Category: Daily Monitor

The Chief of Defiance Forces (CDF), Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has urged Ugandans to remain peaceful during the campaign period and as they cast their ballots on January 15, 2026.

Speaking at a pipping ceremony of senior and general officers who were promoted last month to different ranks held at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs headquarters in Mbuya today, the First Son, who also serves as a senior presidential advisor on special operations, appealed to Ugandans to cast their votes peacefully and go home thereafter, instead of hanging around the polling stations.

According to him, vote counting will be transparent, and it will be done in the open as each contestant’s agents will be present to witness the process.

‘The international observers will be present and so will the media. So, there is no need to hang around saying that they are protecting votes. The process will be transparent,’ Gen Muhoozi said.

His remarks come on the heels of a sustained campaign by the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) leadership calling on its supporters to protect their votes, accusing Gen Muhoozi’s father, President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power for nearly 40 years, of vote rigging.

NUP presidential candidate, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, who is challenging Mr Museveni for the second time, has argued that no law bars voters from hanging around polling stations after casting their ballots.

He has accused President Museveni and his agents of ballot stuffing during previous elections, the latest being the 2021 bloody polls in which he lost.

Riding on the campaign slogan ‘Protest Vote,’ the musician turned politician said Ugandans are legally allowed to stand a few meters away from the polling stations as they monitor and safeguard their election from being rigged.

Gen Muhoozi, however, said there is enough scrutiny to ensure the election process is transparent, free and fair and above all credible.

‘Those who try to cause trouble, as I have heard some people proclaim, will be dealt with swiftly and with all the tools we have at our disposal and in accordance with the law,’ he added.

Gen Muhoozi said UPDF has the internal role to remain vigilant and guard against reactionary groups which may want to cause trouble.

‘We will not accept disturbances or disruptions of any kind against our people; we will take proactive measures and make sure that peace is secured around the clock,’ he said.

To the newly decorated officers, Gen Muhoozi said promotions signify deeper obligations to the nation and their subordinates.

‘This ceremony is not merely a change of insignia or ranks, it represents more responsibility and heavier tasks,’ Gen Muhoozi said.

Citing Luke 12:48 ., Gen Muhoozi said a lot is expected of the newly-decorated officers.

He lauded President Museveni, who is the Commander-in-Chief for his strategic leadership, which he credited for shaping the UPDF into a growing, professional force for peace across Uganda, the region, and the continent.

On behalf of the promoted officers, Lt. Gen Jack Bakasumba, the Chief of Joint Staff and the most senior among them, thanked Gen Muhoozi and Gen (rtd) Museveni for their trust and confidence.

Lt. Gen Bakasumba pledged that the decorated Generals and officers would uphold the UPDF values of integrity, courage, and discipline in their work. He also thanked the CDF for his strategic leadership and mentorship of the entire UPDF.

The ceremony was attended by several high-ranking UPDF officials, including the Commander Land Forces, Lt. Gen Kayanja Muhanga, Commander of the UPDF Air Force, Lt. Gen Charles Okidi and Ms Edith Butuuro, the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs.

Some of the newly decorated officers include Lieutenant Generals Jack Bakasumba and Francis Okello, Major Generals James Kinaalwa, Deus Sande, Charles Byanyima, William Bainomugisha, and Christopher Ddamulira; Brigadier Generals Mcdans Kamugira, Fred Zakye, and Paddy Ankunda; among other Generals and Colonels.

Educationists say that although the government took a long time to make changes in the curriculum, they are hopeful that the few changes shaping the curriculum will help to equip students with the right employable skills.

According to the director of Kabojja International School, Mr Ahmed Lwasa, what is required is for the schools to continue supporting students to embrace science and technology as the government continues to provide critical support in the country’s education sector.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a method of hands-on teaching and learning where students learn to apply academic content by creatively solving real-world problems with innovative design-based thinking to prepare them for future career opportunities.

‘You see, if such a programme is supported by the government, then it can easily enroll in different areas, because now the country has a big number of people who are trained. If these people are supported, they can easily move to rural areas, and they start training,’ he expressed.

He made the remarks while officiating at a two-day third National STEM robotics schools competition at the school in Buziga, a Kampala suburb, where 28 schools participated in a robotics competition.

The National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) introduced a competence-based learning curriculum for lower secondary, promoting practical skills aimed at supporting schools to protect innovations that various learners have innovated.

The Academic Registrar at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Agnes Namulidwa Lumala, ordered schools to utilise the services of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to commercialise and protect the innovations they are producing.

‘We encourage all innovators, mentors and institutions to actively utilise the services of the Uganda registration services bureau, as well as our national Uganda ICT and intellectual property guidelines to ensure that their ideas, their designs, software and technological breakthroughs are properly protected,” she noted.

She said, “These mechanisms provide a secure pathway for innovators to commercialize their work, attract investment, and confidently scale their solutions.”

She said currently, various students in lower and higher learning institutions have come up with various innovations, which abound to solve local challenges facing the community, and these must be protected.

Tariff wars are often justified as necessary to protect or reshore manufacturing jobs and to improve national security. But, according to new research, these conflicts produce another outcome that is largely overlooked: pollution. When global supply chains are forced into inefficient detours, carbon dioxide emissions rise.

In a recent study of the US-China trade conflict’s environmental effects, my co-authors and I found that tariffs have directly increased global CO2 emissions. Based on our calculations, if both sides were to impose a 60 percent tariff on imports from the other – a level consistent with the recent escalations in April – this would lead to a one-time increase in global emissions of nearly 410 million tonnes, roughly the same amount produced by 165 million gas-powered cars (with 1.6L engines) each travelling 10,000kms.

This may seem counterintuitive. Given that China is the world’s largest emitter and has a high carbon intensity, some assume that shifting production out of the country would reduce global emissions. But in many manufacturing sectors, China’s carbon intensity is significantly lower than that of numerous developing economies, and in certain industries it is even lower than that of some advanced economies. In effect, China bears a disproportionate share of the world’s emission-intensive production.

According to the UNCTAD-EORA Global Value Chain database, in 2017 (before the trade war between the US and China began), 33.9 percent of the carbon embodied in US imports originated in China. These emissions did not vanish once tariffs disrupted bilateral trade; they have either been re-imported by the US through costlier domestic production or diverted to third countries. If trade tensions reshape industrial structures in China and the US, the shift of production toward more energy-intensive activities will raise the weighted-average carbon intensity of both economies, even without a change in sector-specific intensities.

Our research shows that the emissions increase caused by structural shifts vastly exceeds the emissions decline associated with slower economic growth. But the impact is more pronounced in third countries. The US merchandise-trade deficit has hovered above 4 percent of GDP for the past decade, implying that the country’s trade war with China has resulted in nearshoring and friendshoring, rather than reshoring. We find that each percentage-point increase in US-China bilateral tariffs causes a 0.1-0.34 percent rise in carbon flows embodied in trade between third countries.

Simulation results confirm that reduced US imports from China are largely replaced by imports from Southeast Asian or Latin American economies, where many industries have higher carbon intensities than in China. The US essentially swaps one supplier for another – only to increase the world’s emissions. This is not to say that Southeast Asia or Latin America should not attract investment or pursue growth. Under normal circumstances, an economy’s carbon intensity follows the environmental Kuznets curve, rising in the early stages of development and then declining in the later stages, as cleaner technologies diffuse.

But trade conflicts disrupt this balance. High tariffs undermine economic performance in the US and China, pushing them left along the Kuznets curve, toward the phase where emissions rise rather than fall. The current US-China trade relationship is thus a ‘high-emissions’ one that externalises pollution and erodes the world’s capacity to fight climate change. This is why we advocate a ‘green’ trade relationship, with trade policy and climate goals explicitly aligned – for example, by lowering barriers to low-carbon technologies and recognising that tariff reduction can be a form of climate cooperation when it facilitates cleaner trade flows and discourages carbon-intensive production.

Uganda’s Afcon 2025 preparations have entered the phase coaches quietly value most – the sorting, the testing, the subtle narrowing of ideas.

Saturday’s 2-2 draw with AS Far Rabat was not an ending, nor a verdict, but a useful pause.

Paul Put now perhaps has clearer evidence of what works, what fades, and what still needs tightening before facing Tunisia in their Group C opener in Rabat next Tuesday.

Against one of Morocco’s strongest club sides, the Cranes showed early personality.

You can’t switch off

Denis Omedi’s opener and Ivan Ahimbisibwe’s second-half equaliser spoke to a team willing to play, willing to compete, and comfortable enough to ask questions of a serious opponent.

Put liked the courage and the mentality. He did not like the second-half lull, though – the loss of control when the game drifted away from Uganda’s grip.

‘We played with courage and mentality but not happy with the second half ball situation,’ said the Belgian, finalist with Burkina Faso at the 2013 Afcon finals.

Serious business

That balance – encouragement without indulgence – is likely to define selection against fellow Afcon finalists Gabon on Wednesday.

This will not be about repeating line-ups, but about refinement. Several Europe-based players could be available, and Put is expected to shuffle with purpose rather than experiment for its own sake.

The friendly against Gabon, a side with greater international edge than Far, offers a sharper rehearsal.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang remains their reference point – a talisman whose movement and finishing punish hesitation.

Even when Gabon are uneven, Aubameyang gives them menace, a constant reminder that mistakes at Afcon level are rarely forgiven twice.

Much needed test

For Uganda, this is precisely the test required. Tunisia, Tanzania and Nigeria will not wait politely.

Gabon’s pace and experience demand defensive organisation, midfield discipline and concentration across 90 minutes – areas Put has repeatedly flagged as decisive.

Saturday’s match also allowed a glimpse of Uganda’s evolving midfield triangle, with Bobosi Byaruhanga and Travis Mutyaba in front of captain Khalid Aucho.

Omedi, leading the line, looked increasingly assured, his goal reward for movement rather than force.

U-17 World Cup youngster James Bogere’s rare start fitted into this broader assessment.

The teenager’s movement, confidence and willingness to combine hinted at promise rather than conclusions.

He created chances, missed a couple, and faded late on – a familiar arc for a young player tasting senior international tempo.

The bigger picture is that Uganda now have depth, not that one player must carry expectations.

Wednesday is therefore about calibration. Put will want rhythm without recklessness, sharpness without overexposure.

Those who missed the Far match due to club duty – Jordan Obita, Aziz Kayondo, Toby Sibbick, Elio Capradossi, Timothy Awany, Melvyn Lorenzen and Uche Ikpeazu – could be folded in. Allan Okello is also expected to return to the starting picture.

Beyond Gabon lies Tunisia on December 23, a fixture that rarely forgives lapses in structure or patience.

The Rabat draw showed Uganda can compete. The Gabon test will show whether they can control, adapt and endure.

Afcon 2025

Build-up matches

Saturday result

AS Far Rabat 2-2 Uganda

Wednesday, December 17

Uganda vs Gabon

Afcon Group C matches

Dec 23: Tunisia vs Uganda

Dec 27: Uganda vs Tanzania

Dec 30: Uganda vs Nigeria

Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) has secured a five-year $50 million (about Shs180 billion) financing facility from Absa Bank Uganda to expand and modernise the country’s electricity distribution network, in a move aimed at improving power reliability and meeting rising demand.

The loan, signed on Monday at the UEDCL tower in Nakasero, will finance large-scale grid upgrades, construction of new electricity substations, smart grid initiatives, and network reinforcements. UEDCL said the investments will reduce technical losses and enable the utility to unlock suppressed electricity demand by the end of 2026.

In a press statement the company said the financing will also support the integration of renewable energy into the national grid while strengthening electricity reliability to support Uganda’s industrialisation agenda.

UEDCL Board Chairperson, Ms Lynda Ochieng-Obbo, described the deal as timely, noting that it is the company’s first major private-sector financing since assuming responsibility for electricity distribution nationwide.

‘This agreement is a sign of confidence in UEDCL and the government’s broader efforts to establish a standard framework for public agencies to access private capital,’ Ochieng-Obbo said.

The UEDCL Managing Director, Paul Mwesigwa, said the investment will enhance the reliability and efficiency of electricity supply, contributing to improved affordability for consumers.

‘This investment will enhance the reliability and efficiency of the electricity supply system, cementing our role in supporting Uganda’s economic growth,’ he said.

Mr Mwesigwa added that the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) approved the loan and allowed it to be included in the tariff structure to help make the distribution segment financially sustainable. The facility attracts an interest rate of eight percent, lower than the prevailing market rate of 28 percent, inclusive of VAT.

Absa Bank Uganda Managing Director, David Wandera, said the financing aligns with the bank’s long-term commitment to supporting infrastructure development across Africa.

‘Reliable power distribution is fundamental to Uganda’s industrialisation, competitiveness, and inclusive growth. By partnering with UEDCL at this critical phase, we are supporting a more resilient and future-ready power distribution network aligned with Vision 2040 and the National Development Plan IV,’ Wandera said.

The financing comes amid growing public concern over intermittent power outages and unending blackouts reported in several parts of the country since UEDCL took over electricity distribution from Umeme.

The loan also comes against the backdrop of significant infrastructure gaps inherited by UEDCL on April 1, following the end of Umeme’s concession. According to the company’s five-year strategic plan, Mr Mwesigwa, while speaking with the Monitor by the start of the month, said UEDCL requires about $950 million to fully stabilise and expand the electricity distribution network.

In its first year of operation, the utility received approval to spend $74 million, funds he says have already been secured, and has ordered network equipment worth more than $134 million, enough to sustain operations for the next 18 months.

UEDCL was established in 2001 following the unbundling of the Uganda Electricity Board and is mandated to own and operate the country’s electricity distribution network spanning more than 33,000 kilometres. The company received its electricity distribution licence in December 2024 after the expiry of Umeme’s 20-year concession.

The recently released GSMA Digital Economy Report is very instructive on Uganda’s digital journey over the years. Uganda has made remarkable progress in expanding digital infrastructure. Today, our nation stands at 96 percent 4G population coverage, a milestone reflecting years of sustained investment, collaboration, and commitment.

The report also shows that Uganda’s mobile broadband coverage now outperforms both the East African at 78 percent and Africa at 81 percent of populations being covered by broadband. This is proof that strategic investment over time truly pays off. Yet, the report also reminds us that coverage alone does not equal connection. This report presents a new challenge to tackle. The Usage Gap. Uganda’s usage gap is 75 percent, East Africa at 79 percent and Africa at 72 percent.

Even with near-universal 4G availability, three out of four Ugandans living within mobile broadband coverage are still not using it. This ‘usage gap’ stems from challenges that go beyond network infrastructure.

Bridging the usage gap matters because the benefits extend far beyond the telecom industry. The GSMA modelling shows that the right digital reforms could unlock Shs14.6 trillion in additional economic value by 2030, delivering an estimated 1.79 million new jobs. Digital access opens doors to education, healthcare, financial services, markets, and government services as creators and contributors to the economy.

It is these and more services that Uganda needs to digitise, create value and accelerate usage. Terminal devices like Smartphones, laptops, and consoles remain expensive for many households and businesses. This is because of various reasons, including effects from the disrupted global supply chains. The industry is collectively engaging with various stakeholders to take affirmative action on taxes on entry level devices.

GSMA analysis finds that entry-level smartphones are priced at $38.91 (about Shs137,000) in Uganda. This price equates to 39 percent of monthly GDP per capita, and 96 percent of monthly GDP per capita for the poorest 40 percent of the population. Taxation contributes to 35 percent of smartphone cost. The GSMA report recommends adding four million unique mobile Internet (broadband) subscribers by 2030.

This would reduce the mobile Internet usage gap by seven percent and contribute to the NDPIV 2030 objective of 45 percent population using the Internet.

As more people enter the digital economy, we must take care of each other’s digital safety by addressing the digital skills gaps, building trust in digital services and tools. It is important to integrate digital skills literacy in our daily lives as families, teams and organisations.

Uganda’s digital journey has reached a critical inflection point. Yes, we have built an exceptional physical foundation. But without meaningful usage and robust protection against digital threats, much potential remains untapped. This is the true promise of a connected Uganda.

Members of two top elite clubs, Kampala Club and Fast and Furious Runners’ Club, are in shock after their member and her 13-year-old daughter were abducted by armed people dressed in civilians before they were driven off to unknown place. Efforts to trace Ms Sarah Nambogo and daughter’s whereabouts have not yet yielded fruit since Friday last week when they were abducted at Kampala Club in Kampala City.

‘We are deeply concerned by the reported abduction of Sarah Nambogo, our member, taken this morning from her workplace at Kampala Club. We call upon @PoliceUg (Uganda Police Force) to urgently investigate and secure her safe return. We are committed to support all lawful efforts to ensure her safety,’ reads a statement by Fast and Furious Runners’ Club. Ms Nambogo’s abduction was captured on video by her colleagues. She alongside her daughter were taken to a van and driven off to unknown place.

They join a long list of people who have been disappeared by armed people in Uganda. At first, most of the victims of abductions were members of the Opposition or those with security-related cases. Ugandan laws prohibit illegal arrests and detention of anyone, but most of these incidents have been going on unabated. Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesman Rachael Kawala said they hadn’t established her whereabouts since Saturday.

‘By yesterday (Saturday), we were still verifying about her whereabouts,’ Superintendent of Police Kawala said yesterday.

Of recent, security personnel, business people and foreigners have joined the long list of victims of disappearance and abductions. Fast and Furious Runners’ Club members said they would continue their efforts to trace the whereabouts of their member.

‘Our spirits remain undampened. We continue to hope and believe that Sarah Nambogo and her daughter Christella will be safely reunited with us,’ their statement reads. The National Unity Platform and several other groups have been complaining about abductions of their members with several of them missing since November 2020.

Mr Bob Njagi and Mr Nicholas Oyoo, both Kenyan nationals, who were illegally detained for 38 days in Uganda, said they were held alongside 150 others, including Mr Amos Rwangomani, a National Resistance Movement cadre, Mr Moses Kasiba, a former Flying Squad Unit operative, six Nigerians and a South African, at SFC facilities at Kasenyi, Wakiso District. President Museveni later confirmed that the Kenyans were being held in a ‘fridge’. He ordered their release after the intervention of the Kenyan government.

Mr Rwangomani was arrested at Mulago in Kampala City. His relatives contacted the Minister of Internal Affairs, Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire to help them find their loved one. During the Sam Kalega Njuba Memorial Lecture in Kampala City, Gen Otafiire said Mr Rwangomani’s relatives went to court to order the government to produce him in court, but the Attorney General said they didn’t know where he was.

Educationists say that although the government took a long time to make changes in the curriculum, they are hopeful that the few changes shaping the curriculum will help to equip students with the right employable skills.

According to the director of Kabojja International School, Mr Ahmed Lwasa, what is required is for the schools to continue supporting students to embrace science and technology as the government continues to provide critical support in the country’s education sector.

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is a method of hands-on teaching and learning where students learn to apply academic content by creatively solving real-world problems with innovative design-based thinking to prepare them for future career opportunities.

‘You see, if such a programme is supported by the government, then it can easily enroll in different areas, because now the country has a big number of people who are trained. If these people are supported, they can easily move to rural areas, and they start training,’ he expressed.

He made the remarks while officiating at a two-day third National STEM robotics schools competition at the school in Buziga, a Kampala suburb, where 28 schools participated in a robotics competition.

The National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) introduced a competence-based learning curriculum for lower secondary, promoting practical skills aimed at supporting schools to protect innovations that various learners have innovated.

The Academic Registrar at the Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Agnes Namulidwa Lumala, ordered schools to utilise the services of the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to commercialise and protect the innovations they are producing.

‘We encourage all innovators, mentors and institutions to actively utilise the services of the Uganda registration services bureau, as well as our national Uganda ICT and intellectual property guidelines to ensure that their ideas, their designs, software and technological breakthroughs are properly protected,” she noted.

She said, “These mechanisms provide a secure pathway for innovators to commercialize their work, attract investment, and confidently scale their solutions.”

She said currently, various students in lower and higher learning institutions have come up with various innovations, which abound to solve local challenges facing the community, and these must be protected.

‘Kapchorwa means home of friends. People here do not treat visitors as strangers. Tourism is built on friendliness. You don’t just pass through, you are welcomed. We explain some things, but many others you simply observe: how people live, farm, and work together,’ says Mr Juma Chebet, a tour guide in Kapchorwa, a stunning location on the slopes of Mount Elgon.

Here, tourists marvel at long terraced hills stitched with arabica coffee, volcanic cliffs standing like quiet sentries, and the picturesque Sipi Falls. More adventurous visitors chase adrenaline through hiking and abseiling excursions.

Kapchorwa remains a place to experience the culture of its people. Mr Chebet says as visitors walk through the community, tourism becomes personal, they relate to daily life and, in many ways, become part of it. Before tasting the region’s aromatic arabica coffee, tourists can opt for a coffee tour, one of Kapchorwa’s unique tourism products.

Visitors follow a trail that shows how coffee is grown, tended, harvested, pulped, roasted, ground, prepared, and finally served. ‘When someone makes coffee from seed to cup, they never taste it the same way again,’ Mr Chebet says, adding that coffee tours are encouraging visitors to stay longer in the area.

‘Tourism in Kapchorwa is no longer just about waterfalls and hiking. Coffee tours are now among the attractions drawing visitors,’ says Mr Job Soyekwo, a tour guide based in the Sipi Falls area. He adds that many tourists visiting Sipi Falls are increasingly interested in learning how coffee is grown and processed.

‘When visitors interact with farmers, guides, and families, tourism becomes meaningful for everyone,’ observes Mr William Cheptoek, founder of Discover Sipi. ‘Visitors want to understand how people live here, and coffee farming is part of that story,’ Mr Cheptoek says, noting that tourism in Kapchorwa is about experience, not speed. ‘Visitors take their time, and that is what makes Sipi special.’

Sipi also holds a deeply personal place in his life. In a love story previously shared in these pages, Mr Cheptoek revealed that Sipi was the perfect place to propose to the love of his life. ‘People don’t just come here to see waterfalls. They come to feel the place, to walk, to learn, and to connect with the community. It allows visitors to experience nature, culture, and adventure in one setting,’ he adds. Mr Chebet says a hike at Sipi Falls is never just a hike. By the end, visitors feel they have learnt something. Aware that tourism is fundamentally about human connection, he says guiding tourists also teaches him.

‘Because tourism is about people, understanding human beings is the most important skill. Guests feel comfortable because we are honest about prices, time, and the experience,’ he explains.

‘This is slow tourism. You take your time, and the place gives back. By the end of the day, guests realise it was not just a visit, it was an experience. We are proud to guide people through our culture, not just our scenery.’ Storytelling sessions are part of that cultural experience. Tourists learn about the Sabiny, part of the larger Kalenjin community, who warmly welcome visitors and embody Kapchorwa’s reputation as a place for friends.

‘The Sabiny do not treat new people as strangers,’ Mr Chebet says. ‘When someone arrives, they are received as a friend. You see strong relationships, neighbours working together, and families supporting each other.’

‘Sabiny culture is not something you watch from a distance,’ he adds. ‘You experience it by spending time in homes, farms, and villages. Our traditions teach responsibility and belonging, that is how our community is built.’ The Sabiny are proud of who they are and where they come from, and tourism allows them to tell their story in their own voice.

Hospitality here is instinctive. Like its people, Kapchorwa does not announce itself loudly. If the aroma of coffee does not draw you in, its pristine landscapes will, explored through guided walking and cycling tours that open onto sweeping views of the Karamoja plains. These guided tours also lead to the high-altitude training grounds of Olympic champions Joshua Cheptegei, Jacob Kiplimo, and Stephen Kiprotich, athletes who have inspired national pride and won hearts across Uganda.

On request and by prior arrangement, visitors can interact with these national stars. Their training grounds double as ideal sunrise and sunset viewpoints, offering yet another reason to slow down and stay longer in Kapchorwa.

Kapchorwa District

Location: Eastern Uganda, on the slopes of Mount Elgon.

Getting there: By road its six to seven hours from Kampala via Jinja-Mbale-Kapchorwa. There are taxis/matatus you can board from Kampala. You will part with Shs15,000 to Shs40,000 for public transport. There are special hire cars and boda bodas to transport you to your respective lodging facility when you get to Mbale or Kapchorwa.

Things to do/rates:

Visit or hike the Sipi Falls, as well as a guided village-and-farm hike linking all three falls for $15 for foreigners, 35 000 for Ugandans and East African residents. Abseiling or rappelling on a 100-metre cliff descent beside the main waterfall. Foreigners are charged $50 while Ugandans and East African residents are charged Shs150,000.

Tourists are welcome to take sunset walks and an easy evening walk overlooking the Karamoja plains, where foreigners pay $10 while Ugandans/East African residents pay Shs20,000.

Coffee tour, dubbed ‘Seed to Cup’, for $15 for foreigners, Shs35,000 for Ugandans and East African residents, for two hours.

A cultural visit to Sabiny homesteads, experience their food, songs, and storytelling, will cost foreigners $40 and Shs100,000 for Ugandans and East African residents

Where to stay: Luxury options include Sipi Heritage Lodge, Rafiki Lodge, and Sipi Falls Lodge

from $150 to $200. Mid-range options include Lacam Lodge, Mise Cave Lodge, Sipi Valley Resort, and Home of Friends Guest House (Kapchorwa Town) from $50 to $150. Budget options include Crow’s Nest Sipi Falls, Local Guesthouses and Homestays, Community campsites from Shs30,000 to $50.

The National Resistance Movement presidential candidate, Mr Yoweri Museveni, has proposed limiting the number of people fishing on Lake Albert, a move that has sparked concern among fishing communities who fear it could threaten their livelihoods. Speaking to fishermen in Kikuube District, Mr Museveni, the incumbent, said the government plans to hold consultations aimed at determining how many people should be allowed to fish on the lake and under what conditions.

He said the proposal is intended to curb illegal fishing practices and protect fish stocks from depletion. However, several fishermen have expressed concern over the plan, particularly the suggestion that those removed from the lake should shift to fish farming instead. Addressing NRM supporters during a campaign rally in Kikuube on Saturday, Mr Museveni said fishing is not the only way to earn a living from fish and urged fishermen to consider fish farming, which he described as a profitable venture that requires little land.

He cited his own experience, saying he earns a net income of Shs140 million annually from two fish ponds on one acre of land. ‘The logic is who should remain on the lake, how many, and why,’ Mr Museveni said. ‘Then the surplus can do fish farming, and we shall get a lot of money from this industry.’ He added that conflicts on the lake are unnecessary, insisting that fish farming is a viable alternative.

He said the government plans to establish fish ponds in Buliisa District, located in the Rift Valley, similar to those on his farm in Lira, after determining who should remain on the lake. Mr Museveni also said he would consult elders from fishing communities in districts such as Buliisa and Pakwach. He said in the past, the Abakoga clan did not catch immature fish and protected fish breeding grounds, practices he said helped sustain fish stocks.

Last Thursday, while campaigning in Buliisa District, Mr Museveni reaffirmed that soldiers deployed on Lake Albert would not be withdrawn, despite repeated appeals from fishermen and local leaders. ‘The army cannot easily be pulled out because of the chaos in DR Congo and Tanzania. They invade our lakes, so the soldiers must remain to guard our plans,’ he said.

However, he directed that fishing gear confiscated by soldiers, including boats, nets, and engines, must be returned to their owners starting Friday, December 12, without any fees. He said the exercise would be supervised by Maj Gen Daniel Kakono, commander of the Field Artillery Division. Mr Museveni said poor fishing methods had led to the decline of the fishing industry, saying the number of fish processing factories had fallen from 22 to eight, reducing export earnings.

‘When I came to power, there was no fishing factory. We attracted investors, but fish depletion caused many factories to close,’ he said, blaming illegal fishing and destruction of fish breeding grounds, particularly by cross-border illegal fishermen. Lake Albert, located in western Uganda, is shared by the districts of Ntoroko, Hoima, Buliisa, Kagadi, and Kikuube.

Fishermen interviewed said fishing is their only source of income and that fish farming is not a realistic alternative for many. ‘Fishing is our life. We inherited this work from our parents,’ said Mr James Kato, a fisherman at Wanseko landing site in Buliisa District. ‘Fish farming needs land, capital, and skills, which many of us do not have.’ Mr Patrick Mugisha, a fisherman from Kikuube District, questioned how the government would decide who remains on the lake.

‘We fear that only the rich or well-connected will be allowed to fish. The lake belongs to all Ugandans,’ he said.Ms Sarah Nyamweso, a fish trader from Ntoroko District, said fish farming takes time to generate income, which disadvantages women who depend on daily fish sales. ‘We survive on daily catches. If fishing is reduced, women and children will suffer first,’ she said. Other fishermen cited past unfulfilled government promises to support fish farming.

‘Unless the government first provides land, ponds, feed, and markets, fish farming will remain a theory,’ said Mr John Businge from Kanara Sub-county in Ntoroko District. Some warned that reducing the number of fishermen without addressing enforcement issues could worsen tensions between fishing communities and security forces.

‘What we need is guidance on proper fishing methods, not removal from the lake,’ said Mr Musa Kaboyo, a fisherman. Despite their concerns, fishermen said they support efforts to stop illegal fishing and protect Lake Albert, but insisted they must be fully consulted. ‘We agree the lake must be protected, but do not decide for us without us,’ Mr Mugisha said.