Category: Daily Monitor

Police in Kampala have launched a manhunt for a gang of thugs who ambushed and robbed two people at the Nsambya traffic lights along Ggaba Road.

The incident, which reportedly occurred on May 6, 2026, at around 11:30am., has sparked widespread public outrage after graphic video footage of the daylight attack resurfaced and went viral on social media on Tuesday, June 9.

According to the Kampala Metropolitan Police Deputy Spokesperson, ASP Luke Owoyesigyire, the victims were intercepted shortly after withdrawing an undisclosed amount of cash from a local forex bureau.

“The incident involved a group of assailants who attacked two victims before robbing them of cash. Upon receiving the initial report, police immediately commenced investigations,” ASP Owoyesigyire said.

He added that detectives from the Kabalagala Police Division have already visited and documented the crime scene, recorded statements from eyewitnesses, and retrieved crucial CCTV footage to identify the perpetrators.

“Efforts to identify, trace, and apprehend all the suspects involved are ongoing. We wish to reassure the public that every effort is being made to bring the perpetrators to justice,” Mr Owoyesigyire added, urging anyone with information to report to the nearest police station.

According to police data, robberies specifically involving cash shot up drastically by 37.2 percent, rising from 573 cases in 2024 to 786 cases in 2025. Out of the 786 cash robbery cases reported last year, only 200 made it to court, while 514 remain under active inquiry.

Furthermore, violent aggravated robberies-where criminals deploy lethal weapons like firearms, knives, machetes, and hammers-surged by 6.7 percent to 2,101 cases in 2025.

The crime report further cements Kampala’s status as the epicenter of robbery syndicates in Uganda. The Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) jurisdiction registered the highest numbers of total robberies nationwide. KMP North topped the grim statistics with 1,007 cases, followed by KMP South-where the Nsambya attack happened-with 779 cases, and KMP East with 669 cases. Outside the capital, the Rwizi region (567 cases) and North Kyoga (429 cases) were the most affected.

The re-emergence of the Nsambya video has renewed public pressure on the police to dismantle criminal gangs operating at major city intersections. Security experts continue to urge the public to exercise extreme vigilance and utilize digital banking alternatives when moving large financial sums to avoid falling victim to trailing syndicates.

Mmamba Kakoboza finally joined the Airtel Bika Tournament’s roll of honour after defeating former champions Nkima 4-3 in a dramatic penalty shootout to claim their maiden football title at Muteesa II Stadium, Wankulukuku on Saturday.

After a tense final ended goalless over 90 minutes, goalkeeper Mathias Kigoonya emerged the hero, saving two penalties to hand Mmamba their first championship and the Shs9m winners’ purse before a packed crowd of Buganda Kingdom faithful.

The victory sparked emotional celebrations among the champions, with captain Duncan Sseninde paying tribute to the collective effort behind the breakthrough triumph.

“This victory means a lot to us all as Mmamba Kakoboza clan. This is our first shield. We worked so hard as a clan after so many years,” Sseninde said after lifting the trophy.

The triumph ended a wait stretching back more than five decades for one of Buganda’s most prominent clans and added a new name to a competition traditionally dominated by established clans. In recent years, Ngabi Nsamba, Mmamba Namakaka, Ngo and Nkima have all lifted the coveted trophy.

For Nkima, champions in 2018, the defeat denied them a second title despite another resilient campaign that saw them eliminate Mutima Musagi and Ngo en route to the final. Mmamba’s route was equally narrow, edging Kasimba and Kkobe by single-goal margins before holding their nerve from the spot in the decider.

Well-deserved

Nicholas Kabonge was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player while Mbogo’s Nelson Ssenkaatuuka finished as the tournament’s leading scorer with six goals. Nkima collected Shs7m as runners-up, while Kkobe secured third place after defeating Ngo 1-0.

Speaking after the final, David Birungi said the tournament continued to demonstrate the power of sport to unite communities while nurturing talent.

“Congratulations to Mmamba Kakoboza for a well-deserved victory. The Bika Tournament continues to celebrate culture, inspire young people and bring communities together. Airtel remains committed to supporting initiatives that preserve heritage while creating opportunities for talent development,” Birungi said.

Buganda Kingdom Prime Minister Charles Peter Mayiga, described the tournament as one of the kingdom’s most enduring events.

“Through sport, our clans continue to preserve traditions while giving young people an opportunity to develop discipline, character and talent,” Mayiga said as he congratulated the champions and urged the youth to embrace productive pursuits.

Established in 1950, the Bika Tournament brings together clans through sport while preserving a tradition that has endured for more than seven decades.

AIRTEL BIKA FOOTBALL 2026 FINAL

Champions: Mmamba Kakoboza

Runners-up: Nkima

Third place: Kkobe

Final: Mmamba Kakoboza 0 (4) – 0 (3) Nkima

MVP: Nicholas Kabonge (Mmamba Kakoboza)

Top scorer: Nelson Ssenkaatuuka (Mbogo) – 6 goals

Winners’ prize: Shs9m

Runners-up prize: Shs7m

Third-place prize: Shs3m

Participating teams: 40 clans

Tournament sponsor: Airtel Uganda

Former winners

2026: Mmamba Kakoboza

2025: Ngabi Nsamba

2024: Mmamba Namakaka

2023; Ngo

2022: Ngabi Nsamba

2021: Not held/affected by Covid-19

2020: Not held/affected by Covid-19

2019: Mmamba Namakaka

2018: Nkima

2017: Ngabi Nsamba

In the heart of Lango sub-region, a scandal is brewing over the government’s Shs80 billion Cattle Restocking Programme.

Meant to boost cattle farming in Acholi, Lango and Teso sub-regions, the programme has instead become a magnet for fraud, according to an investigation.

Jennti Adong, a resident of Akuki Village, Abela Parish, Aleka Sub-county in Oyam District, thought she was lucky when she was enrolled in the programme. But when her colleagues started receiving messages about money being deposited last week, she was left scratching her head. It turned out someone had changed her phone number to divert the Shs5 million meant for her.

‘I approached the bank, and they told me my account was linked to another person’s name,’ Adong says. ‘I don’t know how they did it.’

Adong’s Wendi account linked to her registered MTN number 0767668248 was registered in the name of another person identified by Pearl Bank Uganda as Adriko Jimmy. This Wendi account is genuine and by June 10, 2026, it had Shs5,000. But Adong does not know the secret pin to this Wendi account except the one for her mobile money wallet.

How Wendi works in the programme Under the Cattle Restocking Programme, the government disburses money to beneficiaries using Wendi, Pearl Bank’s mobile money service platform designed to promote financial inclusion to all Ugandans.

Under the Wendi system, electronic value held by a customer or agent can be used to perform any financial transaction supported within the mobile money’s core system.

Wendi empowers users and groups, particularly those with limited access to traditional financial services, to access, manage, save, invest and pay for various services without requiring a bank account or smartphone, according to Pearl Bank Uganda.

When this reporter inquired about Adong’s issue, a staff member at the Credit Section of Pearl Bank, Lira Branch, indicated that the challenge with that Wendi account was that somebody proceeded to deposit money on it yet it was dormant.

Adong recalled she acquired the SIM Card through her National ID in April 2026. Pearl Bank’s data shows that Adriko Jimmy registered the Wendi account on February 13, 2025.

‘She now has the task to go to MTN Uganda so that they write for her a letter and confirm that yes this is her line, which she acquired through her national ID details. She may also need to verify whether MTN sold her an old line,’ said the bank’s staff.

This is just one of many cases. In Abela Parish, 16 people have been nominated to benefit, but discrepancies in their particulars have put the money at risk. Local leaders are implicated, with some allegedly changing names and phone numbers to siphon the funds.

Benson Odongo, Abela LC2 chairman, confirmed that some beneficiaries’ names were profiled without corresponding phone numbers. However, he said this anomaly was being rectified.

On June 10, 2026, our reporter bumped into a man at Pearl Bank, Lira Branch, who revealed that he was trying to withdraw money meant for his supposedly sick wife. But investigations revealed that the programme’s beneficiary called Janet lives in Barocok Village, Abela Parish in Aleka Sub-county. By press time, she was healthy and had not been to a health facility in months.

A local leader in Abela who asked for anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue revealed that a lot is happening in the programme.

‘There is an old man here called Alfred Ogwang, the father of Jawa. Initially, he was registered to benefit from the programme but his name and phone number were changed. Local leaders are changing the beneficiaries’ names and phone details in order to eat their money,’ said the source.

The government’s programme aims to give each household Shs5 million to buy five animals. But with fraudsters at play, it’s the vulnerable farmers who are losing out. Authorities need to act fast to prevent further abuse and ensure the programme benefits those it was meant for.

Government’s position The Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Alex Kakooza, last week indicated that the Cattle Restocking Programme was progressing well in Acholi, Lango and Teso sub-regions.

He said the government allocated Shs80 Billion in the 2025/26 Financial Year to implement the programme. Each household in the 33 districts across the three sub-regions is entitled to receive Shs5 million to procure three heifers and two bulls. This means the Shs80 billion budget will cover 16,000 households.

The PS noted that 559 households have so far received Shs2.8 Billion, and an additional 11,504 households have been selected for payment.

‘The beneficiaries are selected at the Parish level by the Parish Development Committee, and the list of beneficiaries is uploaded to the Parish Development Committee Management Information System,’ he told journalists in Kampala on June 1, 2026.

‘Districts have continued uploading beneficiary information to the PDMIS, which is being used for beneficiary selection, verification, and payment processing.’

Mr Kakooza further clarified that no funds are handled by Parish Chiefs or Parish Development Committees, and advised beneficiaries not to sign or thumbprint any document confirming receipt of funds before the money is credited to their bank or mobile money accounts.

‘Implementation has, however, been slowed by delays from four local governments – Lamwo, Nwoya, Pader and Agago – that have not yet uploaded beneficiary lists to the system,’ he added.

‘All district leaders and technical teams are urged to expedite the submission and upload of verified beneficiary data to avoid further delays.’

Police in Mbale City are investigating the suspected suicide of a 16-year-old Senior Three student of Mbale High School whose body was found at her family’s home in Industrial Division on Wednesday, June 9, 2026.

The deceased has been identified as Catherine Nelima, also known as Nisha, a resident of Bukisukye Lower Cell, Bumutoto Ward.

According to Elgon Region Police spokesperson SP Rogers Taitika, preliminary investigations indicate the incident occurred during the day while the teenager was at home.

‘It is alleged that the girl’s mother, Jennifer Kanyunyuzi, 39, a businesswoman, had left the children at home and gone to town for work. Upon returning at about 5:00pm, she reportedly found the other children at a neighbour’s residence before making the discovery that prompted her to alert authorities,’ SP Taitika said.

He said police registered the case as a sudden death and immediately dispatched officers from the Homicide Unit and Scene of Crime team to examine the scene and commence investigations.

‘The body was conveyed to Mbale City Mortuary for post-mortem examination to establish the exact cause of death,’ SP Taitika said. He added that inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the death are ongoing.

SP Taitika urged parents, guardians and schools to pay close attention to the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children and adolescents.

‘We urge members of the public, especially parents, guardians and schools, to remain vigilant about the mental health and well-being of children. Anyone with information that may assist investigations should report to Mbale Central Police Station,’ he said.

The incident has shocked residents and the school community as investigators work to establish what may have led to the student’s death.

According to the Police Crime Report 2025, suicide cases are attributed to complex psychological, social and environmental factors, including mental illness, trauma and extreme stress. A total of 258 cases were registered across the country in 2025. In Elgon Region, where Mbale City is located, 11 cases were recorded in 2025, down from 13 in 2024.

Jordan are enjoying a golden age in their football fortunes after runs to the 2023 Asian Cup and 2025 Arab Cup finals and have no intention of just making up the numbers at their first World Cup.

The Al-Nashama, or the “noble ones”, have developed into a significant force in the Arab footballing world since Moroccan Jamal Sellami took over as coach in June 2024 and built on the work of his predecessor, compatriot Hussein Ammouta.

Sellami believes the team he has built can deliver a shock similar to Algeria beating Germany in 1982, Cameroon stunning reigning champions Argentina in 1990 and Senegal repeating the feat against holders France in 2002.

“These results open horizons of hope and ambition for the fans, so they can dream,” Sellami, who played for Morocco at the 1998 World Cup, told Arabic sports channel TFK.

“And we too have the right to dream and to strive to be a strong team and present ourselves well.

“Right now, people are asking: ‘Who are Al-Nashama? Where are they from?’ So this is a chance for them to show their capabilities, to stand out in a big way.”

The 55-year-old former midfielder has built a well-structured, disciplined team that utilises their wealth of creative forward talent to hit opponents on the break with a lightning-quick transition.

They will be without Yazan Al-Naimat at the tournament, however, after the dynamic forward, who scored eight goals in qualification, suffered an ACL injury in the Arab Cup quarter-finals last December.

“Yazan is a player who cannot be replaced,” conceded Sellami. “But we will find a combination for the team that can still be dangerous to the opponent, and that also gives us balance in our defensive performance.”

Al-Naimat’s likely replacement, Ali Olwan, has recovered from an Achilles injury sufficiently to take his place in Sellami’s extended squad, and skipper Musa Al-Taamari will be around to torment defenders on the right wing.

The Jordanians have been handed a tough group and will take on Austria and Algeria in San Francisco before moving on to Dallas to face reigning champions Argentina.

While familiar with the style played by Algeria, a friendly against Switzerland in late May will prepare Jordan for Austria and they will finish their warm-up schedule against Colombia in early June to get a feel for South American opposition.

Sellami believes the Austria match will be crucial to the success of Jordan’s campaign – “it sets your path” – and is hoping to have garnered something from the first two games before facing Argentina.

“We hope that by then we will already have earned points, and that this match will be a step toward continuing in the World Cup,” he said.

A section of civil society activists, lawyers and governance analysts have petitioned the Inspectorate of Government to investigate allegations that several serving foreign service officers and diplomats may have acquired or used citizenship documentation of foreign states while still in active service.

Signed by Ms Miria Matembe, Job Kiija, Kato Tumusiime, Eron Kiiza and Tumusiime Kakuru, the petitioners said the matter was brought in the public interest and in defense of constitutional governance, integrity in public office, protection of Uganda’s sovereignty, and public confidence in the diplomatic service.

‘We, the undersigned citizens of the Republic of Uganda, respectfully petition the Inspectorate of Government pursuant to Articles 225, 226, 227, 230 and 233 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, the Inspectorate of Government Act, Cap. 31, the Leadership Code Act, and other enabling laws,’ the statement reads in part.

Foreign Service Officers and diplomats serve as official representatives of the Republic of Uganda in foreign states and international organisations. Their offices are inherently sovereign in character and require undivided loyalty, fidelity, confidentiality, and allegiance to the Republic of Uganda.

According to Ms Miria Matembe, it has become a matter of widespread public concern that a number of serving diplomats posted to countries such as the United States of America, Canada, and several European states may have applied for or acquired citizenship of host countries; obtained foreign nationality documentation or immigration privileges inconsistent with their diplomatic status; failed to disclose such status to appointing authorities; and continued to enjoy diplomatic privileges while maintaining divided allegiance.

‘There is further public concern that some officers may have pursued such foreign citizenship arrangements principally to secure personal and family benefits, including subsidized education, immigration advantages, and long-term settlement rights in host countries, contrary to the spirit and obligations of diplomatic service,’ she said.

Article 2 of the Constitution establishes the supremacy of the Constitution, while the National Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy require integrity, patriotism, accountability, and fidelity in public administration. Article 208 recognizes the duty of state institutions and public officers to safeguard national sovereignty and constitutional order.

Mr Job Kiija, a governance researcher and civic activist, said the allegations raise grave constitutional, legal, ethical and national security concerns.

‘Any acquisition of foreign citizenship by serving diplomats fundamentally raises questions regarding divided loyalty; conflict of interest; national security exposure; impairment of diplomatic independence; and abuse of positions entrusted for the service of Uganda,’ he said.

Mr Kato Tumusiime, a human rights lawyer and civil rights activist, said the alleged conduct appears inconsistent with the Uganda Public Service Standing Orders, 2021, which apply to public officers including Foreign Service Officers.

‘Foreign Service Officers are further governed by the Foreign Service Standing Orders and established diplomatic service regulations, which impose heightened obligations of loyalty, confidentiality, patriotism, fidelity to the Republic of Uganda, and protection of Uganda’s sovereign interests abroad,’ he said.

He added that, ‘These standards recognize that diplomatic officers occupy uniquely sensitive positions involving state representation, confidential negotiations, intelligence exposure, and execution of Uganda’s foreign policy. The acquisition or maintenance of foreign citizenship by serving diplomats is fundamentally inconsistent with the spirit, purpose, and integrity obligations underpinning the Foreign Service.’

Under Section A-1 of the Standing Orders, public officers are required to take the Official Oath, the Oath of Secrecy, the Oath of Allegiance, and the obligation not to undertake any subsequent oath inconsistent with the Oath of Allegiance sworn to the Republic of Uganda.

The concern is further aggravated by the fact that acquisition of citizenship through naturalization in many foreign jurisdictions ordinarily requires the applicant to take an oath of allegiance to the foreign state, which may directly conflict with the oath of allegiance sworn by Foreign Service Officers to the Republic of Uganda.

Activists say the alleged conduct also raises serious concerns under the Leadership Code Act, which imposes duties of honesty, integrity, transparency, and avoidance of conflicts of interest upon leaders and public officers.

On Monday this week, four of the 81 Cabinet ministers and ministers of state missed taking oath after they were red flagged on accusation of possessing multiple citizenship contrary to Section 19(d) of the Uganda Citizenship and Immigration Control Act, which bars dual citizens from holding sensitive state offices including Cabinet and State Minister positions.

Among these were Dr Lawrence Muganga, nominated for State Minister for Internal Affairs despite possessing citizenship in Uganda, Canada and Rwanda; Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, nominated for Minister of Foreign Affairs while holding Uganda and American citizenship; Shartsi Kutesa Musherure, nominated for State Minister for Finance (Microfinance) while also holding Uganda and American citizenship; and Calvin Echodu, nominated for State Minister for Foreign Affairs (International Affairs).

Judicial officers have been urged to keep abreast of emerging trends in criminal prosecution, particularly the growing use of technology and scientific evidence, to prevent miscarriages of justice.

The call was made on Wednesday by Chief Justice Flavian Zeija during a training programme for judicial officers from Northern Uganda organised by the Judicial Training Institute (JTI), the Judiciary’s training arm.

In remarks delivered on his behalf by Deputy Chief Justice Moses Kawumi Kazibwe, Justice Zeija said criminal trials have become increasingly complex due to advancements in technology and investigative methods.

“The criminal trial process today is far more complex than it was a decade ago. The modern judicial officer must navigate an environment where criminal investigations, digital communications, CCTV footage, electronic records, financial tracking systems, and computer-generated evidence are becoming increasingly common before our courts,” he said.

He noted that judicial officers must acquire sufficient knowledge to properly assess scientific and electronic evidence while safeguarding constitutional rights and fair trial guarantees.

The two-day training has brought together more than 100 judicial officers from Northern Uganda and features experts from various institutions within the criminal justice system.

During one of the plenary sessions, Justice George Okello, the resident judge of Patongo High Court, cautioned fellow judicial officers against relying unquestioningly on expert evidence, saying some reports presented in court may be inaccurate.

“There was a time I handled a case where a 20-year-old boy had been charged with aggravated defilement involving a 16-year-old girlfriend. This should have been simple defilement, but because the medical officer had tested and found the accused HIV-positive, the charge had to be aggravated,” Justice Okello said.

He explained that he sought a second medical opinion regarding the accused’s HIV status after developing doubts about the report.

“But I decided to get a second opinion from Luzira prison on the HIV status of the accused person, and they told me he was negative. I decided to conduct my own independent testing, and the results were still negative. I was so mad at the medical doctor who apologised and said he had given the testing process to an intern doctor,” he said.

The training comes at a time when criminal cases continue to dominate the Judiciary’s workload.

According to the Judiciary Annual Performance Report for the 2024/25 financial year, criminal matters remained the largest category of cases handled by courts across the country. A total of 125,686 criminal cases were registered during the period, while 118,883 were concluded.

Despite the progress, Chief Justice Zeija noted that criminal cases continue to account for the largest portion of the Judiciary’s case backlog, with 14,675 matters still pending determination.

At an earlier session, Deputy Chief Justice Kazibwe reminded judicial officers of their role as the ultimate guardians against injustice.

“Needless to re-echo is that as judicial officers, we are the final safeguard against injustice, turning constitutional promises into reality. We must uphold high standards of fairness, human rights, and constitutionalism, especially for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, pregnant women, juveniles, children, and persons with disabilities,” he said.

He warned that administrative shortcomings such as late court sessions, disrespectful conduct, wrongful remand, and delays in processing case files often result in human rights violations.

“I urge everyone to approach this training openly, ask questions, challenge assumptions, and learn to apply human rights principles in daily judicial work. This will boost public confidence, promote constitutional governance, and help us fulfil our oath to deliver justice impartially,” Justice Kawuma added.

President Museveni last week laid out the Executive’s legislative agenda for the Financial Year (FY) 2026/2027 while delivering his latest State-of-the-Nation-Address (Sona).

The legislative agenda’s phalanges stretch out wide, touching a vast array of sectors such as education, agriculture, health, transport, finance, internal security, housing, as well as information and communications.

The transparency from the Executive branch of government, whose members were sworn into their respective offices on Monday, should be broadly welcomed. Just as welcome, will be giving the legislative branch of government carte blanche to exercise, among others, its oversight role.

There is evidence indicative of just how the 11th Parliament was an appendage of what, by all accounts, is an imperial presidency.

While not outrightly detrimental, having the Executive and the Legislature singing from the same hymn book limits options and rarely in ways that make the rule of law-a foundational governance principle-robust.

Friction between the two branches of government is absolutely necessary to lubricate democracy.

Lawmakers from the ruling NRM party, which has an eye-wateringly big majority in the 12th Parliament, should not be jolted out of their slumber to vote at the behest of and summarily do Mr Museveni’s bidding.

The 11th Parliament basked in the glory of the sheer number of legislations it passed. A cursory glance returns the verdict that the numbers were, in a word, staggering.

Look deeper, though, and you will notice that most, if not all, of the legislations were, however, regressive.

The 12th Parliament should not continue in the same vein. Qualitative output must trump the quantitative output that the 11th Parliament so cherished.

This desired outcome can only see the light of day if lawmakers-the vast bulk of whom are wet behind their ears-do their homework. Research has to be prioritised.

We will particularly be interested in how the House handles the Information and Communication Bill, 2023. It is easy to see why-we have our roots planted in the information economy.

When the Bill was first proffered, the Executive rationalised that its legislative framework is needed to regulate digital business operations while making cybersecurity and data privacy controls more vigorous.

It was also said that the Bill will come with regulatory consolidation, bringing regulatory bodies like the Uganda Communications Commission, the Media Council, and the National Information Technology Authority, as well as their attendant laws under one tent.

Such an omnibus law will, in our assessment, require effective oversight. Short of that, the law will be weaponised with the regulation of digital operations turned into a political rather than crime-fighting practice.

Needless to say, the full rigour of parliamentary scrutiny will have to be of the essence. To be clear, this is not just for the Information and Communication Bill, 2023.

Lawmakers should not only ask questions but also question answers when the Real Estate Bill, 2025, the Food and Agriculture Regulatory Authority Bill, 2026, the Uganda Railways Bill, 2026, and others come up for debate.

The Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Kajjansi Town Council, Mr. Patrick Mubiru, has called for an emergency locus mediation meeting to resolve a long-standing dispute over a 521-acre estate in Wakiso District.

The multi-million-shilling estate, which belonged to the late Ezekeri Makabugo Sempagama Bunjo, spans two villages: Ngongolo ‘A’ and Ngongolo ‘B’.

In a letter dated June 8 to relevant authorities and stakeholders, Mr. Mubiru revealed that his office intervened following a petition from the grandchildren of the late Ham Kisasa. The petitioners accuse the estate’s heir and administrator, Mr. Kezekia Kizito, of mismanaging the property and unfairly distributing their late grandfather’s wealth.

“They further alleged that Kezekia Kizito sold plots on the land without the consent, permission, or holding any discussion with the family members,” the RDC stated.

The dispute escalated during a preliminary meeting held at the RDC’s office in Kitende last week, which Mr. Kizito did not attend. During the tense session, the Local Council 1 (LC1) Chairperson for Ngongolo ‘B’, Mr. Saul Kiwanuka, came under fire after contradicting himself regarding the illegal land transactions.

While Mr. Kiwanuka initially denied any knowledge of the unauthorized land sales, he later performed a U-turn under intense questioning.

“We agreed with him [Kezekia Kizito] through the land dealers, Kabambula, on the portions of land to be sold off together with other residents on the village. I also used to stamp on those land transactions after,” Mr. Kiwanuka confessed to the meeting.

His inconsistent remarks sparked a bitter altercation between him and the aggrieved family members, forcing Mr. Mubiru to schedule an emergency locus meeting for Wednesday, June 10, to de-escalate the situation and find a lasting solution.

Providing context to the feud, Mr. Vincent Ssebawutu, the officially appointed caretaker of the estate, explained that the family had previously agreed on how the land would be shared. During a family meeting on April 25, 2015, Mr. Kizito was directed to divide the land among four households representing their father’s lineage, which halted any further independent land dealings.

However, Mr. Ssebawutu alleges that Mr. Kizito bypassed the family, fraudulently transferred the land titles and Letters of Administration into his own name, and began selling off plots.

“During our last family meeting on May 30, 2015, the family agreed to place caveats on the land until a surveyor could partition it. Instead, Kizito fraudulently partitioned and sold off the land in Ngongolo. He has since avoided family meetings, yet new buildings keep sprouting up on different parts of the land,” Mr. Ssebawutu added.

Land disputes driven by administrative fraud and complicity of local leaders remain a significant challenge in Wakiso District. The upcoming locus meeting will attempt to verify boundaries and review the legality of the current property developments on the contested estate.

President Yoweri Museveni has announced that Uganda has recorded no new cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) over the past five days, describing the milestone as a clear sign that the outbreak is now under control.

In his televised address to the nation on the EVD outbreak, on Wednesday night, the President also said a few infections registered in the country were largely due to carelessness. He said Ebola is easier to prevent and manage than COVID-19, which killed over 3000 Ugandans following the 2020 outbreak.

‘The story is clear. Some sick people from Congo came. They were not handled properly, carefully here. That’s all,’ Mr Museveni said. ‘In spite of all that, for five days now, no new cases. It looks as if the fire of Ebola has started going down.’

According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, a cumulative total of 19 confirmed cases have been recorded in the country (Uganda) with two deaths. Of the total cases, 14 are imported cases, and five are Ugandan nationals.

Dr Diana Atwine, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, said in the same televised address that up to five patients have recovered after treatment -four Congolese nationals and one Ugandan. But 12 people are still undergoing treatment. The patients are being provided supportive treatment to manage symptoms and complications since there are no approved drugs for the Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease.

Dr Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services at the Ministry, said of the infected Ugandans, health workers are the most hit -four health workers in one Kampala capital city facility. The other infected Ugandan was a driver.

According to Dr Olaro, the unsuspecting health workers in Kampala Hospital had tried to resuscitate the patient, who they didn’t know had Ebola by then, and in the process had a high-risk exposure to the virus.

Around 100 health workers have, since May 15, been put under quarantine for getting exposed to the virus after treating Ebola patients in their different health facilities in Kampala, according to the Uganda Medical Association.

During the address, the President said the health workers were careless and that they touched the patients without gloves.

‘Ebola is an aggressive disease, but in my view, it is not as difficult to fight as either HIV/AIDS or COVID-19. Even AIDS was easy to fight, in my opinion, but COVID-19 was very dangerous because it was spreading through breathing,” the President said. ‘This meant that if I sat with you in a taxi, even if I didn’t touch you, through the air, you could infect me.’

Prevention

Mr Museveni justified why he thinks Ebola is easier to prevent. ‘Now, the good thing with Ebola is that it spreads through contact. If it is spreading through contact, intimate contact, then it’s spreading because of carelessness,’ he said.

The President appealed to Ugandans and people in the region to desist from practices that enable the spread of the disease, such as washing of dead bodies, especially those who died of Ebola-like symptoms.

‘So, therefore, please, we have a lot of work to do. Let’s be very serious. We don’t have to keep playing around. Listen carefully and act. This is easy to stop. We stopped it in the past. We cannot stop it now,’ he added.

The President also warned pastors, one of the most affected categories, against touching sick people, saying God can hear them even when they don’t touch the sick while praying for them.

‘Some of the people who are dying most in some of the areas I don’t want to talk about are pastors and health workers, because of touching,’ he said.

Mr Museveni asked Ugandans to urgently seek medical care or alert health workers if they see Ebola-like symptoms, to prevent the spread of the disease.

‘Handling dead bodies is another big problem. Those customs like washing dead bodies were there, but now that there is danger, if somebody is sick, call the doctors because the doctors can tell you what sort of sickness it is. Don’t just hide and just do it yourself,” he said.

“You now know how Ebola spreads: saliva, blood, sweat, vomit, sperms – Ebola can stay in the man for nine months. This shaking of hands, please…. shaking of hands for what? There is a problem, just wave at people,” he added.

Dr Chris Baryomunsi, the Minister of Health, said Uganda has mounted a strong response against EVD with restrictions on gathering and weekly markets in border districts, among other measures. He also reiterated the ongoing plans by Uganda to work with partners like the World Health Organisation and the DR Congo government to establish Ebola treatment centres in DR Congo. This move, according to the government of Uganda, will reduce importation of cases from DR Congo and speed up the containment of the outbreak in the region.

Ebola Factsheet June 9

Ebola statistics for Uganda (Source: MOH. Summary by Tonny Abet))

New cases

Cumulative cases

Active cases

Deaths

Recoveries

Contacts of patients

Ebola Incubation Period

00

19

(14 imported, 5 Ugandans)

12

02 (imported)

05

783

21 days

What Uganda has done to curb Ebola

Closed border with DR Congo

Put restrictions on public gatherings within Uganda

Enhanced awareness and community engagement on Ebola prevention

Established isolation/quarantine centres

Enhanced contact tracing and isolation of contacts

How Ebola spreads

Blood of infected person

Urine

saliva

faeces

Sweat

Vomit

Unsterilised equipment used by an infected person

Soiled clothing of an infected person

Handling wildlife whether alive or dead (especially bats and monkeys)

Prevention

· Avoid physical contact with anyone showing the Ebola symptoms

· Practice hand washing and maintain good hand hygiene at all times

· Avoid contact with body fluids that include urine, blood, sweat, saliva, vomitus, and stool

· seek appropriate health care services immediately when you experience Ebola-like symptoms

· Handling and burial of dead bodies of suspected Ebola patients should be supervised by the health team

· All public places should institute hand-washing facilities at their premises.

Symptoms of Ebola

High fever

Fatigue

Chest pain

Diarrhea

Abdominal pain

Joint and body pain

Vomiting

Rash

Unexplained bleeding