Category: Daily Monitor

For a club supposed to celebrate their golden anniversary this year, the governance and ownership structure at the record 17-time Uganda Premier League (UPL) champions SC Villa remains a truly thorny issue.

The club, on Tuesday, finally broke their silence after a series of queries raised by former club president Ben Misagga, regarding the club’s future at a press meeting called by the club’s trustees at the City Tyres Kamwokya Branch in Kampala.

Misagga has questioned the legality of the current Omar Mandela led executive whose four-year term expired in November.

Mandela returned to the club as president in 2021 after a previous electoral process failed with factions trading accusations of being affiliated to rival political parties.

According to Gerald Ssendawula, the chairperson for the board of Trustees this is a situation the club is keen to avoid.

Once bitten twice shy

‘We have the political elections due to be held in January. Plans to hold elections have been going on since mid this year or even before that. We would not have wished Villa being bargained at a political rally. I am the one who is going to do this. Please elect me as a member of parliament,’ Ssendawula explained.

‘When we realised this then we decided to let the general election out of the way. As trustees we felt that was proper,’ added Ssendawula who expects the elections to be held in March.

Accountability call

Misagga also wants the club to account for the Shs3.02b received from the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) as compensation fees for SC Villa Park in Nsambya.

‘For us we saw this compensation as an opportunity for us to have our own home and accordingly started looking for a piece of land that can help us as Villa to set up our own stadium,’ Ssendawula shed more light.

‘Given that we have grown to a level that we are more in Kampala, we are looking for land that is closer to Kampala. We did not want to spend the money on the running of the team and we put it on a fixed deposit account.

‘That arrangement gives us a rate of Shs34m each month. As we speak today, we can comfortably say the current figure is Shs4.5b which is still accumulating. We are not using that money for day-to-day running of the club.’

Big plans ahead

‘When we got that money word went around that the government was about to procure land around the Kampala neighbourhood for investors. So we approached the investment authority people and we said we are showing our interest if and when this opportunity arises. We have been following this and at the same time our money continues to earn interest,’ Ssendawula concluded at the well-attended meeting.

EVENTS CHRONOLOGY

2018: The club was under an interim committee led by William Nkemba since 2018 after Ben Misagga’s departure.

2021: Two previous attempts to hold elections in August 2021 were halted by court injunctions due to alleged irregularities.

Mid 2021: Omar Mandela emerged as the sole candidate after picking up nomination forms including a Shs19.5m fee and a complete executive list.

November 2021: Mandela, a former club treasurer who had left the club in 2005, returned as president.

November 2025: Mandela four-year term ended

When Barbara Kiwanuka took a shot at the game of golf about two years ago, she never gave it her all initially.

It all felt like a stop-start affair. She got a rude awakening at a tournament at Uganda Golf Club in July when she was honoured with the ‘Piga Mingi’, a prize given to encourage the worst player on the day.

And then on, the perceptions on the game all changed for Kiwanuka and as well, with support from a friend. ‘My first year (of golf) was really learning and this year, polishing up. I paid more attention and time to this game in the second half of this year,’ admitted Kiwanuka.

On Saturday, she was simply unstoppable. Playing off handicap 35, Kiwanuka returned the best score of 64 nett to floor a gigantic field of 209 players to win the Entebbe Grand Tee of Tees presented by her employers MTN.

‘I believe in consistency, it has been the key to my success. I have put in a lot of time. I have tried to be on course at least twice a week,’ said the lady who works in events and sponsorship at MTN.

‘This (tournament), I was looking forward to because of the time I have put into the game. I didn’t expect to win because I had a long night on Friday. But when I put my time into something, I commit fully,’ she said.

Kiwanuka admits she faced a bit of torture on the first nine holes and recovered on Holes par-3 No.2 and par-4 No.3 but par-4 Hole No.4, one of her favourites, blew her up.

‘I started thinking about my best holes. On (par-3) Hole No.10, I got a double-bogey, we had a bit of pressure to re-start,’ she recalled.

The par-5 Holes No.11 and No.15 had always been challenging but the former seemed to give her utmost confidence. ‘The drift of my driver on No.11 gave me life, I got a bogey there, I normally get double-bogey or even eight.

A big part of her review towards the game came to an understanding of her expenditures in the sport, from paying green fees, caddying charges, to a coach and more. ‘It is a huge investment,’ she added.

Perhaps, the biggest winner could have been Kiwanuka’s employer who laid the platform to have her introduced to the game.

ENTEBBE MTN GRAND TEE OF TEES

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

Overall Winner: Barbara Kiwanuka 64 nett

Guest Winner: Kejem Ntombi 55 nett

Seniors’ Winner (55+): Tonny Kisadha 71 nett

GROUP WINNERS – MEN

GROUP A

Winner: Allan Muhereza 68 nett

Runner-Up: Ronnie Kasirye 73 nett

GROUP B

Winner: Philemon Akatuhurira 67 nett

Runner-Up: Collins Nuwagira 68 nett (c/b)

GROUP C

Winner: Mathias Kalule 66 nett

Runner-Up: Lloyd Busuulwa 67 nett (c/b)

GROUP WINNERS – LADIES

GROUP A

Winner: Rita Apell 73 nett

Runner Up: Rukia Nalwoga 74 nett

GROUP B

Winner: Charity Tushabomwe 70 nett

Runner Up: Peace Hellen 72 nett

NEAREST TO THE PIN

L: Martha Babirye

M: Ivan Ssetimba

LONGEST DRIVE

L: Peace Hellen

M: Peter Magona

StarTimes Uganda Premier League pace setters KCCA head into the impending Afcon-induced break sitting pretty at the summit with 26 points from 11 matches, and if there is one side that might not have welcomed the pause, it is the Kasasiro Boys.

They have clearly hit top gear. Their narrow but controlled 1-0 victory over struggling Buhimba on Tuesday not only extended their winning run to five matches but also opened a five-point gap at the top.

Rogers Mugisha’s composed first-half finish proved decisive as KCCA dominated large spells, limited Buhimba’s threat and showed the kind of game management that often defines champions.

That form has set the pace for the chasing pack, and one of the sides keen to keep KCCA within sight is Kitara.

Wasswa Bbosa’s men arrive in Entebbe on the back of an impressive resurgence that has yielded four straight victories, pushing them to 19 points from nine matches.

Wins over Bul, Police, Maroons and URA have underlined Kitara’s growing maturity and consistency, and today they will seek another statement result when they visit Entebbe UPPC at Bugonga Fisheries Ground.

However, this is far from a straightforward assignment. Abdallah Mubiru’s Entebbe UPPC have been one of the season’s most refreshing stories.

With 17 points from 10 matches in their maiden top-flight campaign, the Printers have proved they are no pushovers.

Organised, fearless and particularly strong at home, UPPC will be keen to sternly question Kitara’s credentials and their ability to keep tabs with the league’s established heavyweights as the competition heads into recess.

For Kitara, the stakes are high. A fifth straight league victory would lift them above Matia Lule’s Police, who temporarily climbed to second on 21 points after a convincing 3-1 away win over Bul in Njeru.

In that match, Police showed their attacking edge, with Bedia Ikamba, Daniel Jakony and Biran Obedi on target to punish a profligate Bul side.

To maintain their upward momentum, Kitara will once again look to six-goal talisman Patrick Kaddu to unlock the UPPC defence.

His cutting edge could prove decisive as Kitara aim to keep pace with leaders KCCA and head into the break firmly in the title conversation.

StarTimes Uganda Premier League

Thursday

Entebbe UPPC vs. Kitara, 4pm

Bugonga Fisheries Ground – Entebbe

For many SMEs, the decision to train staff is a hard one. Money is tight, cash flow is uncertain, and time spent training can feel like time taken away from making sales.

In this situation, the fear that trained staff will leave for competitors is understandable. Many employers have seen it happen. However, most businesses do not fail because trained staff leave.

They fail because work is poorly done, customers are handled badly, money is mismanaged, and decisions are slow. These are not market problems, but skills problems.

Part of the confusion comes from mixing up training and skilling. Training usually focuses on tasks such as how to use a system, follow a process, or complete a specific job.

Skilling goes deeper. It builds judgement, problem-solving, and the ability to work well even when situations change. Many SMEs train people to do tasks but fail to skill them to think, decide, and take responsibility. That gap shows up in daily operations.

The real issue is not whether SMEs should train their staff, but how to do it realistically.

Many employers hire people and expect them to perform immediately. There is little onboarding, little guidance, and unclear expectations.

This plug-and-play approach may seem practical, but it often leads to frustration and poor results. Experienced staff can perform faster, but they also cost more.

When businesses hire cheaply and expect high performance, disappointment is almost guaranteed. Social hiring adds another layer to the problem.

Hiring relatives, friends, or referrals is common, and in some cases, this works. But hiring for trust alone is not enough.

Without clear roles, basic rules, and consequences, even trusted staff will underperform. Training cannot fix everything, but the lack of skilling makes these problems worse.

For SMEs, skills development should be simple and focused. It does not have to mean expensive courses or long workshops.

It means showing new staff how things are done, setting clear responsibilities early, helping them understand why decisions matter, and following up on performance.

Skills grow when learning is linked to real work and accountability. Employees also have a role to play.

In today’s economy, workers cannot wait for employers to teach them everything. People who take responsibility for learning grow faster and become more useful to their organisations. Skills development works best when both sides are committed.

Training alone will not save a business. Poor leadership, bad planning, and weak cash management can still cause failure.

But refusing to build skills out of fear only makes these problems worse. In the long run, the bigger danger is not trained staff leaving.

It is unskilled staff staying and slowly holding the business back.

As the year comes to an end, this is a good time for business owners to step back, honestly assess what is working and what is not, and decide whether unskilled staff may be one of the quiet risks holding their business back.

I did not know what to expect from ‘Through the Lens’, NMG’s photo exhibition of Uganda’s elections. Having been intimately involved in the last five elections, I did not expect to be surprised, yet I was, in unexpected ways.

First, the format. The world today is, at present, observed in a stream of high-definition, full-colour video. Everything is live, and video-streaming or serving platforms like TikTok enjoy the commanding heights of the attention economy.

This is supposed to make photography, by comparison, staid, stable and even old school. But it is this attribute that makes photography and the photo moments it births memorable. Take the photo of President Museveni and Dr Kizza Besigye shaking hands at the Namugongo Martyrs Shrine during Pope Francis’ papal visit in November 2015. You can watch a video reel of the event as many times as possible, but only a photograph captures the moment of brief respite between two great political rivals, only weeks before what was to be the fourth and possibly last electoral contest between the two men.

Or consider the photo of President Museveni lying face down, supported by his arms, on the campaign trail in November 2021. Fountains, whether of the honourable or decorative type, tend to be upright, so, at first glance, it looks as if the photo has been installed at the wrong angle. It soon becomes clear to the viewer that the President was, in fact, doing push-ups.

What looks like merely the physical is acutely political. Facing a youthful rival in Robert ‘Bobi Wine’ Kyagulanyi, the push ups were to show voters that the old workhorse still had the horsepower to carry the burden of leadership.

Few candidates beat the Old Man at political symbolism. In one photo, from 2006, he is the passenger on a boda boda, a gimmick recycled from 2001 when he arrived at Kololo on the back of a boda. This was ostensibly to beat the traffic but was, in fact, a well-planned and clever political move.

Missing from the exhibition, and hopefully to be included at some point, are at least four other symbolic photos. Two of President Museveni are of him carrying a grinding stone (lubengo) and being carried by an old grandmother on her lap, both from the 1996 race, if memory doesn’t fail me.

Another is of Dr Besigye with a hammer, from 2001 when he was baptised “Ssenyondo”, or the one who could remove the cotter pin, Museveni. Juxtaposed with another infamous photo of Gilbert Arinaitwe smashing the window of Besigye’s car with his pistol grip, the images, and many more in between, are a reminder of just how vicious and violent our elections have tended to be.

The fourth photo is of a young man doing a defiant split in the middle of a city road that is deserted, save for the clouds of teargas billowing around him, and other protestors in the background contesting the political space.

This young, rebellious and unaccountable spirit, of which more will be said in future, has become the febrile undercurrent of our politics and perhaps national psyche collectively.

If each photo is a piece of the mosaic, the picture that emerges gives a warning and a reminder. The missing pictures from 1962 to 1980 stand as a stark reminder that power in the formative years of our country was exchanged and managed through military might and means.

Also missing in this exhibition is a photograph of a Ugandan president handing over power peacefully to another elected leader. It is missing because it does not exist. And this is the warning that emerges from the exhibition.

Elections are a tool through which citizens choose their leaders. It presupposes change as well as continuity if incumbents are still popular. Why, then, does it feel, at our seventh time of trying, that Uganda’s inevitable leadership transition will not happen through an electoral process?

This fear is not captured in any one photograph in the exhibition. It is captured in absence, and in the things that are felt but unseen, incapable of being captured by even the best photographers because they do not as yet exist. It is a haunting take-out from all the hope and possibilities frozen in time, space, and photo frames.

Government has called on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to comply with new skilling reforms under the TVET Act, 2025, by licensing their institutions to produce trained graduates capable of meeting labor market demands.

The Act, adopted earlier this year and enforced in March, introduces an employer-led and demand-driven skilling system, emphasizing quality assurance, industry-led training and apprenticeships, and the inclusion of all persons.

Speaking at a TVET reforms dissemination workshop in Kampala, TVET Council Executive Director Moses Kasakya said the reforms aim to equip Ugandans with market-relevant skills and address persistent unemployment.

‘There is a persistent gap between the education output and the labor market. While we have many people unemployed, there are jobs that the graduates cannot do,’ Mr Kasakya said.

He highlighted the importance of formalizing the informal skills sector to recognize skilled individuals who can train others. He cited Uganda’s reputation in Kenya for producing some of the best hospital beds in Katwe, noting that few people know the expertise behind it.

‘TVET is intended to bring what is informal to be formal and later increase the tally of the skilled people,’ he said.

Kasakya stressed that registration is now a legal requirement for any institution seeking to produce TVET-trained graduates.

‘If any institution is interested in producing TVET-trained graduates, they must follow the law of the requirements which involves registration,’ he emphasized. .

He added, ‘For those operating on their own may compromise standards, the council must know where you’re operating from and be able to confirm that you have the right equipment, adequate workshops and competent trainers.’

Kasakya said registration allows the council to conduct inspections to ensure institutions meet minimum standards, including proper infrastructure, tools, and qualified trainers. He emphasized the need for trainers to continually research and update their knowledge.

‘Under TVET, a trainer should be teaching what they can actually do, they need to be ahead because the people they are teaching are making research every day and you cannot train something you don’t know,’ he stressed.

Richard Kalanzi, Director of Industrial Training, urged trainers to be intentional in passing on skills, highlighting the impact on economic development.

‘Every trainee you train reduces dependency, they create jobs or work under someone which reduces the dependency rates,’ Mr Kalanzi said.

Jackson Kizza Sebuliba of the Uganda Small-Scale Industries Association noted that the reforms allow trainers to refresh their skills every three years when their licenses expire, keeping them updated with evolving industry needs.

‘Initially people have been just training and there has not been any criteria where trainers should go back and refresh on what they train, but the new reforms allow someone to train and refresh their skills when their license expires after three years which keeps them up to date with the ever-changing patterns,’ he said.

One great advantage of living in a developing country like Uganda is this very fact; that it is developing. Opportunities abound. We don’t have the challenges that most developed countries have where economic development seems to have reached a plateau. Their populations are aging, birthrates are plummeting and the future looks bleak.

In Uganda, the opposite is the case. More than 50 percent of the population is under the age of 18. Birthrates are accelerating. Our population is growing at more than three percent per annum, being one of the highest in the world. And therein lies the endless investment opportunities, especially in real estate.

As Uganda’s population increases and arable land reduces, more and more people will likely run to urban centers looking for opportunities. A study by Broll Uganda shows that in the new cities and other large towns with significant economic activity, the renting population is continuing to increase, driving demand for more rental homes. The trend across the country has always been that there are more owner-occupied homes than rented ones but experts say the last 10 years have shown a spiking growth in renter-occupied homes. Rural-urban migration is causing this trend.

But it is not just the reduction of arable land in some areas that causes the youth to move to the towns. As the fire of modernity continues to rage, more and more people will choose town life over village life because of the rise of communication technology. The ubiquitous nature of the smartphone has exposed the youth to enticing lifestyles far away from their villages.

The youth are constantly being exposed to the allure of urban life through TikTok, Facebook and WhatsApp. The town is calling more than the village is pushing away. Urbanization is projected to grow at an accelerated speed going into the future.

According to Acode, Uganda is currently experiencing rapid urbanization estimated at 20%, and that by 2050, it will be among the most urbanized countries in Africa (GoU, 2017). In Uganda, urbanization has been looked at a prerequisite for the country to achieve upper-middle-income status as part of achieving Vision 2040 (MoFPED, 2016). The fact that there are always better chances of making quick money in urban centres will always drive the youth townward.

With time, small trading centers 100 km away from the nearest highway will soon become towns. Towns along the highways are already becoming major economic hubs. Fifteen years from now, today’s dusty small towns in the middle of nowhere will be the bustling town if the trends remain constant. The rapid transformation of towns around Kampala over the last 15 years years should tell you everything you need to know about these trends. The future is urban.

Small towns to watch

Having said that, today is the day to invest in small, far-flung towns in the middle of nowhere. As major towns and cities become saturated, expensive, and competitive, the smart investor ought to look towards the towns that no one cares about today. These small towns are scattered across the country. Towns like Ngoma and Kapeeka in Nakaseke show signs of rapid growth in the near future. Towns such as Mpara in Kyegegwa are vibrant because of all the donor aid coming in for the nearby refugee settlement.

The list is endless.

Small towns offer lower prices for prime land, they experience high demand for decent hotels for travelers, and they have a growing demand for modern commercial and residential properties. These are just a few of the reasons why you need to consider investing in unknown small towns today.

Affordable land

For any first time investor with beginner resources and a big dream, small towns are the best investment destination. As land in major cities and towns becomes prohibitively pricey, most first-time investors have no chance to compete. Fortunately, land in smaller towns far away from the cities is affordable. These small towns lack decent hotel accommodations and modern commercial properties yet they are vibrant and growing fast. Many such towns are surrounded by vibrant farmer communities and healthy local economies.

Attractive rental yields

The fact that the price of land, labour and building materials are cheaper in smaller towns means that the rental yields will likely be more attractive. As young people move into towns, demand for commercial and residential homes increases. In some small towns, rental demand is steadily growing due to local employment hubs like universities, new nearby industrial parks, commercial farming and growing populations.

Lower competition

Established property investors compete fiercely for prime properties in major cities. This is what drives the prices to the stratosphere, leaving first-time investors in the dust (literally). However, in smaller towns, there’s barely any competition as few investors are interested in those towns. This gives you a better chance to negotiate favorable deals that will yield higher returns as time goes by.

Higher return on investment

Land prices in small towns are very attractive even when development is rapidly happening. You have better chances of buying prime land along the main road in a small town today whose value appreciation will go skyward in a few years.

Vacation rentals

Many small towns lie in the idyllic countryside surrounded by farms, virgin lands in the middle of nature. Some towns are located near rivers, lakes, hills and beautiful farmland, all of which are attractive to vacationists and tourists. Additionally, there are also better chances of finding larger tracts of land in smaller towns than in larger cities. Such large plots are ideal for investing in such hospitality ventures that might pan out to be a lot more affordable and lucrative.

Lower operating costs

From taxes to maintenance, operating costs are typically lower in small towns. Labor also tends to be a lot more affordable in small towns because chances are the workers don’t the burden of rent and other big town bills. Combined with sustainable real estate practices like energy-efficient upgrades, these savings can increase your net returns over time.

Country home

Not everyone has the luck of inheriting ancestral land where to build a country home. Additionally, there are people who grew up urban neighborhoods that have completely turned into city suburbs and yet yearn for a quiet country home for when they are tired of the noisy city. Small towns are perfect for such investments because they offer the best of both worlds. A quiet life not too deep in the village.

Farm house

The outskirts of small towns are surrounded with farms ready to change hands with the right offer. If you have always wanted to own a farm or a farm house, small towns are the places to go because land is not only abundant but cheap in comparison to the case in larger towns. When you have spent all your adult life in the city, a time comes when you start to yearn for the slow life at a farm. Investing in a farm near a small town helps you to have access to necessities like piped water and electricity. As big towns become crowded and loud, those looking for quaint lives must look to small towns. Running a farm while working remotely might be the big break in life you have always hoped for.

Risks involved

Any investment comes with its share of risks, and small-town real estate investing is no different. The market will likely be slow-moving due to less demand, and property resale might take longer.

Fraud

Alex Mugabo, a land broker dealing mostly in farms says that land fraud is as bad in small towns as it is in big ones. He advises that you take extra caution as some of these lands deep in the country usually have family wrangles surrounding them.

‘Having a lawyer during the entire process is a must as you will likely bump into legal problems if you close your eyes at any one time,’ Mugabo says.

Poor infrastructure

Infrastructure like roads, piped water and electricity are often nonexistent in smaller towns. Accessibility can be tricky. But that is why one must pay attention now because things change as soon as the main road is tarmacked.

Low economic activity

Small towns often lie in the quiet countryside where very little economic activity takes place. Because of this, economic vulnerabilities and limited growth opportunities will be inevitable but that, probably, is only for the first few years. Urbanization is the future and the small town will grow with time.

Factors to consider

For better chances of profitability, the choice of which small town to invest in matters depends on various factors of which main ones include:

Proximity to city

While the town itself might be small, its proximity to larger cities or areas of growth can significantly impact property values. This should not deter you from small towns far away from cities as they always have so many gaps waiting for you to fill them and smile to the bank.

Property type

Know the demand – is it for single-family homes, townhouses, or apartments? Is it more advisable to invest in a farm or in a hotel? Some towns might have high demand for affordable single rooms (mizing) for the young factory workers like Kapeeka in Nakaseke while other towns like Mpara may need commercial properties or even hotels.

Local economy

A stable local economy, even in a small town, can attract residents and fuel rental demand. For instance, no one cared about Kapeeka until the government build a large industrial park in the area about ten years ago. Then everything changed. Now Kapeeka is a hotbed of real estate development, from rental to commercial to industrial.

Growth trends

Consider population growth trends, local policies, and infrastructure development plans. Towns that are about to get a tamarc road for instance are great to invest in because value appreciated will take a much shorter time as soon as the road gets paved. Towns very close to new industrial parks or universities will start growing rapidly.

While there are unique challenges associated with smaller town investments, understanding the real estate market and exercising due diligence can lead to impressive returns. Always remember that every small town has its dynamics and market characteristics. Research well, understand the pros and cons, and more importantly, know your investment goals. Small-town real estate investing can indeed be a profitable venture when done right.

Take time to analyze your options, study the market trends, and opt for a sound investment strategy. In the vast world of real estate investing, sometimes, ‘less is more,’ and small-town real estate investing might just be the road less taken that leads you to your pot of gold.

By 9am, Mr Hebert Adriko, a youthful, brawny man, is already sweating as he loads trucks with building materials destined for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on Go Down Road in Arua City.

Adriko says the growth in local manufacturing has opened up new income opportunities for him and many others in the sub-region. ‘We are now seeing the benefits of the electricity because now, mineral water, wine and other products are being manufactured from here. In the past, we could only wait for goods from Kampala or Jinja, which took time to reach here,’ he says.

Adriko says the change has directly increased his earnings.

‘In the past, I used to earn about Shs78,000 a day, but now I can earn Shs150,000 because I work from morning until evening. I can now be able to pay rent and feed well and save for the future,’ he says.

Ms Sally Oyenya, a salon operator in Arua City, says steady electricity has helped her regain customers she had lost.

‘I can now work smoothly for hours without power going off. I have recovered the lost customers because I didn’t have a generator as backup when power used to disturb a lot,’ she says.

Her monthly income has more than doubled, from about Shs230,000 to Shs500,000.

‘This money can now enable me to pay part of the school fees for my children and meet other needs,’ she says. For years, lack of electricity slowed down investment and industrial growth in West Nile.

Leaders blamed government policy, saying it denied the region a fair chance to develop. Businesses such as spinning mills, metal workshops, bakeries, hotels, hospitals and lodges operated below capacity, with few workers and low revenues. On August 3, 2024, several districts in West Nile were connected to the national electricity grid.

During the commissioning, Energy minister Ruth Nankabirwa said electricity demand in the region was expected to grow from 3.5 megawatts to 10 megawatts within a year, driven by new businesses and investments.

Manufacturing has picked up. Small factories are emerging across the sub-region, producing goods that were previously transported from central Uganda. Local investor Bob Oyoma, who runs Oyoma General Stores Limited in Parombo Town Council, Nebbi District, says unreliable power previously made it hard to meet demand, leading to huge losses.

‘.people are waiting to see whether the connection fees are going to be subsidised because this can attract more investors to do proper business,’ Mr Oyoma says. His wine factory employs about 500 skilled and semi-skilled workers and he has since expanded into grain milling. Other factories are also resuming or expanding operations. These include the Parombo Cotton Ginnery, Ayuda (Okoro Coffee) Union Processing Factory, and Kyagulanyi Coffee Factory in Zombo District.

In Yumbe District, Nilezilla Ltd, a Shs30 billion mango juice factory now employs about 200 people directly and 1,500 indirectly. It produces five metric tonnes of juice per hour and injects about Shs1.5 billion into the regional economy each year. Full operations began after connection to the national grid. The Chief Executive Officer of Nilezilla Ltd, Prof William Kyamuhangire, says electricity has enabled expansion plans.

‘We are now ready to expand abundant retail packaging and explore value-added products from mangoes and seed oil extraction. The factory will address post-harvest losses by converting abundant local mangoes into high value puree for both regional and export markets,’ he says.

Factories such as 7 Hills Adrikos Gin in Arua, soap manufacturing plants in Koboko, bread-making micro-factories in Arua City, cereal processing units, tobacco factories and chicken feed processing plants are also benefiting from stable electricity. Mwanzita Beverages, producing wine and mineral water in Arua District, is among the latest companies attracted by the improved power supply. State Minister for Investment Evelyne Anite says power availability has created a foundation for industrial parks in the region.

‘With the adequate power in place, this has given us the opportunity to kick-start the industrial parks in West Nile. We now need value addition on all products. We expect construction of better roads that can facilitate the movement of raw materials,’ she says.

She adds: ‘Ugandans should move to manufacturing, ICT and value addition investments. Now, I believe we can attract foreign-based investors and West Nile people in diaspora can utilise the land and resources here.’ Ayivu East MP aspirant Bernard Atiku says: ‘The reliable electricity means West Nile will begin to enjoy its strategic location for industrialisation. There is no better place for establishing factories for manufacturing various products destined for eastern DRC, Central African Republic, South Sudan and the Sudan than West Nile.’ Mr Joel Aita, the director of Joadah Consults Limited, says improved infrastructure will further boost investment.

‘With the connection to the national grid, more investment opportunities will open up. upgrading of Arua Airfield into an international airport. will open international business opportunities,’ he says.

President Museveni has blamed poor road conditions and low safe water coverage in Kassanda District on opposition leadership, urging residents to vote for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in the 2026 general election.

Speaking at a campaign rally in Bukuya Subcounty on December 17, 2025, Museveni cited figures showing that only 34% of Kassanda’s 569 villages have access to safe water.

‘About 66% of our people have no safe water in Kassanda District. I have now learnt that you people made a mistake to elect opposition leaders. Don’t elect the opposition again,’ he told residents ahead of next year’s election.

Museveni, who has been in power since 1986 and seeks another five-year term in the January 15, 2026 vote, also criticised local MPs and top district officials for failing to raise road maintenance concerns with the central government.

‘For the roads funds, where each district gets at least Shs1 billion annually, nobody among the District leaders raised the matter about the need for additional funding, the roads remain impassable. If the roads maintenance required additional funding, the government would have found a solution for some of the roads,’ he said.

The Ugandan leader highlighted that Kassanda, unlike other districts, has no direct tarmac road but assured residents that the Myanzi-Kassanda-Bukuya-Kiboga Road will be upgraded, despite delays.

‘The people that you have been sending to Parliament have been hindering progress for some of the projects. The guerrilla fighters know the best way of winning a war. You don’t hurriedly attack without planning. This has been the major problem with some of these members of Parliament,’ Museveni observed.

The president also outlined government plans to extend electricity from the district headquarters to sub-counties, covering artisan miners in Bukuya and other areas.

He promised to upgrade schools and health units while implementing the Parish Development Model (PDM) to promote household wealth creation.

‘Development is for all while wealth is for individuals. The Parish Development Model is supposed to facilitate the families to access wealth at household level. We shall ensure that all our people engage in wealth creation programs for better livelihoods,’ he said, warning that those who misappropriate PDM funds are ‘cursed.’

Kassanda District NRM Chairperson Dr Michael Bukenya raised concerns over electricity distribution and land disputes affecting residents, including artisan miners, calling for special government attention.

Residents described ongoing land conflicts with Caleb Ssendagire from Kitongo Village telling Monitor that: ‘We have experienced attacks from people that claim to own this land. Several homesteads have been attacked by goons and property destroyed. We have moved to different offices, seeking help with less success.’

Another resident, Abdul Sseninde, added that threats continued despite prior government interventions through a meeting by lands minister Judith Nabakooba in 2024.

The 2024 census put Kassanda’s population at 314,008, with the updated voter register showing 155,739 voters in 2025, up from 134,798 in 2021.

In the 2021 election, Museveni secured 37,265 votes (44.7%) while his closest challenger Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, won 44,990 votes (53.96%) in the district.

Police in eastern Uganda’s Buyende District are investigating a shocking domestic assault in which two women allegedly cut off their husband’s genitals, marking the fifth such incident in Buyende and Kamuli districts over the past four years.

The incident occurred in Butayunjwa B Village, Buyanja Sub-County, where Mr Robert Bebwa, 51, Vice Chairperson LC I of the village, was reportedly attacked by his two wives, Esther Naluvuma, 44, and Norah Nakayunja, 51.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the full circumstances of the assault.

Speaking from Kidera Health Centre IV, where he is receiving treatment, Bebwa said the attack followed accusations of infidelity.

‘This was a calculated move by my wives. They put aside their differences and attacked me, accusing me of cheating on them,’ he said on Wednesday.

According to Bebwa, the suspects used a sharp object, causing severe injuries and heavy bleeding. He admitted to an extramarital affair but expressed shock at the severity of the assault.

Bebwa also criticized his wife Nakayunja, saying he had married her out of sympathy after meeting her at a bar, a decision he now deeply regrets.

Medical staff at Kidera Health Centre IV said Bebwa’s injuries did not cause permanent nerve damage, and he is responding well, with a full recovery expected. Despite the attack, he expressed a desire to reconcile with his wives for the sake of their eleven children.

‘We have lived together for many years, and I cannot raise the children alone. Healing and reconciliation are important for their future,’ he said.

Busoga North Police spokesperson, Mr Samson Lubega, confirmed both women have been arrested and are in custody to aid investigations. He condemned domestic violence and urged couples to resolve disputes through lawful and peaceful channels, including police family units, community leaders, or accredited organizations.

Past incidents

The incident is the fifth reported case in Buyende and Kamuli districts in the past four years involving women allegedly mutilating their husbands’ genitals:

On June 6, 2025, A one Rehema allegedly mutilated her 60-year-old husband, Richard Masanka, in Busoigo Cell, Kamuli, after discovering he had a child outside their relationship.

On February 18, 2025, Kevin Nabirye cut off Mathias Bwamiki’s genitals over alleged infidelity and was later sentenced to 20 years for attempted murder. On June 10, 2024, Susan Namuganza allegedly mutilated Moses Kawubanya in Busana Village, Kamuli District, and is now serving a 15-year sentence.

In 2022, Madina Namuwaya allegedly mutilated her husband Abdallah Ibinga in Buyende District; he received treatment at Mulago Hospital, and the couple later reconciled and had two sets of twins.