Category: Daily Monitor

In the fifth and final installment of our riveting series, Chasing Big Dreams in the Air, Daily Monitor’s Franklin Drakuaudits the state of regional airfields amidst government rush to build new international airports, and reveals Uganda Civil Aviation Authority’s quick-fixes plan.

On a sunny Tuesday morning, Nyakisharara aerodrome in the western Mbarara City appeared quieter, contrasting the beehive activity observed at Arua airfield in West Nile a couple of days later.

A Caravan aircraft had landed at Nyakisharara airfield an hour earlier before our arrival, all the passengers had disembarked and headed to their final destinations.

As journalists from the Nation Media Group-Uganda (NMG-U), we were in Mbarara on a fact-finding mission after President Museveni announced plans to build an ultra-modern international airport in the city to rival some of the largest airports in the world.

Nyakisharara has a 1.5-kilometre gravel runway, and the aerodrome’s monthly traffic is 35 passengers. That is on average under 1 percent of the average 4,000 passengers that land at Arua airfield in Arua City every month.

The lone aircraft we found at Nyakisharara was destined to return to Entebbe International Airport at 2pm, officials said.

Sceptics, including prominent businesspeople in Mbarara City who asked not to be named in order not to appear to shoot down a planned government project, questioned how Nyakisharara could suddenly leap from an underutilised aerodrome to a world-class airport.

However, the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) was quick to point out that the location of Mbarara aerodrome is strategic and its development will spur growth of the city and the country.

‘[The envisaged] Mbarara [International] Airport is strategically important for the development of air transport in the country and it will be able to serve rapid urbanisation growth not only for Mbarara City, but also urban centres that surround it,’ the aviation sector regulator noted in a statement in reply to inquiries by this newspaper.

It added: ‘It is a good thing to have several international airports in the country. Several countries have various international airports and these are meant to complement, not compete, with each other.’

Background

Uganda since 1951 has had one international airport, at Entebbe peninsula, with average annual passenger traffic at 2.4 million, according to UCAA Spokesman Vianney Luggya.

The government has lately ramped up the construction of international airports in the country, with Kabalega in Hoima nearing completion, a ground breaking done to build one in Kidepo in Karamoja while the African Development Bank has approved financing to upgrade Arua airfield to an international airport.

There are plans to establish more international airports in Ntungamo and Gulu, in southwestern and northern parts of Uganda, adding to Entebbe in the central.

Besides questions regarding business cases for the planned airports, concerns have arisen, in the case of Nyakisharara airport, over the capacity of its earmarked investors after one of them – Base 7 International Aviation Academy (B7IAA) – failed to establish an aviation and flight training academy under a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with the government.

That notwithstanding, the company officials said the training school project was disrupted by many factors, including Covid-19 pandemic, and they have now onboarded dependable Chinese and British firms as partners for the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) arrangement for the proposed Nyakisharara International Airport.

Not sold out

Whereas UCAA, tour operators, the project promoters and some residents of Mbarara City, including businessman Fred Asiimwe, lavish the planned development of Nyakisharara as economically viable, aviation experts such as Sean Mendis offer that Uganda is better off strengthening domestic and regional air business.

He noted that it would be risky to jump into the fierce competition for long-haul flights when the national carrier, Uganda Airlines, whose domestic hub would attract connecting flights, is struggling since its 2019 revamp.

Calling the blueprint for an international airport in Mbarara a pipe dream, Mr Mendis said neither passenger figures nor cargo volumes, current and projected, demonstrate economic viability for putting in place such infrastructure. Industry analysts have pointed to the wanting state of existing aerodromes upcountry – stained and falling apart with neglect – as proof Uganda may struggle to build mega airports when unable to take care of smaller facilities.

UCAA, which oversees some of the decaying facilities, argued that additional international airports are necessary and critical in facilitating economic integration through trade, tourism, and communication since Uganda is a land-locked country.

Uganda has 57 aerodromes in total, out of which only 14 are owned and operated by the UCAA. These include Entebbe International Airport and the airfields in Arua, Gulu, Pakuba, Kasese, Kidepo, Kisoro, Mbarara, Moroto, Lira, Jinja, Masindi, Tororo and Soroti.

The government gazetted Kasese, Arua, Gulu, Pakuba and Kidepo aerodromes as entry/exit points for international flights for the purpose of promoting regional tourism.

These are being joined by the new Kabalega International Airport in Hoima, whose construction is pegged to business prospects in the nascent oil industry.

Mr Fred Bamwesigye, the director general of UCAA, said among the five gazetted entry and exit points, Arua, Kasese and Gulu Airports were prioritised for upgrade and development to international status due to their strategic location to facilitate trade, agricultural production, tourism and security interests.

Why not Arua?

Arua is currently served by a gravel surface 1800-by-30-metre runway, despite being the second busiest aerodrome facility in the country after Entebbe.

On average 180 aircrafts land there a month, delivering about 40,00 passengers.

Mr Avutia Malon, the mayor of Ayivu Division where Arua airfield is located, said the city enjoys a strategic location, bordering DRC and close to South Sudan, meaning an international airport would have a market from the neighbours and even the Central African Republic.

‘Arua being a hub for trade, one would expect that apart from Entebbe International Airport, the government of Uganda would actually have a lot of interest in upgrading it into an international airport,’ said Mr Avutia.

The Uganda Bureau of Statistics in its 2024 report named Arua, based on its 440,000 daytime population, as the second busiest city after Kampala. The Mayor accused the government of making what he called ’empty promises’ regarding the planned upgrade of Arua to an international airport, despite earlier acquisition of land and compensation payment for expansion of the facility.

‘For us as a community of Arua City and West Nile, this is a long-awaited opportunity. Part [of the reason] why we continue to lag behind, [with UBOS] Poverty Index [placing West Nile region next to] Karamoja, is because some [possible] opportunities [an airport would bring] have been blocked to our business people,’ Mr Avutia said.

He wondered wby key infrastructure upgrade projects in West Nile delay inordinately.

‘Sometimes we are tempted to think that this has been done intentionally by some people [to keep West Nile behind],’ he noted. At a total distance of about 530 kilometres from Kampala, Arua currently is the farthest regional city from Uganda’s capital. The airfield operates humanitarian flights to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Officials said Arua airfield currently lacks control tower and other facilities to turn it into an international airport.

Whereas it has immigration and customs facilities within the terminal building, one of the conditions for granting international flights, officials say there are still other requirements to be fulfilled, including a planned larger departure lounge that can at once handle 200 passengers.

According to the UCAA masterplan, plans are underway to develop Arua into a regional and international airport of category 4E. The planned scope covers a new paved runway 3,500 meters long, 60 metres wide, taxiways, apron, control tower, terminal building, fuel facilities, access road and car parks. The second phase shall include expansion of the terminal facilities, cargo centre and related infrastructure.

‘The airport will initially be designed as a code 4E airport with the B777-300 ER as the design aircraft in a phased implementation. Environmental Social Impact Assessment and feasibility studies in compliance with the Public Investment Management System have been undertaken,’ said Mr Bamwesigye.

Regarding Gulu aerodrome, which is east of Arua City, Mr Bamwesigye said the facility has a 3100-by-45 metre runway, with plans to upgrade it to category 4E airport, similar to plans for Arua airfield.

UCAA says it prepared a master plan study and detailed pavement designs, and acquired additional land measuring 59.9 hectares for the expansion of Gulu airfield.

‘The master plan details the re-construction of a new runway (3100 long by 60m wide), the taxiway system of 23m wide, a new Apron, a new passenger Terminal building, cargo complex, New car park, access road, control tower and new fire station. Phase 1 of this project is estimated to cost $56 million while the entire project is estimated to cost $170 million,’ said the UCAA boss.

According to the regulator, the execution development could not happen earlier due to lack of funding. That said, the process is being fast tracked to upgrade Gulu airport to international standards due to the forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations tournament being jointly co-hosted by Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

‘The contract for construction works has been cleared by the Solicitor General pending finalisation of funding arrangements with the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The project is being undertaken at the same time with a road connecting Lira to Gulu, which is about 54 kilometres through Abok without passing through corner Kamdini,’ Mr Bamwesigye said, citing AFCON rule to locate a stadium within 100 kilometre from the nearest airport.

Revamp plans

Across to western Uganda, UCAA says the master plan and detailed engineering designs for the planned upgrade of Kasese to an international airport were completed and more land acquired to increase available airfield land to 168 hectares.

The government has assigned China State Engineering Construction Company to conduct the feasibility study for Kasese, which is to be upgraded to an international airport where large planes such as Boeing 737-500 can land.

Officials said the upgrade is based on business consideration; that is, promoting cross-border movements, tourism and cargo transportation.

However, the funding for the project has not been confirmed and technocrats at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic development are reportedly in advanced negotiations with potential funders.

In the East, upgrade works on Jinja aerodrome, which began in January 2025, were nearing completion.

The tarmacking of the runway was complete, pending marking, and a parallel taxiway built and apron expanded and paved.

Fredrick Daniel Tuliraba, the UCAA chief engineer, while overseeing the reconstruction of the airfield, said the modernisation of the infrastructure is part of the implementation of the regulator’s master plan targeting to better services at regional aerodromes to promote tourism and trade.

And in the southwest, Kisoro aerodrome has had its runway, taxiway and apron recently resurfaced. The aerodrome operates as a category 2B facility, with a 1200-by-23 metres runway.

Mr Ivan Mbabazi, a businessman in Kabale and the chairperson of Kigezi tourism cluster, said the government should have prioritised establishment of an international airport either in Kasese or Kabale.

Citing the lucrative gorilla tracking as a key attraction for international tourists, Eng Mbabazi said Mbarara City could not, for economic reasons, be considered for an international airport ahead of Kigezi.

‘So the proposed Mbarara airport in my view is not a priority for tourism at the moment. The international airport should be in the Kigezi sub region, whether it is in the Kabale, Kisoro or Kanungu, because Kigezi sub region is the tourism hub of Uganda,’ he said, citing Bwindi Impenetrable and Mgahinga national parks. He said tourists landing at Entebbe take another 12 hours to reach both Bwindi and Mgahinga, in addition to their long journeys from their home countries.

If an international airport was established in Kigezi, he noted, tourists would spend less time – roughly 30 minutes to one hour – to access the home of the endangered mountain gorillas.

A high-profile dialogue to commemorate the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture descended into chaos on Friday, June 26, after officials from the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) clashed with opposition politicians and human rights activists over the handling of torture discussions.

The drama, which saw several participants storm out of the meeting prematurely, erupted during the national commemoration event held in Kampala. The spark was ignited when the UHRC sought to prevent participants from naming individual victims or discussing specific, high-profile cases of ongoing torture in the country.

The confrontation began during the tail-end of the public dialogue when Mr. Harold Kaija, the deputy Secretary General of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), accused the panel discussants of “speaking with an almost closed mouth” and deliberately evading the country’s most pressing human rights realities.

Mr. Kaija argued that it was hypocritical for the Commission to gather and speak in platitudes while members of his party, including political activist Sam Mugumya and PFF President Erias Lukwago, continue to endure severe state-vetted brutality.

“Sam Mugumya, who previously spent eight years in a Congolese prison, was abducted in Mbarara in August last year, and to date, we don’t have any trace of where he is. We have received reports that he can’t even walk,” Mr. Kaija charged. “As I speak, our party president, Erias Lukwago, is at Mulago Hospital-not by choice, but following that gruesome abduction which you all witnessed. Yet, all of you here are talking in tongues.”

Before Mr. Kaija could conclude his remarks, the session moderator, Ms. Pauline Nansamba-who serves as the UHRC Director for Complaints, Investigations, and Legal Services-interrupted and blocked him from continuing.

“As UHRC, we are handling those cases on a separate basis, so here we advise that you don’t start naming individual cases,” Ms. Nansamba cautioned.

The intervention further infuriated Mr. Kaija, who questioned the purpose of the dialogue if stakeholders were being gagged from addressing real-time events. Retorting that those currently enabling the torture of the opposition would one day find themselves victims of the same system, Mr. Kaija handed over the microphone and stormed out of the hall.

Ms. Winfred Mugambwa, an activist with Ecofeminist, took the floor next, echoing Mr. Kaija’s frustrations. She accused the Commission of actively suppressing an honest conversation on structural torture.

Defending the Commission’s stance, Ms. Nansamba implored participants to stick to the day’s official theme: “Taking stock of the successes and challenges met in the protection and promotion of the freedom from torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment.”

The dialogue featured representatives from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Prisons Service (UPS), academia, and torture survivors, who were invited to evaluate Uganda’s progress in eradicating the vice.

Maj. Gerald Bamwitirebye, the Head of Human Rights for the UPDF, defended the army’s track record, stating that institutional mechanisms have been established to handle excesses.

“We have a complaints desk, a psychosocial department, a human rights department, and compensation arrangements established at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs/UPDF National Referral Hospital. Human rights adherence is also fully integrated into our training schools,” Maj. Bamwitirebye said.

Assistant Commissioner of Prisons (ACP) Natukunda Aliyo highlighted the strain on the correctional system, noting that the Uganda Prisons Service currently houses 82,785 prisoners-comprising 46.1 percent remands and 56 percent convicts-managed by 23,334 warders.

“We are governed by Article 221 and Cap 325 of the Prisons Act, which mandates us to respect the people we keep and align with international human rights standards. We also actively partner with external organisations to ensure compliance,” ACP Aliyo said.

In a speech delivered by Commission member Mr. Omara Apitta Lamex, UHRC Chairperson Ms. Mariam Wangadya urged citizens to reject all forms of dehumanising acts.

“Article 24 explicitly states that no person shall be subjected to any form of torture, cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment, and Article 44 classifies the right to freedom from torture as a non-derogable right,” she stated.

UHRC Registrar, Ms. Phiona Birungi Kemigisha, added that the Commission remains committed to promptly investigating complaints and delivering timely verdicts for victims.

The fractious dialogue coincided with a nationwide court boycott orchestrated by lawyers under the Uganda Law Society (ULS).

Advocates across the country downed their tools on Friday, accusing the judiciary of failing to protect legal practitioners who have increasingly become targets of state intimidation, torture, and human rights abuses while executing their professional duties.

“We have joined members of the Uganda Law Society to strike against the way advocates are being treated while carrying out their work,” said advocate Kato Tumusiime. “This is not just about lawyers representing victims of torture and human rights violations; it is about every advocate because we have all become targets.”

The UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was established by the UN General Assembly in 1997 and is observed globally every June 26.

While Uganda enacted the progressive Prevention and Prohibition of Torture Act in 2012 to strengthen its legal frameworks, civil society organizations and human rights defenders maintain that a lack of political will and poor implementation have allowed cases of enforced disappearances and state-sanctioned torture to escalate.

The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has dismissed two applications by controversial lawyer and activist Male Mabirizi seeking the recusal of the trial magistrate from his criminal case, branding his allegations of bias as “speculative and self-created.”

Chief Magistrate Ritah Kidasa Neumbe ruled on Friday that the grounds advanced by Mr. Mabirizi lacked evidence and were insufficient to establish judicial bias.

Mr. Mabirizi is currently facing four counts under the Computer Misuse Act over alleged offensive social media posts targeting Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo (then Principal Judge Flavian Zeija) and Court of Appeal Justice Musa Ssekaana. He denies the charges.

“The grounds advanced by the applicant are speculative, self-created, and unsupported by evidence,” Ms. Neumbe ruled while dismissing the second recusal application. “To allow recusal on such grounds would set a dangerous precedent where litigants could disqualify judicial officers at will.”

The magistrate similarly threw out a third recusal application in which Mr. Mabirizi alleged that she was a conflicted party. The activist argued that the magistrate is a witness in ongoing proceedings before the East African Court of Justice (EACJ), had acted under instructions from the complainant, and had failed to handle the case fairly.

“The grounds advanced are speculative, unsubstantiated, and fail to meet the objective test of bias,” Ms. Neumbe held, adding that judicial independence must be protected from repeated applications intended to derail court proceedings.

Moments after the dual rulings were delivered, Mr. Mabirizi expressed his dissatisfaction, arguing that a judicial officer facing legal proceedings instituted by an accused person cannot claim to be impartial.

“I am not satisfied with your conclusions because I have not yet read the ruling,” Mr. Mabirizi told the court. “A judicial officer who is a witness in a case pending before the East African Court of Justice, has sworn an affidavit, and is liable to cross-examination cannot purport to be independent.”

Following the setback, Mr. Mabirizi renewed his application for mandatory bail, arguing that he has spent more than 60 days on remand without trial, which violates constitutional safeguards.

“The Constitution put a restriction on pre-trial remand. I pray you release me on mandatory bail and they will contact you when they are ready,” he submitted, adding that he had filed written submissions on May 15 and June 10, 2026, to which the prosecution had failed to respond.

He contended that under the law, mandatory bail proceedings should not be subjected to prolonged adversarial hearings.

“When I appeared before you, I applied for bail and the State said I would interfere with investigations, yet the Constitution says you cannot investigate beyond 60 days, and if that happens, release the accused,” Mr. Mabirizi argued.

State Attorney Allan Mucunguzi, who was holding brief for the lead prosecutor Joan Keko, requested an adjournment, stating that he was only instructed to receive the recusal ruling and was not fully acquainted with the case details.

“My instructions today were to receive a ruling for recusal. I am not in personal conduct of this case… I pray for an adjournment until my colleagues return and respond to this application,” Mr. Mucunguzi submitted.

Mr. Mabirizi vehemently opposed the request, citing court practice directions.

“The adjournment practice directions provide that counsel holding brief must appear with full authority to proceed. This is the fourth time this mandatory bail application has been brought to the State’s attention,” he countered.

In her final ruling of the day, Chief Magistrate Neumbe agreed with the prosecution, noting that the principles of natural justice required the State to be given a fair chance to reply.

“The wording of Section 76 of the Magistrates Courts Act does not bar this court from adjourning the case. This matter involves two parties and the rules of natural justice demand that the other party is accorded a chance to respond to the application,” Ms. Neumbe ruled.

The case was subsequently adjourned to July 10, 2026, for the State’s response to the mandatory bail application.

“I pray that it is the last adjournment,” Mr. Mabirizi remarked as he was led back to the court cells.

Male Mabirizi is a well-known legal activist in Uganda famous for filing private criminal prosecutions and constitutional petitions against high-profile government and judicial officials. This specific case stems from a long-running feud between Mabirizi and elements of the judiciary, which previously saw him serve an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court passed by Justice Musa Ssekaana in 2022. The current charges involve alleged cyber harassment and offensive communication targeting top judicial officers via his social media handles.

An 18-year-old woman in Pallisa is under arrest as police probe the disappearance of her infant son.

The suspect, Mercy Kokoi of Okuderia Cell, Pallisa Town Council, is being held at Pallisa Police Station under CRB 277/2026 over suspected infanticide.

According to Bukedi North Police spokesperson ASP Wilfred Kyempasa, Kokoi became pregnant in October 2025 but never named the baby’s father to her family. She gave birth to a boy on May 17, 2026, and lived with her mother, Josephine Ariao.

The case emerged on June 19. Ariao told police she left Kokoi with the baby in the morning and returned around 9 pm to find her daughter alone.

“Upon returning at around 9 pm, she allegedly found Kokoi at home without the child. When asked about the whereabouts of the baby, the suspect told her mother that she had handed the child over to his father,” ASP Kyempasa said.

Family members were suspicious because no one knew the father. Ariao reported the matter to police.

Initially, Kokoi stuck to that story. ‘During initial questioning, the suspect maintained that she had given the baby to the father and could not trace where he had taken the child,’ police said.

But on June 22, her account changed.

According to Mr. Kyempasa, ‘the suspect allegedly told investigators that she did not report the death or raise an alarm, but instead carried the infant’s body and dumped it in a latrine at Agule Central Primary School’ after finding the baby dead at home on June 19.

Scene of Crime officers visited the latrine and documented the site. Police have recorded statements from Ariao and other witnesses and have launched a search to recover the baby’s body.

“The search for the suspected missing body is ongoing, and inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance and death are still underway,” Kyempasa said.

Walk into almost any casino today and one thing stands out immediately. Rows of colorful slot machines light up the gaming floor with animated displays, exciting sound effects, and enormous jackpots waiting to be won. What many people do not realize is that this global phenomenon began with a remarkably simple machine that could fit inside a small corner of a bar more than a century ago.

The first commercially successful slot machine appeared in the late nineteenth century when American mechanic Charles Fey introduced the Liberty Bell. Unlike earlier gambling devices, it featured three spinning reels and an automatic payout system that rewarded matching symbols. The highest prize came from aligning three Liberty Bell symbols, giving the machine the name that would become part of gaming history.

Its success inspired countless imitations. As slot machines spread across the United States, manufacturers experimented with new symbols, improved mechanisms, and more entertaining designs. During periods when gambling laws became stricter, some machines awarded fruit flavored chewing gum instead of cash prizes. This unusual workaround introduced cherries, lemons, oranges, and watermelons that still appear in many slot games today, long after the gum disappeared.

For decades, players pulled a physical lever to spin the reels. That familiar motion became so iconic that slot machines earned the nickname “one armed bandits.” The name reflected both the single lever on the side of the cabinet and the playful suggestion that the machine had a habit of taking players’ money. Despite the nickname, their popularity continued to grow because they offered simple entertainment that anyone could understand within seconds.

Everything changed during the 1960s with the arrival of electromechanical slot machines. Electricity replaced many moving parts, making games more reliable while allowing larger payouts and new features. Soon after, video technology revolutionized the industry again. Physical reels gave way to digital screens, opening the door to animated themes, multiple paylines, interactive bonus rounds, and creative game mechanics that would have been impossible with traditional machines.

The internet created the next major breakthrough. Instead of traveling to a casino, players could now enjoy their favorite games from home. Developers quickly realized they were no longer limited by the size of a physical cabinet. They introduced adventures inspired by ancient civilizations, mythology, space exploration, fantasy worlds, and blockbuster style storytelling. The result was a new generation of slots online that combined casino gaming with the visual quality of modern video games.

Mobile technology accelerated this transformation even further. Today, thousands of slot titles are available on smartphones and tablets, allowing players to enjoy the same experience almost anywhere with an internet connection. Advanced graphics, smooth animations, and realistic sound design ensure that modern mobile games rival many desktop experiences.

Perhaps the biggest change has been the creativity of game developers. Modern slots rarely rely on spinning reels alone. Features such as expanding wilds, cascading symbols, free spins, bonus adventures, and progressive jackpots give every title its own personality. Some games tell complete stories while others reward players with interactive challenges that go far beyond traditional gameplay.

Even with all these innovations, the heart of the slot machine has never changed. The excitement still comes from pressing a button or spinning the reels and waiting to see what happens next. That simple moment of anticipation has entertained generations of players and continues to define the experience today.

As technology continues to evolve through artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and increasingly immersive graphics, casino slots are likely to become even more engaging. Yet every modern game can trace its origins back to a modest mechanical machine created more than one hundred years ago. Few inventions have adapted so successfully across changing generations while preserving the same sense of excitement that made the original Liberty Bell famous.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have been urged to embrace ethical business practices and sound corporate governance if they are to survive, grow and contribute meaningfully to Uganda’s economy.

Speaking in Kampala yesterday at the launch of the 18th edition of the KPMG-Nation Media Group Uganda Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies Survey, Mr Peter Kyambadde, the head of tax and regulatory services at KPMG Uganda, said SMEs remain a critical pillar of Uganda’s economy through job creation and wealth generation.

‘SMEs are at the centre of economic transformation. They drive inclusive growth and create employment opportunities for millions of Ugandans,’ he said.

Mr Kyambadde said businesses that operate with integrity, transparency and accountability are better positioned to attract customers, secure financing and withstand economic shocks.

According to business experts, ethical conduct helps enterprises avoid legal disputes, strengthen their reputation and build lasting relationships with customers and stakeholders.

However, despite their importance to the economy, many SMEs continue to struggle to stay afloat. Ms Oliver Mugaga, the head of SMEs at Equity Bank Uganda, said a significant number of businesses fail within their first few years due to financial and operational challenges.

‘Available evidence shows that approximately 66 percent of Ugandan businesses collapse before celebrating their first anniversary, while nearly 92 percent fail within the first three years,’ Ms Mugaga said.

She attributed the high failure rate to a combination of factors, including expensive borrowing, inadequate financial planning, limited access to affordable credit and weak business management systems.

Ms Mugaga said financial institutions have developed interventions aimed at supporting SMEs, including recovery funds and affordable financing options designed to help businesses weather difficult economic conditions.

Ms Mugaga encouraged entrepreneurs to seek professional advice, improve bookkeeping practices and take advantage of available financing opportunities to strengthen their enterprises.

The Managing Director of Nation Media Group-Uganda, Ms Susan Nsibirwa, said the Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies initiative has over the past 18 years provided a platform for recognising and supporting businesses that demonstrate resilience and growth potential.

She noted that many successful companies started as small enterprises before growing into major players in their respective sectors.

‘For 18 years, this platform has celebrated businesses that began modestly and went on to become industry leaders,’ Ms Nsibirwa said.

She added that supporting SMEs is critical because they account for the majority of businesses in Uganda and play a vital role in employment creation.

‘When we support SMEs, we support the economy. They make up the bulk of businesses in the country and provide livelihoods to millions,’ she said.

Hug a Gen Z male on sight. Give him some money while you are at it, because being a man has never been this hard. History tells us our forefathers went to war, fought over food, women, and survival, and somehow survived slave traders and colonial chaos. And here we are, a Gen Z man in 2026, judged by the suffering of ancestors, expected to conquer, hustle, and still post perfectly curated Instagram reels. Honestly, somewhere along the line, someone misplaced the instruction manual. Being a Gen Z male in Uganda today is like being born into an unfinished house and told to decorate it beautifully, and by the way, pay for the bricks. The battles are now mental, with rising female misandry acting as an added weapon. The odds are stacked. The gender ratio is a cruel advantage making us the prize, yet simultaneously the suspect. Stress ,Anxiety, Identity crises, byona byona check, check, and check. You might feel like you need a PhD in emotional management just to survive your own WhatsApp group.

Men’s Mental Health Month rolls around every June, and predictably, most men acknowledge it the same way they handle annual check-ups: ‘I am fine,’ while internally carrying enough baggage to qualify for unpaid Emirates cargo. For Gen Z men, mental health conversations are impossible to ignore. Unlike our fathers and grandfathers, who measured masculinity by silent endurance, today’s young men navigate anxiety, loneliness, economic pressures, social media comparison, and climate anxiety all in one neat, algorithmically optimised stress cocktail.

Previous generations had it rough, yes but they had the offline advantage. Embarrassing moments stayed in the village. Failed attempts were witnessed by only one aunt and a dog. But now one typo online or bad smile can trigger existential dread, unsolicited critique, and passive-aggressive comments from strangers who have never seen your real face. Social media is simultaneously a spotlight and a guillotine, constantly reminding Gen Z men that everyone else seems to be winning the game of life.

Loneliness is the new currency

Uganda’s Gen Z males are hyperconnected, yet profoundly isolated. Fathers had football fields, mosques, kafundas, and gossip corners. Gen Z men have WhatsApp groups, TikTok comment sections, and hundreds of followers. They can scroll for hours and still not find someone to tell: Life is hard and I need help. Vulnerability is risky and expression is a balancing act, speak, and you are weak. Do not speak, and you are broken. Somehow, you are always wrong, even when right. Then the accidental therapist; the barber, the boda guy, the gym instructor, all the unofficial mental health support systems of modern Uganda.

Economic pressures are real!

Past generations had the luxury of a linear script; school, job, marriage, children, and quiet arguments over land boundaries. Gen Z men? Inflation, gig instability, unaffordable housing, and debt have made milestones feel like distant mirages. At 28, their fathers had houses and families. Today’s 28-year-old debates Netflix subscriptions versus buying fuel. Being broke is not laziness; it is a national phenomenon wrapped in a timing mismatch with history.

The crisis of masculinity is the cherry on the stress cake. Grandfathers had clear roles. Fathers were providers, protectors, and emotionally unavailable but consistent. Gen Z men must be available yet strong, sensitive yet masculine, ambitious but humble, financially aware but not greedy. The exam is endless, the marking guide keeps changing, and there are no office hours for support. Influencers online promise wealth and dominance. Neither equips young men for real-life Ugandan adversity.

Mental health issues so visible

Older generations argue, ‘We survived worse.’ True. They endured wars, poverty, dictatorships, and famine. But surviving in silence is not thriving. Boomers did not have Instagram telling them every friend had a six-pack, a house, and two cars. Gen Z men live in the age of constant comparison. Awareness is progress, not weakness. Recognition is not fragility.

Practical interventions:

Gentlemen, sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit that life is hard without being judged as soft. Imagine a space where saying, ‘I am stressed’ does not automatically earn you a lifetime ban from masculinity. That, my friends, is emotional peer support. And yes, it is okay if it is in a WhatsApp group. Bonus points if someone drops a laughing emoji or makes bad jokes while still being empathetic.

Being a man does not mean bottling every emotion while pretending your life is an uninterrupted convoy. Real strength now includes asking for help, seeking therapy, and expressing emotion without embarrassment. It is okay to admit you are overwhelmed when your Wi-Fi drops in the middle of a TikTok crisis. The new benchmark for masculinity – being human, fully and unapologetically, even if it means occasionally crying over tea with your mates.

Connection matters, people. Whether it is football at the local pitch, church choir practice, or gossiping over a plate of kikomando, these interactions build resilience. Mentorship, sports, friendship circles these are free therapy sessions if done right. And yes, governments, schools, and workplaces need to step up too. Men’s mental health should be integrated into policy, employment, and education systems so future generations do not have to survive on coffee, memes, and awkward gym sessions.

Men’s Mental Health Month is a reminder that Gen Z men are not weaker; they are simply trying to survive a world that comes with Wi-Fi, pressure, and unlimited overthinking. They are aware, connected, overwhelmed, and slowly learning that ‘I am fine, bro’ is sometimes the biggest lie since ‘I am reaching in five minutes.’

They are proving that silence is not strength, memes count as therapy, and occasionally a philosophical boda guy at midnight offers better life advice than half the motivational podcasts online. Young men do not need to be emotionless machines or turn every heartbreak into a podcast series.

Diageo is grappling with asset losses and legal battles in several African countries as it seeks to exit parts of the continent’s beer market, highlighting the difficult operating conditions facing foreign investors.

The company is fighting a multimillion-dollar legal battle over its planned exit from East African Breweries Ltd (EABL) after posting estimated losses of about $365m from the sale of assets in Ethiopia, Nigeria and Ghana.

The British drinks giant is selectively selling its African beer businesses as part of a broader plan to cut costs and boost revenue by focusing on an asset-light, high-margin business model.

The firm is restructuring much of its global business as it seeks to reshape its beer portfolio, which is seen as lower margin and harder to scale profitably.

In 2025, Africa accounted for 9 percent of Diageo’s sales, the same share as Latin America and the Caribbean.

A huge chunk of the group’s sales came from North America (40 percent), followed by Europe (24 percent) and Asia Pacific (18 percent). North America remains Diageo’s largest market and accounts for more than one-third of its net sales.

‘We have made several selective disposals consistent with our long-term strategy of deleveraging and improving balance sheet flexibility. This includes the sale of non-core brands Pampero, Safari, and Cacique, as well as a shift to an asset-light model in many parts of Africa, with the disposal of shareholdings in Guinness Nigeria, Guinness Ghana, and Seychelles Breweries,’ the company says in its latest annual report for 2025.

‘Going forward, we remain committed to actively pursuing disposals of appropriate, non-core assets. We have made progress this fiscal, but there is clearly more work to do.’

Asset shift

An asset-light business strategy reduces a company’s ownership of capital-intensive physical assets, such as manufacturing plants and vehicle fleets, and allows it to rely on outsourcing, leasing, and digital platforms while maintaining a flexible cost structure.

On April 25, 2022, Diageo completed the sale of its Ethiopian subsidiary, Meta Abo Brewery Share Company, to Castel, resulting in a loss of £95m ($125.6m).

About two years later, on September 30, 2024, it completed the sale of its 58.02 percent shareholding in Guinness Nigeria to Tolaram, with the transaction resulting in a loss of $125m.

On January 28, 2025, Diageo announced the sale of its 80.4 percent shareholding in Guinness Ghana Breweries to Castel Group, a transaction that resulted in a loss of $114m.

Asset disposals in other markets, such as Cameroon and Seychelles, however, generated significant gains.

On May 26, 2023, Diageo completed the sale of Guinness Cameroun SA for $475m, resulting in a gain of $343 million, while on April 2, 2025, the group announced the sale of its 54.4 percent shareholding in Seychelles Breweries to Phoenix Beverages, which was completed on July 1, 2025, for about $80m.

The company is looking to divest much of its beer portfolio apart from its flagship Guinness brand and has already moved to separate brewing operations by offloading several beer-related assets across Africa.

In May 2025, the company launched the first phase of its Accelerate programme, a company-wide initiative aimed at building a more agile operating model, with clear cash-delivery targets and a disciplined focus on operational excellence and cost efficiency.

Under the programme, Diageo seeks to deliver sustained performance, including $3b in free cash flow annually from fiscal year 2026, and achieve $625m in cost savings over three years to support reinvestment and improve operating leverage.

‘These changes are creating a stronger platform for optimising investment and enabling more effective resource allocation towards long-term growth,’ the company says.

As a result, Diageo has transitioned towards an asset-light framework, selling several African subsidiaries and shifting increasingly towards licensing arrangements and third-party operators.

A shift towards an asset-light strategy in Africa and the associated divestments has driven a significant pivot towards third-party production and distribution.

Diageo says that its Beer Category Third-Party Operations team will focus on maintaining secure supply solutions through partners while assuring consistent quality of Diageo brands produced at third-party facilities and enhancing Diageo value through supporting the start-up of new partnerships and delivery of innovation projects.

EABL battle

Diageo has also agreed to sell its 65 percent majority stake in East African Breweries (EABL) to Japanese beverage giant Asahi Group Holdings for $2.3b.

But the planned transaction faces a series of lawsuits from minority shareholders and third parties that are delaying its conclusion.

In Kenya, EABL has petitioned Chief Justice Martha Koome to coordinate the multiple court cases challenging Diageo’s planned sale of its 65 percent stake in the brewer and its holding in UDV Kenya to Japan’s Asahi Group.

The company argues that parallel suits filed in different courts had produced conflicting rulings, with one court halting the transaction after others declined to stop it.

It warned that the fragmented litigation risked forum shopping, inconsistent judgments, and prolonged uncertainty, potentially undermining investor confidence.

Under the deal, Asahi agreed to acquire Diageo Kenya, which holds a 65 percent stake in EABL that holds stakes in Uganda Breweries Limited, Seregenti Breweries in Tanzania, UDV Kenya, and Kenya Breweries Limited.

Diageo’s African challenges include currency volatility, shifting regulatory hurdles, taxation pressures, and legal battles that continue to complicate its exit from some markets.

Diageo is among several British companies scaling down operations on the continent and redirecting resources to investments and markets they consider to offer stronger growth and returns.

UK firms, including Barclays, Standard Chartered, and Atlas Mara, which had acquired seven African banks, have also reduced their footprint in parts of Africa.

History has always been captivated by visible power. We celebrate those who built nations, commanded armies, transformed economies, and occupied positions of influence. Entire civilizations have devoted themselves to documenting the individuals who wore the crown, sat on the throne, signed the laws, and shaped institutions.

Yet in our fascination with public authority, we have often overlooked a more profound question: who shapes the human beings who wield that power?

Behind every leader, decision-maker, entrepreneur, or statesman exists a private world rarely examined by history. Who restores courage when confidence falters? Who offers reassurance when responsibility becomes overwhelming? Who influences the thoughts that ultimately become public decisions?

These questions do not diminish authority; they deepen our understanding of it. French philosopher Michel Foucault challenged the notion that power exists only within governments, institutions, and formal structures. He argued that power also moves through relationships, expectations, language, and everyday interactions. It does not merely command; it shapes. It influences what we fear, what we desire, what we believe, and ultimately who we become. The most consequential forms of power, therefore, are often the least visible, arriving quietly through trust, admiration, intimacy, validation, and emotional access.

This reflection becomes particularly significant during Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, when society is increasingly confronted by a difficult paradox. Men are often celebrated for resilience, achievement, and their capacity to carry responsibility, yet many remain discouraged from expressing vulnerability, grief, fear, or emotional exhaustion. This reality invites a deeper question. If a man can lead institutions, influence societies, and command significant authority, yet still long for understanding, affection, affirmation, and emotional peace, where does power truly reside?

The answer is neither that men are weak nor that women secretly control them. Rather, it reveals a universal truth about the human condition: Every person possesses vulnerabilities, and whoever is granted access to those vulnerabilities is entrusted with a remarkable form of influence. Perhaps this is the most overlooked economy in human society; the economy of emotional access. We carefully study wealth, political authority, and information because they are measurable, yet we rarely examine the invisible exchanges of reassurance, acceptance, encouragement, and emotional security that shape the decisions of those who may hold extraordinary public power.

The conversation inevitably extends to gender and the expectations societies construct around it. Thinkers such as Simone de Beauvoir and Judith Butler challenged us to question how much of what we regard as natural roles is genuinely chosen and how much is inherited through culture and tradition. Such inquiry is not an attack on tradition itself; rather, it is an invitation to intellectual honesty about how authority, identity, and expectation are formed. Yet regardless of gender, the central lesson remains unchanged: power without ethics is merely control wearing a more sophisticated disguise.

Perhaps humanity’s greatest mistake has been assuming that power belongs only to those who can be seen. We have studied the crown, analysed the throne, and documented the empire, yet rarely have we examined the private kingdoms that shape the individual wearing the crown. The question, therefore, is not whether men possess greater power than women, or women greater power than men. Such debates are ultimately too narrow for the complexity of human experience. The more enduring question is what we choose to do with the influence another person’s vulnerability places in our hands.

The highest form of power has never been the ability to make another human being smaller. It has always been the capacity to hold influence while preserving dignity, freedom, and humanity.

Our story of June 15 on the worrying rise of reports of suicide and violence by students in Mbale City is another reminder that our education sector should be concerned about more than capitation grants, teachers’ salaries, academics, infrastructure, and grades. It is another reminder that learners are first human beings with personal struggles not just index numbers behind a school desk, cramming notes to pass exams.

In the month of June alone, a number of student suicide related deaths have been reported. These include a 16-year-old senior three student at Mbale High School who died on June 9, on June 11, a 19-year-old Senior Five student at Mbale Progressive Secondary School, and, more recently, a 14-year-old from St Mary’s college who was hospitalised after reportedly overdosing.

According to police, 14 student cases linked to suspected suicide attempts and mental health emergencies have been reported this year.

In 2025, police records indicate that the Elgon region registered 11 suspected suicide cases, compared with 13 cases in 2024.

Needless to say, such cases are not unique to Mbale City or the Elgon region. There have been a number of recorded cases from various parts of the country. This means as a nation, we can no longer sit back and hope that our young people somehow survive school and all its attending challenges and make it through life as long as we pay school fees and provide them with pocket money.

Well-thought-out and planned programmes and interventions must be designed to cater to the mental health of learners. Of course, schools are not solely responsible for learners’ mental health. Even if it is true that they spend a lot more time in school, deliberately taking care of their mental health must be a shared objective of all stakeholders. This includes parents and guardians, religious leaders, all community leaders, and the learners themselves.

Learners must be empowered to deal with mental health challenges long before any such issues arise. They must be taught to anticipate them, know how to recognise them, and how to deal with them in a healthy manner. They too can then be ambassadors of mental health and be able to help their peers. Teachers and school administrators must know that beyond assessments, competencies, and curriculum changes, learners have emotional stress, peer pressure, and other challenges. Interacting with them with this in mind makes positive impact effective.