

Kapeeka Prison had 990 percent occupancy rate while Kyegegwa Prisons had a 927 percent occupancy rate. Another 148 prisons had occupancy rates between 301 percent and 600 percent.

Seventy-two prisons had an occupancy rate between 200 percent and 300 percent. Only 25 prisons had less than 200 percent occupancy rate by August 2025. The UHRC said overcrowding in prisons leads to the violation of prisoners’ human rights.

‘These conditions violate the right to humane treatment under both the UDHR [Universal Declaration of Human Rights] and the ICCPR [International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights], leading to a dehumanising environment,’ the 2024 UHRC report read in part.

When the UHRC team visited Kitalya Prison, they were informed that due to overcrowding, inmates are forced to take sleeping pills to be able to get sleep.

Activists believe that issuance of bail of accused, and granting of parole and pardon to some convicts would reduce congestion. Between 2020 and 2025, President Museveni pardoned 1,798 inmates.

Sarah Bireete, a renowned lawyer, governance and human rights advocate, and Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG), has been arrested on yet to be disclosed charges. .

The arrest was confirmed by the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Rachael Kawala, in a statement posted on her X account (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday evening.

ACP Kituuma Rusoke, Uganda Police Force spokesperson, also confirmed the arrest, stating that investigators are still compiling the case file.

“The suspect will be arraigned before court in due course,” Rusoke said, adding that the file will be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for perusal and legal advice before any charges are preferred.

When asked about the circumstances surrounding Bireete’s arrest and potential charges, Rusoke said investigations were ongoing and police were yet to finalize the details. “Investigations are ongoing, and we are yet to finalize the details,” he said.

Police maintain that Bireete will be produced before court once investigations are concluded.

The arrest has raised concerns among human rights advocates and governance experts, who are closely monitoring the situation.

Bireete’s work with CCG has focused on promoting constitutional governance and human rights in Uganda.