Category: Daily Monitor

Responsibility came early for Abdullahi Yusuf Banya. Born to Yusuf and grandson of Banya, he completed Primary Seven in 1970, financing most of his schooling. Becoming a young father that same year forced him into adulthood quickly, supported by his own father, who offered him advice and a cow as a foundation for his new family.

In 1972, his uncle, businessman Onurya Amakobo, brought him into trading. His firstborn, Abdurrahman, now Dr Sanya Rahmani, a Makerere University PhD holder, grew up during this period. But the 1979 war shattered Abdullahi’s progress, sending him into exile and costing him a shop valued at Shs1.2 million.

Abdullahi returned from exile in 1985 and began rebuilding through agriculture on family land in Lipa village, Koboko.

Bananas, maize, cassava and rice formed the backbone of his early efforts. He established a family cooperative: his wife served as treasurer, his eldest son as secretary.

By 1988, his banana plantation was regarded among the best in West Nile. The Lutheran World Federation brought farmers from Moyo and Adjumani in 1990 to learn from his work. A year later, evaluators from the US and Canada urged him to invest in fruit trees, advice that gained urgency when a destructive thunderstorm wiped out his bananas in 1993.

He adapted, diversifying into mangoes, avocados, coffee and cocoa. Over three decades he planted more than 60 mango trees, 60 avocados, hundreds of coffee shrubs and several cocoa varieties, unknowingly pioneering climate-smart agroforestry long before it became a national priority.

Refugee pressure

Uganda’s refugee-hosting districts face some of the country’s highest rates of environmental stress. Fuelwood and charcoal demand drive deforestation; wetlands and forests shrink; and population growth intensifies pressure on land.

Recognising the urgency, the Government of Uganda secured financing from the World Bank to implement the Investing in Forests and Protected Areas for Climate-Smart Development (IFPA-CD) project under the Ministry of Water and Environment.

Under IFPA-CD, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) implements the component titled ‘Intensive Mixed-Use Agroforestry Systems on Household Plots’ across 19 refugee-hosting or refugee-adjacent districts in Western and Northern Uganda.

According to Joseph Aston Ebinu, Programme Manager II – Agroforestry at Catholic Relief Services, the project responds directly to pressures on land and natural resources.

‘We aim to balance community needs with conservation-helping people depend on the environment sustainably while restoring it for future generations,’ Ebinu says.

The goal is ambitious: restore 17,550 hectares and reach 87,782 households from 2024 to 2026 while promoting tree-crop-livestock integration to boost food security, income and soil health.

Complementary expertise

At the centre of the restoration work is a consortium led by Catholic Relief Services (CRS), bringing together organisations whose strengths fit seamlessly into the complex needs of refugee-hosting landscapes. The International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), also known as the World Agroforestry Centre, contributes the scientific backbone of the initiative, providing species research, soil analysis and evidence-based agroforestry models tailored to fragile ecosystems.

Ecotrust complements this scientific approach with deep community engagement and a focus on environmental stewardship. Its work strengthens landscape governance, ensuring that restoration efforts are not only technically sound but also socially anchored and jointly owned by host communities and refugees.

According to Eric Francis Acanakwo, the ICRAF Country Representative, the partnership thrives precisely because no single organisation could navigate the enormity of the challenge alone.

Refugee settlements, he explains, are dynamic zones where agriculture, settlement expansion, energy needs and conservation frequently collide.

‘Refugee landscapes involve competing, sometimes conflicting land uses. Only an integrated landscape approach can reconcile them,’ Acanakwo says.

ICRAF’s role is particularly pivotal in identifying Indigenous tree species suited to the microclimates of northern Uganda, assessing soil fertility requirements and designing agroforestry models that restore ecological balance without undermining livelihoods. Their research guides how restoration unfolds on the ground – from the selection of shade trees for woodlots to windbreak species that protect crops, to multipurpose trees that replenish soils exhausted by years of intensive use.

Blending science and indigenous knowledge

Restoring tree cover in refugee-hosting districts begins with understanding what once grew there. After decades of land pressure, charcoal burning and farming expansion, many Indigenous species have become scarce, prompting the project to focus on reviving trees that historically belonged to each landscape. To guide this restoration, ICRAF combines modern scientific tools with local ecological memory.

Researchers draw on species databases that map the trees originally present in each ecosystem, while farmers contribute generations of Indigenous knowledge, from which trees provide the hottest charcoal to which species enrich soils or cast the best shade for crops. District technical teams then step in to validate suitability, ensuring that selected species align with local soil conditions, rainfall patterns and ongoing land-use pressures.

Acanakwo emphasises that the process is intentionally participatory, shaped jointly by science and the lived experience of the communities who depend on the land.

‘We are not imposing species; we are reviving what the landscape already knew,’ he says.

By rebuilding with trees that are ecologically appropriate and culturally familiar, the project ensures farmers adopt species that support both livelihoods and long-term landscape health.

Bringing climate-smart agroforestry

Abdullahi became one of the project’s model farmers in Koboko. CRS delivered seedlings directly to his homestead: 120 fruit trees, 800 woodlot species and 400 high-value crops, including cocoa

He embraced training on soil fertility, tree spacing, erosion control and integrating crops under shade.

Today, his 20-acre farm generates at least Shs2m in seasonal fruit sales and up to Shs80m in bumper years from mature fruit and timber. His produce reaches Koboko, Kampala and Juba.

He hopes the new seedlings will become a family inheritance:

‘These trees will educate my children and grandchildren,’ he told CRS field teams.

Abdullahi’s farm doubles as a learning site where neighbours, youth and farmers observe mulching, irrigation, pruning and mixed cropping techniques. His household reflects the wider project demographics: 28 per cent women and 26 per cent youth participation across registered farmers.

CRS plans to link farmers to processors, extension services, and financial institutions while strengthening market systems for high-value crops and small ruminants.

In Koboko, forest cover had dropped to 14 per cent five years ago.

District Forest Officer Ojia Gilbert said interventions like IFPA-CD are reversing losses: ‘This project is timely. It addresses climate change, land degradation and food security. Trees enhance soil fertility and help restore what we had lost.’

Politics is, and must always remain, a contest of ideas. It should be a place where different visions compete peacefully, never descending into violence. That is why what happened in Gulu on December 6 was not only shameful but outright barbaric. Those responsible must be held accountable, and any attempt to justify such acts as part of political competition must be firmly rejected.

The images of security forces beating people while trying to stop National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, were deeply distressing. Even more troubling were pictures of young people, often called ‘ghetto youth’ or ‘Aguu,’ acting alongside security forces, attacking people and looting businesses. It is alleged that these youth were hired by some leaders to disrupt the NUP campaign. If true, this poses a serious threat to both our democracy and public safety.

Like many urban areas in Uganda and the wider region, Gulu City struggles with the issue of street children. These young people, driven by harsh social conditions or personal hardship, survive by living on the streets. Many resort to theft and other crimes simply to get by. Unfortunately, some residents have suffered serious harm, being killed, injured, robbed, or even raped by street children.

Despite the security risks posed by these vulnerable youth, government efforts at all levels to address their situation have been minimal. Few initiatives focus on identifying, rehabilitating, and resettling them. The local community-based organisation Hastag Gulu is one of the few groups actively working to engage these children by providing skills training and reuniting them with their families through their Paicho booth camp. Yet, their reach remains limited.

It is disheartening that instead of developing policies to rehabilitate and uplift these young people, some people choose to exploit them as political weapons. While this may temporarily serve selfish ambitions, the long-term consequences are devastating for the city’s social and economic security. By involving street children in violence, politicians risk pushing them into a life of hardened crime that will be difficult for law enforcement to control.

History offers stark warnings. In the 1980s, a group known as the Mungiki Sect arose among the Kikuyu people of Kenya. Initially, they sought to promote Kikuyu political interests, cultural traditions, and a rejection of Western values. However, funded by powerful politicians and families, this group quickly turned into a violent criminal gang involved in murder, kidnapping, extortion, and illegal taxation. They committed numerous atrocities, including killing 23 people in Nairobi’s Kariobangi area in 2002 and shooting police officers in 2006. The Mungiki also played a major role in Kenya’s 2007 post-election violence, which left over 1,200 people dead, thousands injured, and displaced hundreds of thousands more.

Similarly, in Gombe State in the northern part of Nigeria, a youth gang emerged in the early 2000s known as ‘Yan-Kalare’ or ‘Sara-Suka,’. Politicians reportedly used these gangs for intimidating opponents and attacking rival supporters. Like the Mungiki, the Sara-Suka evolved into a dangerous criminal force, engaging in killings, robberies, and sexual violence. Today, they represent a serious threat to social stability, no longer just political tools but violent gangs.

The situation of street children is tragic. Without guidance or support, their lives are often filled with despair and hopelessness. Society frequently rejects and stigmatizes them, leading many to believe they are worthless. When someone feels they have nothing to lose, they may resort to anything, including violence. Introducing such vulnerable young people to political violence is like pouring kerosene on a fire. It can quickly spiral out of control.

It was, therefore, reckless and irresponsible for any political leader to mobilise street children for the violence witnessed in Gulu. This city and northern Uganda in general still bear the scars of the brutal 20-year conflict between the Government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army. This history partly explains the plight of street children today. Using them to fuel political violence threatens to undo the fragile peace and progress that Gulu and the surrounding region have experienced since the guns fell silent in 2006.

The political leaders must focus on finding solutions that rehabilitate and transform these young lives rather than exploiting them. Investing in programs that offer education, skills training, and family reunification can help restore hope and prevent future violence. Only by supporting these vulnerable youths can Gulu truly move towards lasting peace and security. In the end, politics should be about ideas and policies that improve people’s lives, not about using the most vulnerable as pawns in dangerous games.

We must protect our youth, uphold peace, and preserve the hard-earned stability of our communities.

Constrained access to microcredit continues to be easily the biggest challenge affecting Small and Medium size Enterprises (SMEs). Due to limited capital, the vast majority of SMEs rely on micro credit financing — the offering of small loans to small entrepreneurs who can’t get big bank loans to grow their businesses.

In order to access credit, lenders normally evaluate the ‘credit-worthiness’ of SMEs through the lens of the traditional credit scoring models via ‘the 5Cs of credit’: Capital, Collateral, Conditions, Character and Capacity. A borrower must score highly on each, if not all the five boxes of the credit score card. Many SMEs, however, struggle to match up their better-placed’ competitors in this microfinancing sector and end up sidelined by the traditional scorecard.

The recent integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the credit scoring systems of Ugandan banks and other microcredit institutions was a good solution, but is inadvertently widening pre-existing financial inclusion gaps among microcredit beneficiaries: Researchers have spotted emerging ethical concerns regarding the AI tools used by lenders being programmed with biased data that is not sensitive to the socio-economic context of needs of local borrowers.

Unless these bottlenecks are addressed by policymakers and the financing institutions to allow for equitable financing, the welfare and future of SMEs remains in jeopardy; and so do the lives of the millions they employ. A study by the World Bank established that SMEs account for ’90 percent of all businesses and accounting for more than half of global employment. For developing countries such as Uganda, SMEs are an economic backbone. They provide employment and thus sustenance to many households.

A joint 2024 report by MasterCard Foundation and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives reveals that SMEs ’employ over 2.5 million people and make up 90percent of private sector production. They generate 80 percent of manufactured output-accounting for 20 percent of GDP.’ Ugandan AI Junior researcher Emmanuel Isabirye, alongside Daphne Nyachaki Bitalo, explore this economic and ethical dilemma faced by both benefactors and SMEs through a fresh study titled ‘Contextualising AI ethics in Uganda through adaptive sensitive reweighting (ASR) for equitable microcredit.

Published in the AI In Society academic journal, an Oxford University Press publication, the study argues that traditional credit scoring methods ‘discriminate against marginalised groups because they are based on formal financial records, reinforcing structural disadvantages.’ Isabirye proposes the development and implementation of an ‘Adaptive Sensitive Reweighting (ASR)’ credit score model in the Uganda microfinance sector. He says this will ‘mitigate algorithmic bias’, a term he uses to mean unfair decisions computer applications or AI tools make because the data they learned from the given financial institution was already unfair or incomplete. The researcher believes the ASR model will enhance financial inclusion in Uganda’s microfinance sector: more SMEs and individuals will be able to access credit more equitably.

The ASR approach ‘adaptively adjusts weights for sensitive features such as collateral values and transaction history during model training to enhance fairness.’

During the study, when the researchers tested the ASR approach on real credit-score data against 80 sample stakeholders, it let 15 percent more poor or disadvantaged people get loans, while still correctly predicting who would pay back just as well as before. The ASR was much fairer overall.

While the integration of AI in the microfinance sector of Uganda promises great strides toward financial inclusion, there is need to address the ethical concerns that arise in its deployment at the risk of economically stifling the very people it’s meant to serve.

A family in Masindi is demanding that security operatives produce their missing son, who armed plain-clothed men allegedly kidnaped in October. More than a month later, the family still does not know where he is being held-or whether he is even still alive. The family of Mr Musindi Musa and Ms Aisha Katusiime, all residents of Kinogozi A Cell in Kisita Ward, Karujubu Division in Masindi Municipality, allege that their 25-year-old son, Reagan Kiiza Mustafa, was violently kidnapped from their home during day by armed men they believe were either police or Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) personnel.

Mr Musindi says the people, all armed, who kidnapped his son came in a silver Toyota Hiace vehicle, commonly known as drone. They were wearing plain clothes. They drove into his compound on October. ‘Plain-clothed armed men jumped out and grabbed my son from the veranda. When I asked why they were taking him, they fired bullets in the air and into the ground. They even attempted to take me, but one of them said their mission was only to take my son, and they drove away,’ he said.

Mr Musindi and his wife, who have been living in fear since then, say they reported a case of a missing person to the police. They have been searching for their son at many of the police station around Bunyoro Sub-region, but all in vain. ‘We began searching for Mustafa at Karujubu Police Post and later at Masindi Police Station, and also visited several police stations across the region, but none claimed to have Mustafa in custody,” he said. ‘We had always heard stories of drones kidnapping people in Kampala, but we never imagined it would happen to us here in Masindi,’ he added.

Mr Musindi has since met the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) and the District Police Commander (DPC), but he claims he has received no help or information about his son. ‘I do not sleep. Every night, I am wondering if my son is alive or dead. If he committed a crime, let them produce him in court. And if he was killed, they should give me his body so I can bury him and have some relief,’ he said. Mr Musindi insists that his son had no criminal record and was not involved in politics.

‘My son is a humble boy. He was a plumber and also worked as a turnboy on a fuso truck in the area. He has never been involved in crime,’ he said. Mustafa’s mother, Aisha Katusiime, said her son’s disappearance has taken a major toll on her health and finances. ‘Since the day my son was kidnapped, I have not had any rest. My head is always hurting. I cannot sleep,’ she says. She has searched for him in Masindi, Kiryandongo, Nakasongola, and even Bombo Military Barracks-yet no officer has confirmed detaining anyone by his name.

Mr James Mijumbi, the chairperson for Kinogozi B Cell, says since the day the boy was kidnapped, they launched a community search but found no trace of Mustafa. ‘This is the first incident of this kind in my area. The family informed us immediately, and we did our best to look for him. I condemn the act. If someone is arrested, by law, they must be produced in court, not disappeared,’ he said. Mr Solomon Asiimwe, LC3 chairperson for Karujubu Division, also acknowledged the incident.

‘We are trying as leaders to trace Mustafa’s whereabouts. If he has been arrested, he should be brought to court. Disappearance without communication is unacceptable,’ Mr Asiimwe said. When contacted, Uganda Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma said the police do not have any suspect by the name of Reagan Kiiza Mustafa in their cells. ‘I am going to inquire from all regional commanders, CID, and the operations directorate. If we have him in custody, I will inform you. At the moment, we do not have information about his arrest,’ he said.

Abduction.

‘Plain-clothed armed men jumped out and grabbed my son from the veranda. When I asked why they were taking him, they fired bullets in the air and into the ground. They even attempted to take me, but one of them said their mission was only to take my son…” Mr Musindi Musa, father of the victim

Police position.

‘I am going to inquire from all regional commanders, Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the operations directorate. If we have him in custody, I will inform you. At the moment, we do not have information about his arrest,’ Uganda Police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma

Similar incidents

Early this year, Mr Edward Ssebuufu, aka Eddie Mutwe, a personal bodyguard of NUP presidential flagbearer Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, was abducted in Mukono District and held incommunicado for some two weeks. Two weeks later, the Chief of Defence Force, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, posted on his X handle, a half-naked picture of Eddie Mutwe confirming that he was in his basement, ‘learning the Runyankore language.’

The Uganda Association of Psychiatrists (UAP) says access to mental health care has improved in recent years following an increase in the number of psychiatrists from 28 in 2010 to 80 in 2025.

Dr Hillary Irimaso, the UAP president, said Thursday that despite the progress, the current numbers remain inadequate for the country’s growing mental health burden.

‘In the last few years, we have seen a surge in numbers of psychiatrists being churned out to serve an increasing demand,’ he said in Kampala on the sidelines of the UAP mental health symposium.

‘Mental health cases are increasing in the country but also, that increase had not been met by the increasing psychiatrists. The ratio of psychiatrist to patients is still very high, about 1:600,000,’ he added.

Dr Irimaso noted that the internationally accepted ratio is 1:30,000, saying Uganda should first aim for 1:100,000 before progressing toward the global standard.

At Butabika Hospital, the country’s main psychiatric referral centre, the shortage of specialists is even more pronounced. Dr Irene Apio, the only psychiatrist trained in forensic psychiatry, said she is overwhelmed by the number of criminal cases requiring mental health assessment.

She appealed for greater government investment in specialised psychiatric fields, especially forensic psychiatry, which handles offenders with mental health conditions.

Prof Noeline Nakasujja, a psychiatrist and lecturer at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, said specialised psychiatric training in Uganda takes about three years, but is available only to those who have completed a medical degree.

‘Training in psychiatry has evolved a lot. Initially it was only at Makerere University but now it is in many other universities: Gulu University, Mbarara University, Busitema University, Uganda Christian University, which begins at undergraduate level but then mastered at post-graduate level,’ she said.

Experts at the symposium said the steady growth of training institutions is helping expand the workforce, but warned that the pace remains far below what is required to match rising mental health needs across the country.

Ever wondered what your favourite people do away from the socials, who they would swap lives with for a day, or which song they secretly dance to in the shower? In this section, Gloria Haguma gets personal and a little nosy with celebrity stylist Bryan Ahumuza. No filter, no script, just a peek into his quirky side.

You are organising a VIP night out. Which MP is making the list, and who is in charge of picking the tab at the end of the night?

Honestly, I am one of those Ugandans who do not know our MPs; let us be real, there are too many to keep up with. But if someone has to pick the tab, I am calling Speaker Anita Among. I feel like she runs this town. Whatever the bill comes to, I am very sure she can handle it without blinking.

What is the most ‘Kampala thing’ about you that people would not guess at first glance?

I use boda bodas almost every day. People get shocked when they spot me zooming through town on a boda, but honestly, they are the most reliable form of transport. Plus, I hate Kampala traffic.

Be honest; how many times have you promised ‘I am on the way’ while still at home ironing a shirt?

That is literally me every day.

What is one trend you pushed that Kampala refused to understand?

My personal style. Most people do not get it, but that is the whole point. It is called ‘personal style’ for a reason.

If Uganda had a Met Gala, what theme would you secretly want to see the chaos?

‘Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination’ from the 2018 Met Gala. I can already imagine the drama Ugandans would bring with their outfits. But let’s be honest, Ugandans and dress themes do no’t always get along. Tebabitegela!

Which Ugandan celeb’s style are you dying to switch up?

Cindy Sanyu!

Which Kampala hangout do you pretend you do not go to, but the waiters know your order by heart?

None. I actually do not hang out unless I am working. If I am not hosting an event somewhere, I am at home in bed.

Owino thrift haul or a Dubai shopping spree; which one are you picking?

I did my fair share of Owino when I was starting, so please, Dubai it is! The Lord has blessed me, and I am not trying to interfere with His ‘soft life’ plans for me. Hahaha!

What is the wildest thing a boda rider has told you after recognising you?

A boda guy once completely confused me. He knew the name ‘Abryanz’ but thought I was a musician. He told me, ‘Ehh Mwana Abryanz, njagala nnyo obuyimba bwo!’

If you werenot in fashion, which Ugandan job do you think you would actually be good at?

A chef, without a doubt. But also music; I have even tried to record a few songs.

Kampala men Vs Kampala women: who actually dresses better?

Kampala women, for sure. The men still have a long way to go.

If someone gave you 50K and told you to look stylish for a day, what would the final fit look like?

That is where the Owino plug would come in. With the right eye, 50K is enough. Trust me; the final look would still be fire.

What is one thing Ugandans do in the name of fashion that secretly stresses you out?

It is actually the creatives in the industry; some of them need constant reminders to participate in projects. The domestic support is just not there.

If your phone gallery from last weekend could testify, what would the headline be?

‘The party was partied!’

What is the most expensive drink you have ever bought out of peer pressure?

Definitely Azul. I went out with friends, was in a good mood, and somehow found myself spending Shs2.8m on a bottle. Everyone was hyping me up with YOLO slogans, and before I knew it, I had swiped my card. Big mistake; I still have not forgiven myself.

What is one Kampala rumour about you that was so wild you almost believed it?

That I am a billionaire. People think I have a lot of money.

On a sunny afternoon in Kampala, a boda boda rider taps his phone and sends Shs10,000 to a small shop.

The shopkeeper, who has never kept formal accounts, logs the sale on a simple phone app and moves on.

In that ordinary moment, an economic identity is created, a digital footprint that could one day support a loan, an insurance policy, or even an investment in a government bond.

What looks like a routine transaction is, in fact, part of a larger shift. Uganda is betting that millions of such digital traces, flowing through a modernised financial system, will help power an economy ten times its current size.

As the country targets a leap from roughly $50b today to $500b by 2040, the real question is no longer whether Ugandans are transacting; it is whether the financial system carrying those transactions can support growth at a national scale.

Scaling the ambition

Speaking at the 10th anniversary celebration of Financial Sector Deepening Uganda (FSDU), Bank of Uganda Governor Michael Atingi-Ego framed the challenge bluntly: ‘Where is this money going to come from? It’s no longer business as usual; we have to think out of the box.’

To bridge the gap, he outlined a four-pillar roadmap built around a central data hub for credit, a national payment switch, a cloud-based supervisory technology (suptech) system, and a deliberate push into green finance through instruments such as green and infrastructure bonds.

At the heart of this strategy sits Project Okusevinga, an initiative that allows everyday Ugandans to buy government securities via mobile phone for as little as Shs10,000 (about $3).

It is a bold attempt to democratise public investment and tap into the savings of ordinary citizens who have long been excluded from formal capital markets.

For Uganda’s policymakers, financial inclusion is not just about social justice; it is a core economic strategy.

Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi, however, cautioned that: ‘Financial inclusion without regulation is more disastrous than actually having no inclusion at all. It can make the people even poorer.’

He pointed to FSDU’s role in shaping microfinance regulation, expanding digital know your customer (e-KYC) platforms, and integrating tier four institutions into the mainstream financial system.

Ggoobi noted Uganda must now move beyond simple access and focus on real usage, especially among women, youth, and refugees, groups often counted as ‘included’ but still largely excluded from meaningful financial activity.

British High Commissioner Lisa Chesney offered a complementary, long-term perspective.

‘When the UK’s Financial Inclusion Programme began, only about half (52 percent) of Uganda’s adults had access to financial services. Today, 88 percent of adults are financially included,’ she noted.

FSDU has been at the centre of supporting financial inclusion, with key innovations such as shared agent banking platforms, refugee finance initiatives, and grants that have de-risked private sector business models.

Chesney noted that the net of inclusion has widened, but the next frontier is depth: translating access into active, productive financial engagement.

What must work

Despite these advances, the private sector still struggles with limited and expensive credit. By October 2025, the total stock of private sector credit stood at Shs27.35 trillion, with lending rates hovering around 17-18 percent, high by regional standards.

For Uganda’s tenfold growth plan to materialise, it needs more than short-term loans; it needs long-term capital.

Atingi-Ego said Uganda must unlock new pools of patient financing through green bonds, infrastructure bonds, sukuk, diaspora bonds, and pension reforms.

These instruments, he argued, can create the long-term channels required to fund industrialisation and large-scale infrastructure.

But if this is going to be achieved, FSDU chairman Emma Mugisha said, governance is central to making this work.

‘The financial sector continues to evolve, and Uganda must evolve with it. The next decade will require deeper collaboration, responsible innovation, and collective resolve,’ he said.

FSDU has driven a range of targeted interventions, such as the Micro, Small Enterprise Recovery Fund, which has extended affordable credit to more than 130,000 enterprises, 70 percent of them women-led, and the Deal Flow Facility, which has mobilised $8.2m for growth-stage SMEs.

Digitisation promises to reshape Uganda’s financial architecture, but it also brings new risks.

Atingi-Ego said the digital era has come with ‘radical uncertainty, from cybersecurity threats to real-time market shocks, which calls for stronger investments in technology and modern risk management systems.

Ggoobi, meanwhile, underscored government’s responsibility to de-risk private investment, arguing that the private sector alone cannot absorb all shocks, but can be helped by targeted guarantees, blended finance structures, and clear regulation.

The $500b vision is ambitious. If digital infrastructure, inclusive finance, strong governance, and long-term capital come together, the country could step into a new era of productivity. If they do not, the $500b ambition risks becoming a slogan, inspiring, but never fully lived.

When Juliet Kakwerre N. Tumusiime walks into a room, she carries with her the quiet confidence of a lady who has built something truly remarkable. As Founder and CEO of Cheveux Organique, the company manufacturing biodegradable hair extensions made from banana fibre, she has pioneered an innovation that is changing how women think about beauty, agriculture, and sustainability.

Her work has earned her one of the continent’s most prestigious honours, the WAYA 2025 Women Empowerment Champion Award, a recognition that speaks to the strength of her innovation, and the women empowerment movement she has created across Uganda. Kakwerre’s journey shows what becomes possible when agriculture, ingenuity and women’s leadership are guided by purpose.

The WAYA Awards, an initiative of AGRA, were established to recognise and elevate women who are driving transformation across Africa’s agri-food systems.

Through the awards, AGRA recognises innovators whose work expands economic opportunities, strengthens food systems and uplifts communities, particularly women and youth who remain at the heart of the continent’s agricultural workforce.

‘This recognition gives me new momentum,’ she explains.

‘It tells me that people see value in what we are doing and that I must now expand this impact to reach even more women.’

Honouring leaders like Kakwerre demonstrates AGRA’s commitment to inclusive agricultural growth and ensures that women not only participate in value chains but also shape and lead them. The recognition also comes with technical support, visibility and catalytic funding, enabling winners to scale ideas that have the potential to shift livelihoods across the continent.

‘For me, this award is a reminder that the work is only beginning,’ Kakwerre says.

‘It pushes me to do even more for the women and communities who believe in this idea.’

A Spark Born in the Banana Fields

The idea for banana-fibre hair did not come from a laboratory. It came from Kakwerre’s years working with USAID, supporting agricultural research to improve banana varieties and strengthen farmers’ resilience to disease and climate shocks.

‘I was working with USAID, managing a project on improved banana varieties, and I kept thinking about how much value we were losing in the crop,’ she says. ‘That exposure opened my eyes to possibilities beyond the fruit itself.’

It is this instinct, curiosity and unrelenting resolve, that has defined her journey. As she travelled across the country, she kept seeing the same painful reality, where farmers harvested more bananas, but much of the harvest went to waste. However, amid all the waste, she saw an opportunity. There were plenty of banana stems lying discarded on farms, and no one seemed to pay attention.

She reflected back to her childhood, when she used dried banana fibres to make dolls and toys, a memory that now returned with new meaning.

‘There must be something here,’ she recalls. But when she presented the idea to scientists, they brushed it aside, which only sharpened her resolve.

‘I am not a scientist,’ she says. ‘I’m simply an inquisitive human being who sees opportunity where others see waste.’

That curiosity ignited a spark that lit a decade-long journey. Between 2012 and 2018, Kakwerre worked with scientists and friends to test, extract, comb, and twist banana fibres, often failing, but always moving forward.

The breakthrough

The breakthrough came when, for the first time, she could run a comb through the fibre, which was proof that it could behave like human hair. From that moment, she knew she had unlocked something bigger than a beauty product.

‘The moment the comb passed through, I realised we had a usable product,’ Kakwerre recalls.

‘From there, it became clear that the next step was to refine it, scale it, and show the world what banana fibre could do.’

Today, Cheveux Organique produces premium banana-fibre hair extensions that are 100 percent plant-based, fully biodegradable and free from the harsh chemicals found in synthetic alternatives. The fibre does not cause itching, allergies or bad smells, and it is gentle enough for sensitive scalps and long-term use. The product is also ethically sourced, a sharp contrast to much of the global human-hair trade, whose origins are often opaque.

Kakwerre’s innovation responds to a problem many women quietly endure, which is synthetic hair made from plastic and toxic chemicals causes itching, allergies and even long-term scalp damage. Human hair, on the other hand, often comes from ethically troubling sources. Therefore, Cheveux Organique offers an alternative that is not only safer, but deeply African. And the world is taking notice.

Her extensions are already being sold in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Denmark, Australia, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Czech Republic, and Belize, with demand far outstripping supply.

‘People around the world are looking for healthier, plant-based options,’ Kakwerre explains. ‘I get calls from the US, Europe, Africa, everywhere. The demand is high, but production is still low, so I have to tell some clients to give me time.’

She sells a 150-gram box of banana-fibre hair at USD 50 (Shs178,000), with most styles requiring three to four boxes, placing a full installation at USD150 to USD200.

Kakwerre subsidises the local market, offering the same box at Shs50,000, although adoption remains gradual as consumers are still accustomed to cheaper synthetic options.

She positions her product firmly in the premium hair category, not competing with low-cost synthetic extensions but aligning with high-value human hair due to its health, ethical and environmental advantages. Kakwerre notes that production costs remain high, but mechanisation will eventually bring prices down.For Kakwerre , the WAYA Award’s USD 25,000 prize money will help her make strategic investments in her business.

‘I want to buy more machines. Demand is high, but production is low. If someone wants a tonne of hair, I cannot give it to them yet.’

Her immediate plan is to triple production while laying the groundwork for a fully mechanised plant that can meet global demand and position Uganda as the centre of Africa’s sustainable hair industry.

Over 2,000 Women Empowered

The real impact of Cheveux Organique is found far from the factory floor. Across the country, particularly in Mukono, Mbarara and Kyenjojo, groups of women come together at the extraction hubs where the machines are stationed. They cut the stems, extract the fibre, dry it, comb it, sort it and turn it into usable material that helps them meet everyday household needs.

This is where Kakwerre’s model truly comes alive, as women gain skills, earn from the fibre and unlock new income opportunities in places that once offered very few.

‘When you see a woman buy a solar lamp or pay school fees from this work, you realise this is bigger than hair,’ Kakwerre says. ‘It’s about restoring possibilities.’

Kakwerre’s enterprise intentionally uplifts women at every stage of the value chain. In the farming communities, women’s groups organise themselves to collect banana stems, notify the company when volumes are ready and earn directly from each batch they supply.

To reduce transport costs and bring value closer to the villages, Kakwerre redesigned her extraction machines so they can be taken to the field, allowing mobile processing.

Women trained to operate these machines earn even more by extracting fibre rather than selling raw stems, which increases their income per unit. The shorter fibres that cannot be used for hair are not discarded; instead, they are transformed into mats, baskets, décor pieces and fabric, creating additional income opportunities and ensuring that nothing goes to waste.

‘For me, it’s not just about the product,’ Kakwerre says. ‘It’s about helping women gain skills, earn more and see real changes in their households. That is where the transformation begins.’Youth and Vulnerable Groups

Kakwerre runs skills programs that train girls and boys in hairdressing, baking, and small business development. Some start their own businesses; others join her production lines.

To date, over 2,000 women have been directly supported, and Kakwerre believes the number is higher, given earlier years reached nearly 5,000 trainees.

The outcomes are life-changing. A woman buys her first solar lamp; another invests in a goat to strengthen household resilience; a mother pays school fees using income from fibre; and families install a television or purchase school uniforms for the first time. These shifts, though simple, speak directly to AGRA’s goals of empowering women, raising household incomes, strengthening agricultural value chains for economic transformation.

‘When you understand what poverty truly looks like,’ Kakwerre says, ‘you become intentional about supporting these communities.’ Import Substitution

According toKakwerre, globally, 80% of those who manufacture and distribute synthetic hair are men, even though women are the primary consumers. Kakwerre is focused on shifting that power imbalance.’Women have always been the consumers, but we’ve rarely been the producers,’ Kakwerre notes. ‘This product is showing that we can drive innovation, own the value chain and set a new direction for the industry.’

A Sustainable, African Value Chain

With bananas grown across Africa, the potential for replication is enormous. Kakwerre already receives calls from South Africa, West Africa, and the diaspora, proving this model is continental.

Winning the WAYA Award has propelled Kakwerre into global conversations. Just weeks after the ceremony in Dakar, Senegal, she received a call from the Ghana Investment Authority: ‘Where have you been?’ they asked.

To her, the award is proof that the continent is ready to embrace indigenous innovation.

‘This recognition means I must work three times harder. The next story about me should not speak of 2,000 women but of one million.’

She sees the award as an invitation for Africa to transform its agricultural wealth into high-value products driven by women and youth.

‘The goal is to build something that reaches far beyond me and creates opportunities for millions of women,’ Kakwerre says.

Her dream is to create a new African industry, rooted in agriculture, driven by women, powered by innovation, and anchored in sustainability.

Authorities have arrested a clinical officer in Isingiro District after more than 500,000 doses of government antiretroviral (ARV) drugs were recovered in an operation targeting theft of essential medicines, the National Drug Authority (NDA) said on Friday.

NDA spokesperson Abiaz Rwamwiri told reporters in Mbarara City that the suspect, who works at Nyamuyanja Health Centre IV, was arrested on Thursday evening after a two-week hunt in which he repeatedly changed locations to evade capture.

‘The suspect had evaded arrest for the last two weeks, occasionally changing locations but we worked with other security agencies and we eventually arrested him in Ibanda. This was after we recovered stolen government drugs that included 500,000 doses of ARVs and, antimalarial and HIV testing kits at his residence in Katete, Nyamitanga in Mbarara City South Division,’ Rwamwiri said.

He said the suspect fled after learning that his accomplice, a storekeeper at the same facility, had been arrested and large quantities of stolen medicines recovered.

Mr Rwamwiri said theft of government medicines remains one of the most entrenched criminal networks involving both health workers and civilians.

‘Since 2019 we have recovered stolen government drugs worth 15 billion, currently handling 68 cases of health workers involved in the theft of drugs. It’s unfortunate that people who earn salaries are the ones stealing from the sick who pay taxes to buy these drugs,’ he noted.

Mr Rwamwiri added that the NDA is working with security organs including the Special Forces Command (SFC), Internal Security Organisation (ISO), military intelligence and police to dismantle the racket.

Mr Rwamwiri said the suspect will be charged with illegal possession of government stores under Section 296(2) and possession of classified drugs under Section 27(2) of the NDA Act.

His accomplice was on Thursday sentenced to three years in prison by the Isingiro Chief Magistrate’s Court on related charges.

Mr Rwamwiri appealed to the public to report health workers suspected of involvement in drug theft, noting that the loss of ARVs undermines HIV care, particularly at a time when reduced donor funding, including cuts from USAID, is already straining the national response.

Rwizi Region police spokesperson Samson Kasasira said the case file has been forwarded to the State Attorney for perusal and guidance on the charges to be preferred against the suspect.

Coffee exporter Serawild Coffee, together with Uganda’s Embassy in Germany, has rolled out an aggressive campaign to promote the country’s organic coffee across Schengen countries.

This feeds into Uganda’s larger ambition of increasing coffee exports into new markets.

Last week, Uganda’s coffee was exhibited at the three-day International Travel and Tourism Fair in Warsaw, Poland, one of Central Europe’s luxurious marquee tourism events.

‘This event brought together top global players in the tourism sector, and the Embassy in Berlin enabled me to present our coffee to participants,’ Serawild’s Germany-based proprietor, Milly Nanfuma, said.

‘We are getting very strong feedback from international investors about the excellent quality of our coffee,’ she said, noting that ‘In the coming months, we expect these efforts to translate into major orders. As Germans increasingly embrace our coffee, we now want to win over other Schengen countries to our much sought-after Ugandan beans.’

Uganda was one of only four African countries, alongside Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia, represented at the high-level fair.

Six Ugandan tourism operators, including Crystal Safaris, Destination Jungle, Exclusive Association of Sustainable Tour Operators, Gorilla Tours, Gorilla and Wildlife Safaris, and Kubwa Five Safaris, also showcased at the event. Uganda’s Deputy Ambassador to Germany, Dany Sozzi, and Second Secretary and consular officer Jessica Namuddu attended the fair.

The push in Poland is part of a broader, sustained effort by Uganda to boost the profile of its coffee on the global stage, following recent promotional drives in Germany and the United Kingdom through coffee cupping events.

These exhibitions come on the back of a record-breaking year for the sector, in which Uganda’s coffee export earnings surged to $2.24b, according to the Ministry of Agriculture. In the 12 months to August 2025, the country shipped 7.93 million 60-kilogramme bags, with both Robusta and Arabica varieties making waves in global markets.

Uganda has also been showcasing its coffee at major international events, including the SCAJ World Specialty Coffee Conference and Exhibition in Tokyo, the Frankfurt Coffee Festival, and the Swiss International Holiday Expo in Lugano, underscoring the country’s ambition to cement its place among the world’s leading coffee producers.