Category: Daily Monitor

Uganda does not whisper: Russian influencers discover the power of untamed wilderness

Some journeys whisper to you. Uganda did not whisper. It swept me into its arms.

From the moment the sun rose over the savanna, everything felt charged with quiet electricity. The sky blushed in shades of peach and rose. Buffalo moved like carved shadows from an ancient story. Even the air felt warm, almost affectionate, as though it recognised me.

That was the first impression shared by a group of Russian influencers who spent a week traversing Uganda on a carefully curated familiarisation tour organised by the Ugandan Embassy in Moscow. From the capital Kampala to the far reaches of the western and northern regions, the delegation encountered a country that refused to be reduced to postcards or clichés.

Led by Linzie Camara, alongside Ksenia Mezentseva, Irina Belousova, Vladimir Pozhidaev and Sergey Belousov, the influencers experienced Uganda not as tourists ticking boxes, but as storytellers absorbing a place that insists on being felt.

For Linzie Camara, an Afro Russian travel model and cultural storyteller, Uganda was not a destination. It was an awakening.

‘In Uganda, nature does not perform. It invites,’ she reflected. ‘It draws you in with a confidence that is gentle yet powerful, like a lover taking your hand without needing to ask.’

Her words echoed across the group’s journey. Uganda, she said, returned colour to her spirit. It slowed her breathing, sharpened her senses, and reminded her that wonder is not something we outgrow.

‘I have crossed continents. Jungles, cities, oceans and mountains,’ she said. ‘But Uganda carries a rare kind of magic. The kind that does not fade when you leave. It stays inside you, glowing softly, like an ember you can always return to.’

The journey north to Kidepo Valley National Park delivered one of the group’s first shocks of scale. Hundreds of buffalo moved across the savanna as a single living mass. Elephants, Rothschild giraffes and Burchell zebras roamed freely, while rare species like the greater and lesser kudu appeared like gifts.

Yet it was the warthogs that stole Camara’s heart.

‘My adored Pumbas,’ she laughed.

At first, Uganda seemed sweet and almost toy like. Dusty roads. Curious animals. Gentle charm. But Africa, she realised, is a wise old woman who never reveals herself all at once.

‘She always keeps a surprise for those who think they have understood her at first glance,’ Camara said.

The Nile in its youth

At Murchison Falls National Park, that surprise arrived with thunder.

Standing on the banks of the Nile, the group encountered the river not as the wide, stately waterway of textbooks, but as something young, furious and alive. Forced through a six metre gorge, the Nile did not flow. It exploded.

‘You do not just hear it,’ Camara said. ‘You feel it in every cell of your body.’

Queen Elizabeth National Park offered a quieter, more intimate confrontation with nature. At Honey Bear Bush Camp in Kyambura, there were no walls, no separation, no illusion of dominance.

At night, the sounds told stories. Branches snapping. Heavy, deliberate footsteps.

‘That was not an antelope,’ Camara said softly. ‘That was an elephant. Twenty metres from your tent. Simply living its life.’

Chimpanzee trekking stripped away any remaining distance between observer and observed. Sweat soaked clothes. Vines clawed at skin. Then suddenly, they were there. Eyes full of thought. Glances exchanged. Branches thrown.

‘They are not characters in a documentary,’ she said. ‘They are present. Aware. Watching you watch them.’

For Vladimir Pozhidaev, a Russian travel expert with over 25 years of hotel industry experience, the journey reached its emotional peak in Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

At Clouds Mountain Gorilla Lodge, fog rolled across the slopes like spilled milk. From the bungalow windows, endless jungle stretched outward.

‘Trekking to the gorillas is a pilgrimage,’ he said.

The climb was punishing. Slippery paths. Thin air. Burning muscles. Doubt creeping in with every step. Then the guides smiled and said, ‘Soon.’

That hour with the gorillas, Pozhidaev said, became the most vivid of his life.

Interior designer and cultural researcher Ksenia Mezentseva described Uganda as extraordinarily diverse, wild and full of life.

‘You feel as though you have stepped into a lavish vintage film,’ she said. ‘One moment you are in scorched savannahs, the next in lush tropical forests.’

Vast herds stretched to the horizon. Wildlife appeared in such abundance it felt unreal. Yet the experience was never chaotic or overwhelming.

‘You live in genuine comfort while remaining fully immersed in pristine nature,’ she said. ‘Breakfast comes with antelopes at the watering hole. At night, hippos sing you to sleep. From boats you watch crocodiles bask. You walk almost side by side with giraffes.’

For Irina Belousova, a seasoned international traveller across Africa and Asia, Uganda quietly redefined what a safari should be.

‘Uganda has set a new personal standard for me,’ she said.

After leaving Uganda for denser, busier destinations, the contrast was stark. Other safaris felt structured, crowded, distant.

‘In Uganda, everything felt real,’ she explained. ‘The space. The silence. The wildlife moving freely. You feel one on one with the land.’

Uganda, she said, spoiled her in the best way.

‘It taught me to value authenticity. Wilderness here is not staged. Every sighting feels earned. Every morning carries discovery.’

Sergey Belousov summarised the journey simply.

‘There are experiences that shift your perspective,’ he said. ‘And others that open an entirely new chapter within you. Uganda was the latter.’

From the first moment on the savannah, he knew this was not just a destination, but a reminder of humanity’s true scale within nature.

The bigger picture

The visit was part of a strategic tourism and cultural diplomacy initiative led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ugandan Embassy to the Russian Federation. The delegation was welcomed by His Excellency Moses K. Kizige, Head of Mission, alongside Ambassador Gideon M. Rutazindwa, Deputy Head of Mission, and First Secretary Georgina Nakawombe.

The programme marks a major step in positioning Uganda as a premier destination for Russian travellers. Through planned road shows, workshops and cultural exchanges across Russian cities in 2025 and 2026, the Embassy aims to spotlight Uganda’s tourism appeal, cultural depth and investment potential.

For those who made the journey, however, Uganda did more than market itself.

It lingered.

Not as a memory, but as a feeling. Quiet. Powerful. Unforgettable.

Uganda Airlines is in the spotlight after several passengers reported missing their flights in the past few days.

Several intending travellers with Uganda’s national carrier have taken to social media to express their frustration after they were left stranded without help at Entebbe International Airport departure check-in counters.

In a December 13 statement, the airline reported disruptions of its scheduled flight operations and noted that it was focusing on ensuring the full restoration of its regular service; however, this did little to quell agitated travellers online.

‘The tragedy happening at Uganda Airlines is far beyond even my 2019 doomsday predictions. One plane is stuck in Lagos, another in London, passengers stranded, airline rapidly falling apart as top management loot with impunity. Even God cannot save this airline,’ businessman Andrew Mwenda posted on his X platform on December 15, 2025.

Mr Mwenda’s post was accompanied by a video showing congested counters with piles of luggage and passengers. In the video, a female voice is heard saying the staff had abandoned their counters after passengers complained about their poor service.

However, researcher and social commentator, Timothy Kalyegira, replied, noting that the Airlines would fail due to the state of affairs in the country.

‘Uganda Airlines WILL fail. Why? Same reason you’ve not had power at home for the last 15 hours. If you, Andrew, are this frustrated by the state of things, how about the millions of long-suffering citizens who are not a phone call away from people in high places?’ he posted.

For over a week, passengers have been complaining about the carrier’s poor service.

‘Uganda Airlines, if you don’t pull up your socks and stop operating an airline line like a taxi, then people will opt for other airlines plying the same routes and forfeit their patriotism. Last week’s Wednesday flight to Zanzibar was cancelled and pushed to Thursday. Yesterday’s (Wednesday) flight from Zanzibar to Entebbe was delayed until midnight, only for passengers to reach the airport and again told the same flight was pushed to today, Thursday,’ journalists Sudhir Byaruhanga posted on December 11, 2025.

However, media personality Allan Kasujja urged Ugandans to keep supporting the national carrier.

‘Sigh! My heart goes out to the crew many of who are amazing professionals. They take immense pride in their work. I’m sure it’s not too late. We mustn’t allow Uganda Airlines to fail’ he said.

When this reporter visited Entebbe Airport on Monday, December 15, 2025, operations went on normally with intending travellers and returnees moving along their businesses with slightly heightened security deployment at the departures section.

However, one thing amiss was the blank Departure Flight Schedule screens in the departure lounge meant to guide intending travellers on their airlines flight time.

In contrast to the departures section, arrival schedule screens remained on; both in the arrivals waiting area and the offices area, which also formerly housed the waiting lobby for departing passengers.

According to a traveller using another airline who preferred anonymity, the screens were switched off at around 11 am after bustling movements and meetings of top UCAA and other aviation officials, but no reason was given to the passengers.

However, this publication couldn’t independently verify this assertion.

A source in the Airline who preferred to remain anonymous told this reporter that on Sunday night, the Uganda Airlines A330-800neo plane had been over booked and couldn’t transport all the passengers at the time.

‘Some of the passengers were complaining that they had booked two months before, others online but they were all here. The plane took those it could and the rest stayed. The included businesspeople who had perishables and many disgruntled travellers. They are the ones who recorded the videos,’ the source said.

When contacted, Uganda Airlines spokesperson Ms Shakila Rahim Lamar, admitted that the airline has been having regrettable technical problems with one of its aircrafts which has led to the delays and disruptions in the flight operations, which it is remedying.

She, however, dismissed reports that the Dubai-bound Airbus was overbooked for Sunday’s flight.

‘On Sunday, passengers had booked the Airbus to Dubai, but it developed a technical problem, and we downgraded from the Airbus to a smaller one, then we had to do a first-come, first-served basis,’ she said.

She added, ‘Some of them who had emergencies or can’t wait, we rebooked them onto another flight; those who could wait, we are planning for them, we have an office at the airport where they all went, and they were talked to,’ she said.

Ms Shakila said all their aircrafts are operational; however, their operations are hindered by unplanned technical issues, which she declined to divulge further.

‘There are seven, but we have technical issues. So, you find that one is out, two are out because of technical issues. That’s why the disruptions are there…When I say we have a technical issue, it means the aircraft. Because of safety, it has to be put away to be able to be examined and then fixed, and then it’s back on the line,’ she said.

According to her, the airline has been lodging passengers who can wait in a hotel and those unable to are rebooked on other airlines as per the International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulations.

‘The major problem is that we don’t have a fleet. When one is down, it causes a ripple effect around the next one. That’s the problem, and right now, we have so many people travelling, coming home. When you go to Saudi Arabia, Air Saudia, they’re having massive disruptions. Look at Air League, they’re having massive disruptions down in South Africa, and we also have shares with them. So you find that some airlines that don’t have fleets are going through this,’ she added.

Ms Shakila said the airline, which operates 25 flights per day, will rely on the leased aircraft to support and relieve the airline on the technical problem issue.

About the departures schedule screens being off, the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) Manager Public Affairs, Mr Vianney Luggya, said the screen blackout was a result of a power fluctuation.

‘It was just a power fluctuation; it has nothing to do with anything else and has since been rectified,’ he said.

Uganda’s netball team, the She Cranes, started their Africa Netball Championship campaign on a high, winning all their group fixtures, walloping hosts Malawi in the semi-finals before losing to South Africa in the final.

Uganda easily cruised past Malawi 46-33 to book a final with defending champions South Africa, which ended 56-34.

The She Cranes, who looked exhausted, probably from the previous games, put up little fight against the Proteas.

South Africa set the pace right from the first whistle, registering a 15-7 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Through their brutal defense that disarmed Uganda’s attackers, South Africa extended their lead to 11 goals at halftime, which stretched to 17 in the third quarter and finally a 56-34 win that saw the Spar Proteas retain the trophy.

Uganda has already qualified for the 2027 Netball World Cup, and they need to correct their mistakes if they are to perform well at the upcoming event.

‘We are going back to the drawing board and correcting some mistakes. I hope we shall come back stronger,’ said Captain Rachael Nanyonga.

The next Africa Netball Championship will be hosted by Kenya.

Africa Netball Cup

Final

South Africa 56-34 Uganda

The government has reopened four of the 12 landing sites in Masaka District that were closed nine years ago, sparking mixed reactions from political leaders and fishing communities. The reopening followed lobbying by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) flagbearer for Bukoto East Member of Parliament, Ms Sarah Kityo, and Ms Joan Nalule, an aspirant for the Masaka District Woman Member of Parliament seat.

The reopened landing sites include Makonzi, Mitondo, Nakitokolo, and Kisuku, which are all located in Bukakkata Sub-county. While announcing the development on Thursday at Makonzi landing site, the Fisheries Protection Unit (FPU) commandant, Lt Col Mercy Tukahirwa, said the sites are allowed to resume normal operations on condition that fishermen strictly adhere to fishing regulations. She also ordered the immediate removal of roadblocks that had been erected on roads leading to the landing sites to enable smooth operations.

‘If you fail to follow fishing regulations and resume illegal fishing practices, we shall close the landing sites again,’ Lt Col Tukahirwa warned. However, leaders of the National Unity Platform (NUP) in Masaka District have criticised the move, describing it as politically motivated given its timing ahead of the 2026 General Election. ‘Our people at the landing sites have suffered under the FPU. Some have died, while others were maimed after being accused of illegal fishing.

Reopening the landing sites now is meant to hoodwink fishermen into voting for President Museveni and NRM candidates, yet the same suffering will resume after the elections,’ said Mr Francis Kimuli, the Masaka District speaker, said. Mr Kimuli argued that if the government genuinely cared about the fishermen’s plight, the landing sites would have been reopened earlier. ‘This is clearly a political move. That is why all fishermen who attended the function were dressed in NRM T-shirts, and the party’s parliamentary flagbearer was present,’ he said.

He added that district leaders had repeatedly appealed for the reopening of the landing sites due to declining district revenue, but their requests were ignored.

Lt Col Tukahirwa dismissed the allegations, saying claims that she is campaigning for the ruling party are baseless. ‘I am only sensitising fishing communities about fishing regulations and best practices. The President deployed me to fight illegal fishing, and that is exactly what I am doing,’ she said. Mr Peter Ssenkungu, the chairperson of the Masaka District Finance Committee, said the district has lost substantial revenue since the fisheries sub-sector, once a major contributor to the district budget, became largely non-functional.

He said reopening the landing sites has long been a recommendation of the district leadership and would significantly improve revenue collection and household incomes among fishing communities. ‘We welcome the reopening, but we caution fishermen against illegal practices. Let them follow regulations, improve sanitation at the landing sites, and work responsibly,’ Mr Ssenkungu said.

In 2017, the government closed more than 20 landing sites across districts bordering Lake Victoria. Of the 18 landing sites in Masaka District, only six are currently operational. Some of the still-closed sites include Kafuga, Kisamba, Kyondo, Kisonzi, Mumpu, and Mutemante in Buwunga Sub-county, as well as Kyasa, Mumpu, and Kakyukyu in Kyanamukaaka Sub-county. Since the closures, fishermen have repeatedly complained of losing their sole source of livelihood, while local leaders said the district lost critical revenue. Businesses such as bars, shops, restaurants, and fuel stations that operated around the landing sites were also forced to shut down.

The Katikkiro (prime minister) of the Buganda Kingdom, Charles Peter Mayiga, has called on security agencies to refrain from abductions and beatings of Ugandans, which have become common recently as the country gears up for the 2026 General Election, warning that continued violence and intimidation threaten national unity and undermine the country’s democratic foundations.

Speaking during an engagement with leaders of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) at Bulange Mengo on Monday, Mr Mayiga said the duty of security operatives is to protect citizens, not to instil fear.

‘Let us make sure that threats, abductions and beatings come to an end because we are all Ugandans,’ he said.

According to him, enforcing law and order should never be used as justification for brutality, stressing that no authority can successfully suppress the will of the people through violence.

‘You cannot beat all the 45 million Ugandans simply because you want to put law and order in place,’ he said.

The seasoned lawyer and author reasoned that peace and respect for human life are essential for free and fair elections, warning that insecurity and intimidation only deepen mistrust between citizens and the state.

‘Elections must be conducted without fear. When people are abducted or killed, democracy is weakened,’ he said.

The Katikkiro described Buganda as a central pillar of the country, arguing that instability in the region has far-reaching consequences for Uganda as a whole.

‘Buganda is the foundation of this country, and whatever happens here affects the whole nation,’ he said.

He also advised individuals aspiring to lead Uganda to first understand the country’s history and cultural roots, arguing that leaders who ignore their origins and heritage often fail to unite the nation.

‘We have seen several presidents, but they all know where they come from. Understanding your roots helps leaders to prosper,’ he said.

He noted that the Buganda Kingdom remains open to leaders from all political parties and walks of life, provided they respect the kingdom’s values, institutions, cultural norms and aspirations.

‘You are welcome to the kingdom regardless of party affiliation, as long as you respect our rules,’ he said, adding that national symbols such as the Ugandan flag play an important role in promoting unity.

He outlined Buganda Kingdom’s five strategic priorities: protecting and promoting the kingdom, advocating for federalism, safeguarding land and Buganda territory, fighting poverty, and strengthening unity.

‘These strategies are the backbone of our heritage. Whoever respects them secures support in Buganda,’ he said, noting that the priorities go beyond financial resources to include culture, rituals and shared values.

To the youth, the prime minister warned against the misuse of social media, arguing that reckless online behaviours could destroy future opportunities and fuel hatred.

‘Avoid dragging parents and family members of people you disagree with into attacks on social media. It is not right, and it will affect your future plans,’ he said.

He added that those who incite young people to engage in abusive or irresponsible online conduct often abandon them when consequences arise.

NUP presidential flag bearer, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, lauded the Katikiiro for leading the reconstruction of the Kasubi Tombs, describing it as a major cultural achievement.

Mr Kyagulanyi raised concerns about alleged abductions in Buganda, citing cases involving opposition supporters whose whereabouts remain unknown 2020 when he declared to challenge President Museveni who has been in power since 1986.

The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi said Parliament is prioritising Buganda-related issues, including demands for accountability and compensation of over Shs5 billion that the central government owes the kingdom.

NUP vice president for Buganda Sub-region and Butambala MP Muhammed Muwanga Kivumbi said the main opposition party is targeting at least 100 parliamentary seats from the central region, expressing confidence that unity and determination would deliver the long-awaited change to the country.

The engagement marked the first official interaction between NUP leadership and the Buganda Kingdom as Mr Kyagulanyi kicked off his campaign activities in Rubaga Division, Kampala.

When President Museveni kicks off his vote hunt in Buganda Sub-region today, starting with Mubende District, he steps onto a terrain far more complicated than any political battleground he has faced in recent times.

For the next 28 days, Mr Museveni will be crisscrossing the districts of Buganda and will hold his final rally at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds next month. Buganda, the cultural, demographic, and economic heart of Uganda has become a sub-region where the weight of unaddressed grievances hangs as heavily as the banners of competing political parties.

For a leader who once commanded comfortable margins here, the Buganda sub-region now presents a challenging examination of both legacy and legitimacy.

Mr Museveni arrives not as an unchallenged incumbent who seeks to extend his rule beyond 40 years, but as a man confronted by a rising tide of distrust, one that even he has publicly acknowledged. At the national evangelical convention held at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in May, the President and First Lady Janet Museveni issued a startling and rare public joint apology, accepting failures in governance, corruption, security personnel excesses, and the alienation of citizens, especially in Buganda and the whole country. ‘We acknowledge that we’re human…and have made mistakes in one way or the other. Forgive us, oh Lord,’ The Musevenis said solemnly from the podium. Yet several political observers remain unconvinced. Some said the apology, profound as it sounded, may have arrived too late to change hearts hardened by years of frustrations.

The land question, poverty

Nowhere is this frustration more evident than in the land conflicts plaguing Buganda. Land in the sub-region is not just an asset, it is heritage, identity, and security. And yet, stories of land grabbing and illegal evictions continue to dominate local conversations. Residents speak of eviction notices appearing overnight, of machete-wielding thugs hired by faceless speculators, of wrangles where even valid land titles offer little protection. The government’s Land Fund, originally designed to solve precisely these problems, remains largely ineffective for Buganda Sub-region, its operations opaque, slow, and inadequately financed.

Victims, often poor peasants, have no structured government programme to help them rebuild their lives. Mr Museveni’s government may argue policy complexity, but on the ground, the story is simpler: people feel abandoned by the State and exploited by powerful interests acting in its shadow. In Buganda’s political calculus, unaddressed land grievances amount to a haemorrhage of trust.

Compounding the land crisis is the sub-region’s growing economic anguish. The high cost of living has tightened its grip on households and businesses alike. The rising prices of fuel, food, and essential commodities are not unique to Buganda, but the sub-region’s heavy reliance on small and medium-scale enterprises has amplified its vulnerabilities.

When Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) took over power distribution from Umeme in April, several citizens expected relief from high tariffs and unreliable power supply. Instead, unreliable power supply has crippled workshops, factories, welding shops, tailors, and agro-processors. Machines stall mid-production; perishables spoil; investors lose patience. For a sub-region that prides itself on entrepreneurial dynamism, the power crisis feels like a betrayal. Mr Museveni, as he seeks to court voters in Buganda, will have to answer a painful question from traders in Kisekka, and manufacturers in Namanve Industrial Area and elsewhere: How can a government that prides itself on industrialisation fail at the basic task of keeping the lights on?

The unreturned properties

No political conversation in Buganda today is complete without the subject of unreturned kingdom properties. In 2013, the government handed over some land titles to the kingdom, a gesture that was widely celebrated. But the deeper issue remains unresolved. As of May 2025, the government still owes the kingdom more than Shs700 billion, mainly in accumulated rent arrears for buildings and land occupied by ministries and agencies. What frustrates officials at Bulange -the official seat of Buganda Kingdom is not the complexity of the dispute, but the lack of urgency. For the Financial Year 2025/2026, no funds were allocated toward settling the arrears.

Tension deepened when President Museveni offered to construct a Shs58 billion building named Lwattamu House for a section of Buganda clan heads in Mengo, a move widely interpreted as an attempt to bypass or weaken the mainstream kingdom administration. Mr Museveni oversaw the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of the six-storey Lwattamu House on July 25. Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga’s absence from all events related to the project-from negotiations to the ground-breaking ceremony- was a silent, but unmistakable message.

Officially, the kingdom remains politically neutral. Unofficially, the mood at Bulange reflects a quiet resistance against what they perceive as attempts by the State to infiltrate cultural structures. Yet the kingdom has recently been more open in hosting political actors across the spectrum. Mr Mayiga himself recently hosted a group of ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party leaders led by Mr Haruna Kasolo (NRM vice chairperson for Buganda Region), while Central Broadcasting Services (CBS) Radio- the kingdom mouthpiece has resumed giving airtime to National Unity Platform (NUP) politicians after years of tension-culminating in the December 10 appearance of NUP spokesperson and Leader of Opposition in Parliament Joel Ssenyonyi.

Among the loudest voices challenging Mr Museveni’s renewed bid is that of NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. The latter claims that over 400 of his supporters, many from Buganda, are languishing in prisons on trumped-up charges. Others have been maimed by security operatives as they follow him on the campaign trail. Dozens more bear scars from brutal encounters with security operatives during the 2020-2021 campaign period.

Whether the government disputes these numbers or not, the psychological effect is undeniable. In Masaka, Mukono, Mpigi, Kyotera, and Kampala City, the memories of violence shape political identity. For several families, politics is not an abstract debate, it is a missing son, an injured daughter, a trial that never ends.

Mr Siraje Nsanja, a political scientist, said Mr Museveni’s apology at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds in May could have been partly aimed at healing these wounds, but healing requires more than contrition.

‘It demands political and judicial reforms, accountability for past abuses, and the release or fair trial of detainees. Without concrete steps, Buganda’s youth, already disillusioned, may view the apology as mere choreography,’ he said. Mr Nsanja added: ‘As Museveni steps into Mubende to launch his campaigns in Buganda , he will discover whether the apology he offered, the promises he will make, and the reforms he undertakes can convince voters that he still deserves another chance-or whether the region has already moved on.”

Can Museveni win Buganda back?

As Mr Museveni begins his campaigns in Buganda today, the question is not whether he can draw crowds; they will come, as they always do. The real question is whether or not his message will resonate in a sub-region that feels chronically unheard. ‘To win back the Buganda vote, Museveni must confront-not avoid-the issues that have eroded trust and these should include: presenting a clear, time-bound plan for resolving land injustices, restore economic confidence by stabilising power supply and reducing the cost of living, commit to honouring the full spectrum of obligations to the Buganda Kingdom ,address political repression by reviewing cases of political detainees and curbing security excesses and transforming his Kololo apology from symbolism into actionable governance reforms,’ Mr Abdul Nadduli, a former minister without Portfolio and currently a presidential advisor, said.

He added: ‘Anything less, risks deepening the political gulf that has widened over the past decade.’ On the other hand, Mr Nsanja argued that the NRM may exploit the disunity of Opposition parties and candidates in Buganda to win some parliamentary seats, especially in rural constituencies where poverty alleviation programmes like the Parish Development Model (PDM) are registering some success. ‘The Opposition is relatively weak on ground and lack a clear message rather than saying Museveni…should go. If they [Opposition] were united, they could have galvanised support and given NRM a hard time in the entire region, but because of their internal weaknesses, NRM still enjoys reasonable support in rural districts like Lyantonde, Sembabule,’ he explained.

The NRM insists it has learnt from its 2021 defeat in Buganda. Former NRM vice chairperson for Buganda Godfrey Kiwanda said the party commissioned an internal survey after the polls, identifying eight issues behind its loss. Among them were rising land grabbing cases, poverty, a deteriorating relationship with Buganda Kingdom, internal party wrangles, and the impact of Covid-19. ‘Since then, we have taken major steps.The Land Fund budget was increased; several victims have received titles, and our relationship with the Buganda Kingdom is very strong now,’ Mr Kiwanda said.

What is clear is that the race for Buganda sub-region’s political soul is far from over. Of the total 21.6 million voters countrywide, Buganda has 6.8 million voters – making it the sub-region with largest number of voters and a battleground for the January polls. Since President Museveni assumed power in 1986, Buganda is among the sub-regions where he has been gathering many votes. But this trend changed in the 2021 polls following the emergence of Bobi Wine with his People Power Movement.

The Mines Department in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development has warned more than 300 companies and individuals to pay outstanding dues in licence fees and royalties; failure of which defaulters will be subjected to legal action.

In a notice, the Ministry named companies and individuals that have fallen into default on statutory payments, highlighting a growing compliance gap on both annual mineral rent fees and royalties.

‘This . serves as the last and final notice to all . licence holders to pay their respective amounts within 14 days of the notice before further legal action is taken,’ the notice reads in part.

The notice shows total arrears of Shs5.73b across the two categories, of which annual mineral rent fees account for Shs3.67b, while royalty arrears amount to Shs2.05b.

The notice further lists 149 licence holders as defaulters under annual mineral rent fees, while 165 licence holders are cited under royalties.

The Ministry shows that among the ‘list of defaulters’ of annual mineral rent fees, the largest defaulters include Woodcross Mining Company at Shs120m, followed by Kilembe Mines at Shs65m and Shiye Mining at Shs59.4m.

For royalties, the notice shows that Kifaru Holdings leads at Shs500m, followed by Great Lakes Iron and Steel Company at Shs439.28m, and Kigezi Iron Ore Artisanal Miners Association, which owes government Shs208.38m.

The notice comes as government places renewed emphasis on domestic revenue mobilisation and tighter oversight of the extractives sector, which has been promoted as one of the economy’s next major growth pillars.

This is also widely viewed as a shift in enforcement from routine back-and-forth between licence holders and regulators to more visible accountability measures.

Mineral companies are required to pay fees and royalties for mining rights, which are government-issued permits to explore, develop, or extract resources held in trust for the public.

In exchange for this privilege, operators are expected to meet regulatory conditions, including environmental and reporting obligations, and to make scheduled payments to government, which are intended to ensure the country obtains tangible benefits from non-renewable resources.

Annual mineral rent fees serve as the cost of holding a licence over time, while royalties, on the other hand, are linked to extraction and sales and represent the public’s direct share of mineral production, often charged as a percentage of assessed value or on a production basis, so that when minerals leave the ground and enter commerce, the country receives a return immediately, even before corporate income tax and other obligations are calculated.

That makes royalties especially sensitive: when they are not paid on time, it raises questions about the accuracy of production reporting, the integrity of mineral valuation, operational cash-flow pressures, or deliberate non-compliance.

Defaults build up due to the fact that some smaller or mid-sized operators struggle with liquidity, particularly in remote operations where transport costs, fuel prices, and equipment maintenance can be punishing, and where access to affordable credit is limited.

In other cases, the build-up can be administrative, with weak internal controls and delayed reconciliations allowing arrears to accumulate unnoticed until the regulator flags them.

But the change of enforcement signals government’s increasing worry about firms that continue operating, while postponing statutory payments, effectively using government obligations as an interest-free source of financing.

Persistent failure to meet statutory obligations exposes licence holders to penalties and interest, challenges in renewing licences, suspension of activities, or other sanctions, depending on the governing terms of the mineral right and applicable law.

The scale of the arrears published in the notice also shows a gap in matters for public confidence. Communities in mining areas regularly demand clearer evidence that extractive activity translates into local and national benefits, especially where environmental impacts and land-use pressures are high.

Royalties and licence-related fees are among the most visible indicators that government is capturing value from extraction, alongside taxes and employment-related contributions.

Companies that pay fees and royalties on time have previously argued that non-compliant competitors gain an unfair advantage by cutting corners, delaying payments, and underpricing products.

Therefore, recovering Shs5.73b is not only about closing a revenue gap, but also about strengthening mineral governance, where transparent reporting, credible monitoring, and consistent enforcement are critical to sustaining investment and public trust.

Dear Tingasiga:

It rained in Kampala this past weekend. The sound of raindrops on the roof and windows was a pleasant return to my childhood. Few things brought me as much pleasure as hearing the rain on the corrugated iron roofs of my parents’ houses in Mparo and Kahondo ka Byamarembo while I lay on my bed.

I loved to keep the window ajar, to hear the rain dancing with the banana leaves and the grass. The flashes of lightning, followed by roaring thunder in the distance, invariably added to the joy of the unsurpassed symphony that nature offered us during the rainy seasons of Kahingo, Katumba, and Museenene. The feeling has not been altered by time.

The rain in Kampala, in this twelfth month that my people call Muzimbezi, was welcome relief after several nights of ugly noise in the neighbourhood where I am staying. This beautiful part of the city, which once stood out because of its tastefully designed homes and leafy landscape, was assaulted by very loud dance music that, I was told, was part of some end of year celebrations.

The music itself was very good, mostly your usual beautiful and rhythmic offering that likely kept the attendees on their feet. However, it was so loud that I heard some of the lyrics clearly. This notwithstanding the long distance between my bedroom and the purported source of the noise pollution.

The folks in Nakasero, Wandegeya, Mulago, Kitante, and the west side of Kololo were assaulted by this merrymaking on at least three nights in the last week. As though this was not enough torture, they had to continue to endure what has now become part of Kampala’s environment – noise from the city’s exponential growth of engines.

The number of cars, trucks, vans and boda bodas that ferry people and goods around this great city seems to be more each time I come home. They serve a great purpose, of course, but they add to environmental pollution, not only with their gaseous emissions, but their noise that is demonstrably harmful to humans and animals.

This environmental assault is not limited to Kampala. I have endured noisy nights in other Ugandan towns and cities, where folks seem to think that their music and merrymaking must be inflicted on the rest of us who are not in attendance. How people in attendance survive the assault on their eardrums and their brains is hard to understand. But that is their right and choice. I only take issue with the disc jockeys who crank up the volume as though music without unbearable noise is incompatible with joyful dancing.

I do not recall hearing such noise coming from White Nile, New Life Club, Silver Springs Hotel, Suzana Club, or Makerere Main Hall – these being some of the dance places of my youth. One would literally have to enter the dance hall to appreciate the music on offer. The amplification systems were modest affairs those days, but the music was quite pleasant to my ears. And it seems to me that people had a good time dancing to the pleasant sounds of our venerable musicians like Kawumba and Swissman at Mengo’s New Life Club.

Noise pollution causes cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) disease, mental health and cognitive disorders, sleep delay or sleep disruption, chronic discomfort, and premature death. It is so serious a problem that respectable international health agencies, including the World Health Organisation, have sounded the alarm to alert us to this self-inflicted harm to which humanity has given little attention.

Many countries and urban centres have laws that regulate noise levels. The challenge is the lax enforcement of the laws, if any attempt is made at all. Do we have such laws in Kampala and other Ugandan towns and cities? If we do, who is responsible for their enforcement? Are my concerns the rumblings of a senior citizen who is disconnected from the joy of youthful living, or are there others who share my view on this important matter?

It seems to me that we need a citizens’ anti-noise movement, to launch a non-partisan campaign against this preventable cause of physical and mental health disorders. Much as I love Kampala, I cannot wait to escape from this city of my youth, and seek refuge in the pleasant countryside where I can hear the rain drops caressing the leaves, the sparrows and crested cranes singing their melodies, and the drunken brother belting his blues as he struggles with his unsteady legs towards his home across the valley. The beautiful silence of the dark night in Kigyezi is only surpassed by the sweet dreams of a past that I refuse to let go.

Kyabazinga William Nadiope Gabula IV has called for stronger collaboration with international bodies to intensify the fight against teenage pregnancy, warning that the growing crisis continues to undermine the wellbeing and future of young girls in Busoga.

“We want to establish kingdom-driven enterprises that improve standards of living while passing on messages against teenage pregnancies. When we skill and empower men and young women, we reduce idle time, increase productivity, and ultimately lower poverty levels in the sub-region,” Kyabazinga said.

He emphasized that although most interventions focus on girls and women, Busoga is intentionally putting men and boys at the centre of its transformation agenda, positioning them as key champions in the fight against teenage pregnancy and related vices.

“Early teenage pregnancy has become a big challenge and poverty. 70 percent of our Kingdom’s population is youth; these are the future and leaders of tomorrow. It is our collective responsibility to ensure they are morally upright, responsible, and productive citizens,” Kyabazinga said.

The Kingdom’s flagship programme, the Men Are the Pillars campaign, mobilizes men as heads of households to champion positive masculinity, protect girls from early pregnancies, prevent gender-based violence, and support families to join the money economy.

Ms Lisa Hedin, SIDA’s Multilateral Partner Coordinator, commended Kyabazinga for accepting to serve as a UN champion for engaging men and boys to end teenage pregnancies and HIV, describing the campaign as a best practice rooted in strong cultural structures.

Ms Kristine Blokhus, the new United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Country Representative, said the initiative had significantly improved community acceptance of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), particularly in hard-to-reach communities.

According to the 2022 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey, Busoga, 28.4 percent of girls aged 15 to 19 had become mothers, while 5.8 percent were currently pregnant. These figures exceed the national adolescent motherhood average of 23.5 percent, placing the sub-region among the worst-affected in the country.

The delegation also toured the Kyabazinga Initiative’s skilling centre, headed by the Kyabazinga Affairs Minister, Ms Yudaya Babirye. The centre offers free training in hairdressing, ICT, and liquid soap making, specifically targeting teenage mothers and fathers seeking to rebuild their lives and gain practical skills for self-reliance.

Mr Fred Wakibi, the Youth Minister of Butembe Chiefdom, appealed to partner agencies working with Busoga Kingdom to consider expanding the skilling centres to other chiefdoms, explaining that many teenage mothers cannot afford transport to access the training facility in Jinja City.

Court users on Monday voiced frustration over delays in the administration of justice, corruption, and interference with case files during the second Judiciary Court Open Day held in Kampala.

Hundreds of members of the public accused some judicial officers and court staff of delaying judgments, intimidating litigants, and, in some cases, allegedly removing crucial evidence from court files-claims they said have prolonged their search for justice for years.

Ms Josephine Tushabe from Wakiso District told the gathering that her case has dragged on for a decade after vital evidence was allegedly removed from her file.

‘The main issue I have with the Judiciary is the removal of crucial evidence from my case file. This has forced me to move from one court to another for the last 10 years in search of justice,’ Ms Tushabe said.

Another court user, Ms Jane Frances Nabasa, accused magistrates and prosecutors at Kajjansi Magistrate’s Court of mishandling her case.

‘The State Attorney was cooperative at first, but later chased me from her office. A new magistrate who took on my case later claimed I had settled the matter and even signed a compensation agreement, which was not true,’ Ms Nabasa told the meeting.

The complaints also spilled into wider criticism of the Judiciary’s treatment of some lawyers. Mr Yasiin Ssetumbwe, who identified himself as an advocate, while speaking in Luganda, accused the Judiciary of being hostile to legal practitioners, citing the case of Uganda Law Society president Mr Isaac Ssemakadde, who left the country months into his tenure.

Mr Ssemakadde is facing criminal charges, including alleged abuse of the former Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Jane Frances Abodo, and was also convicted and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for contempt of court.

‘Some courts are not hearing Ssemakadde’s cases. This kind of treatment scares lawyers,’ Mr Ssetumbwe said, drawing reactions from sections of the audience.

Participants also referenced former Supreme Court Justice Esther Kisaakye, who left the country last year, citing threats to her life, following disagreements within the Judiciary after her dissenting opinion in the 2021 presidential election petition.

As some speakers invoked President Museveni’s name while seeking redress, the Judiciary’s Public Relations Officer, Mr James Ereemye Mawanda, clarified that the Head of State was not present at the event.

‘His Excellency the President is not here. However, the Honourable Chief Justice is represented by the Deputy Chief Justice,’ Mr Mawanda said.

Responding to the concerns, Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo, in remarks delivered by Deputy Chief Justice Flavian Zeija, acknowledged the grievances and emphasised the Judiciary’s accountability to the public.

‘It therefore follows that the Judiciary, or the Courts, exercise delegated power. The authority we exercise is given to us by the people of Uganda through the Constitution. Accordingly, we have a duty to account to you, and you have a right to question what we are not doing well,’ the Chief Justice said.

He said the Court Open Day was organised to allow court users to engage directly with judicial officers and justice sector stakeholders, including the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service, Uganda Bureau of Standards, Uganda Wildlife Authority, and the National Water and Sewerage Corporation.

‘I encourage you to visit the different stalls, ask questions, and engage with the institutions present so that together we can improve service delivery in the administration of justice,’ the Chief Justice said.