Category: Daily Monitor

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.

There is a gentleness about it all – the light Moroccan sun, the fresh turf underfoot, and the familiar hum of a team easing into a major tournament as you watch them speak in videos provided by Uganda’s FA – Fufa.

But beneath the calm, the Uganda Cranes are building something sterner. In Casablanca, where they opened their 11-day Afcon 2025 training camp early in the week, the mood is one of quiet belief rather than noise.

Rogers Mato captured it best. The forward, who has grown into one of Uganda’s dependable attackers, stepped off the pitch after the opening session with the relaxed smile of a man who knows what the moment means.

‘Yeah, it is a dream come true to be part of this team,’ he said, beaming. ‘With experienced players and upcoming ones. I feel honoured to come and honour my country.’

There was nothing scripted about it. Just a footballer allowing himself to admit what many players feel but rarely say aloud – the mix of gratitude, expectation and childlike wonder that comes with entering the continent’s defining competition.

Up with the best

Mato spoke of the tournament’s weight for the next generation too, calling Afcon ‘a good one for the rising stars.’

And he placed it above anything he has played in so far, even Europe’s Conference League – not in prestige, but in personal meaning. ‘It is a big achievement for me and my career,,’ said the FK Vardar (North Macedonia) attacker.

A few metres away, midfielder Bobosi Byaruhanga voiced a similar sentiment.

The Oakland Roots (USA) playmaker, fresh from his first drills, didn’t stretch for poetry. He just said what he felt: ‘I am very happy.’

The rest – the pride, the readiness, the sense of belonging – was visible in the grin he couldn’t hide.

Byaruhanga is part of a midfield group blending maturity and invention, a key piece as coach Paul Put attempts to weld local reliability to foreign-based sharpness.

For now, the Cranes continue their work in Casablanca before shifting to Rabat, their Group C base, where Uganda will face Tunisia and Tanzania. They later move to Fes for the final group game against Nigeria.

Two friendlies – against Far Rabat on Saturday, December 13 and Gabon four days later – will tune the edges.

But in these early Moroccan days, what stands out most is not tactics or shape.

It is something simpler: a squad quietly embracing the honour of being there, and daring to believe they can belong on this stage.

Afcon 2025

Group C matches

Dec 23: Tunisia vs Uganda

Dec 27: Uganda vs Tanzania

Dec 30: Uganda vs Nigeria

The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has cautioned citizens against taking for granted the country’s long period of stability, saying they should instead safeguard the prevailing peace. Speaking yesterday during community outreach activities ahead of the national Tarehe Sita celebrations in February, the Deputy Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security, Brig Gen Abdul Rugamayo, said the freedoms Ugandans enjoy must be exercised responsibly, warning that instability can return if the country is not vigilant.

‘We try to protect the gains we have made, especially in security. Uganda has had uninterrupted governance for almost 40 years,’ Brig Gen Rugamayo said.

‘We want people to understand that and not play with it, because it can run away from them at any time if we are not careful,’ he added. He pointed to Uganda’s neighbours as examples of what happens when peace collapses. ‘In [DR] Congo, a country of 80 million people, more than 600,000 are here as refugees. South Sudan gained Independence 14 years ago with oil and a booming economy, but they lost peace, now, about one million South Sudanese are here,’ Gen Rugamayo said.

His remarks fall on a campaign season that had been peaceful until last month, when it took a sharp turn after security forces started brutalising supporters of the National Unity Platform party and teargassing the party’s presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine. The horrendous incidents have been reported in Mbarara District, Kiruhura District, Gulu City, and Kawempe and Nakawa in the capital Kampala. Gen Rugamayo also cited the situations in Sudan and Chad, once industrially strong but weakened by conflict, as reminders of how quickly stability can fade.

‘Ugandans should not misuse the freedom they have. Peace came because some Ugandans fought for it. It is we, the UPDF, who joined arms to fight for you, and we are still here with a strong army,’ he said, adding that unlike countries battling insurgencies, Uganda remains fully administered, with security agencies operating within their constitutional mandate. Preparations for this year’s Tarehe Sita celebrations are underway, with the national event scheduled for the Kigezi region.

‘This time it is in Kigezi [Sub-region]. Last year it was in Masaka, the previous year in Busoga, and next year another area will be chosen,’ Brig Gen Rugamayo said.

As part of the commemorative activities, the UPDF is conducting community work in Kasokoso, Nakawa Market, and Bugolobi, including cleaning exercises and basic health services. ‘In the little we can do, we want people to know that our children are there and they care for the community. We work with sister forces because no society is 100 percent perfect, but we try our best,’ Gen Rugamayo added.

Nakawa Market

At Nakawa Market, local leaders welcomed the efforts, with market master Joel Isiabirye praising the army’s engagement but urging that such support should be sustained throughout the year. ‘Let this not only happen during this time. It should be continuous because it is the people’s army,’ Mr Isiabirye said. ‘They [UPDF] have done well, and the market is now clean, but they should ensure that people’s peace is not violated,’ he added. He also appealed to KCCA and the UPDF to help pave the market to reduce mud and dust.

Mathias Walukaga is a singer and the current mayor of Kyengera Town Council and has been a parliamentary candidate for Busiro East constituency.

He has, however, been denominated over lack of the required minimum academic qualifications. First of all, I have, over the years, been advocating for Luganda to be officially designated as our national language, and one of the official languages, but tribalism has made this impossible so far.

Non-Baganda are largely opposed to it because of the fear that it would pose a threat to their linguistic identity. If Luganda is adopted as one of the official languages, then it would be okay for good Luganda speakers to use it in Parliament and offices. In New Zealand(NZ), for example, you can address Parliament in Maori, English, or NZ Sign language. If an MP uses another language, they have to translate it themselves. If it was clear they were speaking nonsense or a made-up language, the Speaker would terminate their speech probably for being irrelevant or disorderly.

Languages are sometimes classified as official languages to preserve them and to maintain identity and culture. Despite English being a non-Ugandan language, it’s seen as an unbiased alternative that wouldn’t threaten linguistic minority groups. It is a compromise when there is a high linguistic diversity in a country. English has also been a unifying language in Uganda for decades. We accepted English to be the means of communication in Parliament, and that’s why I think it’s wrong to elect people who cannot speak it fluently.

I also think the minimum academic requirement shouldn’t only be an A-Level certificate or it’s equivalent; but the candidate should be able to demonstrate some fluency in speaking English. It is one of the subjects for everyone all over Uganda, and everyone is expected to be proficient, at least at the spoken level. In addition, English provides numerous advantages to Ugandans such as one easily getting connected with the rest of Uganda and the rest of the world. Most best-selling books worldwide are published in English or translated into English.

Lastly, English is a bit different from most other languages in that you can be very bad at speaking or writing it, but people will still understand the gist of what you’re trying to say. It’s hard to make predictions about the long-term, but it’s relatively safe to say English will be competing with Chinese Mandarin as the first foreign language in most parts of Asia and Africa. My daughter is learning Mandarin, and I would encourage those who are linguistic yo learn it.

Another thing that is harder to predict is the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). There are somewhat decent translators out there, which are sufficient for basic tasks. It could be that they will replace human translation almost completely over the next 25 years. When you act at national and international level politically, you are supposed to have a basic level of the English language, but in future, we should find a way of adopting people who cannot speak English properly to allow each to express themselves in the language they are most comfortable in.

For now, even if one gets a degree, I don’t think they should be in Parliament as MPs if they struggle with English, because communication is so important in the House. The money they are wasting on lawyers now should instead be going to English tutors.

Residents of Luweero District and the family of President Museveni on Tuesday paid tribute to Rev Fr Simon Peter Ssesanga, a priest credited with saving the veteran Ugandan leader’s mother during the early years of the NRA liberation struggle.

Fr Ssesanga, who passed away at the age of 72 on December 8, 2025, at Bishop Asili Memorial Hospital, had served the greater Luweero area under Kasana Luweero Diocese for decades, leaving behind a legacy of ecumenism, humanitarian work, and community service.

While many remember him for leading annual Way of the Cross processions and promoting unity among Christians through the Luweero, Nakaseke and Nakasongola Joint Christian Council (LUNANA), the Museveni family emphasized his heroic role in 1982.

‘When the government soldiers attacked the Parish at Kijaguzo and wanted to take away the Nuns at the parish, Fr Ssesanga, though not armed, resisted the demands from the soldiers. He was later boosted by a quick response from the NRA reinforcement that forced the armed soldiers to disperse,’ said Brig Jacob Asiimwe, Presidential Advisor for Political and Civilian Affairs, delivering Museveni’s condolence message.

Fr Ssesanga had sheltered war-displaced families at Kijaguzo Parish, Nakaseke District, including President Museveni’s mother, Esteri Kokundeka (RIP).

He arranged for her safe passage to Kenya’s capital, after her life was threatened during the conflict.

‘Fr Ssesanga offered to drive Kokundeka to Nairobi to save her life that was already in danger,’ Brig Asiimwe added.

Born on July 7, 1953, in Kirowoza Village, Namilyango Parish, Buikwe District, Fr Ssesanga was ordained in 1979 and served across multiple parishes, including Bbina, Buvuma Island, Nagalama, Bukerere, Kijaguzo, and Nandere before dedicating the latter part of his ministry to Kasana Luweero Diocese.

Bishop Lawrence Mukasa, principal celebrant at St Joseph Parish Church, lauded his unwavering commitment to God and humanity.

Messages from the Anglican and Catholic dioceses stressed his role in fostering justice, peace, and environmental conservation.

‘He walked the talk as a conservationist. Even when we felt that Fr Ssesanga was growing weak, he was quick to ask God for strength and encouraged everybody to serve God and humanity without discrimination,’ said Joseph Lwevuze, a Catechist and farmer.

State Minister for Education Dr John C Muyingo, who knew Fr Ssesanga as his parish priest at Mulajje Parish, recalled the priest’s guidance and support in both spiritual and civic matters saying: ‘He was focused on development issues and always worked for fairness as he served God and humanity.’

Fr Ssesanga is survived by a legacy of 46 years of priesthood, marked by service to war-affected communities, environmental conservation, and ecumenical engagement in northern and central Uganda.

He was laid to rest on December 9, 2025 at the St Joseph Parish Church cemetery in Katikamu, Kasana Luweero Diocese.

The Masaka City mayoral race has drawn five candidates, each pledging to address the main issues impacting the city. The candidates include the incumbent and National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer Florence Namayanja, National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) Fredrick Ddembe Kipapaali, Democratic Front’s (DF) Michael Mulindwa Nakumusana, and Independents Godfrey Kayemba Afayo and Francis Ssengabi. The candidates are, however, faced with a daunting task of providing solutions to a number of challenges the city is grappling with.

Masaka, referred to as Buganda’s ‘capital city’, is one of the oldest urban units in Uganda that was constructed by colonialists. It became a township in 1953, a town council in 1958, and a municipality in 1968. In July 2020, the municipality was elevated to city status, alongside nine other municipalities, which became regional cities. Currently, the city, which sits on 100 square kilometres, is grappling with many challenges, including, among others, poor garbage and waste management after failing to establish a modern landfill. It also lacks a well-developed structural and physical plan, yet its growth is hampered by low local revenue collections.

On garbage, the city leaders say construction of a modern landfill had proved to be an expensive venture and needed a partner whom they failed to get. To set up a modern garbage treatment plant, the city authorities say they need over Shs480m, which money they have failed to raise to date. A couple of years ago, city authorities banned the sale and buying of plots of land that are smaller that 100 feet by 50 feet in size. However, this has not fully been enforced, and in some parts of the city, parcels of plots of land as small as 50 feet by 30 feet are still going on unabated.

Ms Florence Namayanja

Ms Namayanja, who is seeking a second term, promises to take forward her fight for nature and environment, and to protect the social rights of city dwellers to ensure they live in a clean and safe city. She also promises to fight against land grabbing, a vice, she says is eating up the city, which has also left several public open spaces being claimed by moneyed business people in the area. ‘During my first term of office, I have tried to save some pieces of land for the city council from being grabbed by several private developers and ensured some public land gets titles. So far, five city plots of land have been secured with registered land titles,’ she explains.

Ms Namayanja, the only woman in the race, is credited with improving garbage collection after hiring two private firms, where dwellers pay some money to support the initiative. ‘The two private firms -TUMACAS and YAMAC, have helped in reducing uncollected heaps of garbage in the city. City dwellers have also adopted better ways of managing their garbage and wait for the trucks of the private partners to pick it up and take it to the place where it is dumped. ‘I promise to improve this and set a reasonable garbage fee according to the law,’ she says

She defends the decision to privatise solid waste management, saying the problem had become chronic due to dwindling local revenue collection, yet this component alone is costing them 46 percent of their total budget. Masaka generates at least 100 tonnes of garbage every week, but the local government leadership is only able to collect 70 percent, leaving 30 percent of the garbage uncollected. Michael Mulindwa Nakumusana

Mr Nakumusana is the outgoing Nyendo/ Mukungwe Municipality mayor and also Democratic Front (DF) flag bearer. He promises to fight irregular land allocations in the city, which he says is rampant. He blames the problem on previous city leaders, who, he says, parcelled out public land for their selfishness again. ‘Corruption is also a challenge I need to tackle when elected city mayor. The city is in the process of recruiting new staff, and we want people to get jobs on merit without any favouritism,’ he adds.

Fredrick Ddembe Kipapaali

The ruling NRM party flag bearer promises to revive coffee farming in the rural parts of the city by giving out coffee seedlings. He also promises to lobby the government to introduce more projects that can change the well-being of the dwellers. ‘Masaka is stuck in development because it misses a connection with the ruling government. Almost all the leaders are from the Opposition, and the area cannot develop when they cannot meet the President, who is the fountain of honour,’ Mr Ddembe says.

Godfrey Kayemba Afaayo

The former Masaka City mayor has promised to fight exploitative tax policies in the city, which he says are crippling small businesses. He also promises to unite all people from different political parties. ‘Unfortunately, the new city started with several projects when I was still mayor, but my predecessor is not aggressive, and it is the reason she has not signed any new projects. Most of her time has been spent fighting wars; this is not what the city residents need,’ he claims. He promises to improve social services like education, health, and better roads.

Francis Ssengabi

Once elected mayor, Mr Ssengabi promises to deliver to the people of Masaka a city that has better social services, where traders operate without being overtaxed by the city leaders. He also promises to introduce an organised modern transport system, which offers affordable rates to the dwellers, as well as fetch revenue to the council.

Background

The city has three constituencies, including Kimaanya/ Kaboonera, Nyendo-Mukungwe, and the city women’s parliamentary seat. It has a total population of 294,166 people, of which 146,006 are registered voters at 314 polling stations.

Issues at hand

* Poor garbage and waste management

* Lack of a modern landfill

* Lack of a well-developed structural and physical plan

* Low local revenue collections (although the city revenue grew from Shs2.4 billion to Shs3 billion in the FY2022/2023 to Shs5.7 billion in FY2023/2024, this is still little to run the city affairs since a big portion of the city budget still comes from the central government ).

* Lack of a decent administrative block (city hall) and various city departments are currently scattered in different buildings on Edward Avenue and Elgin Street.

* Poor roads and schools in areas annexed to the city.

Fresh details have emerged about the crocodile that killed 16-year-old Namirembe Namirimu at Kyankolokolo Landing Site on Bugaba Island, with wildlife officials revealing the reptile had gone 30 days without food, making it extremely aggressive at the time of the attack.

Namirimu was attacked on December 4, 2025, around 6:30 pm while fetching water from the shoreline of Lake Victoria. Witnesses said the crocodile emerged from its nesting site and moved slowly toward the girl.

‘I thought it was as usual because we were used to seeing them near the shore without causing any harm,’ said Steven Balyejussa, the first responder to her cries.

‘But we were shocked when it suddenly trapped one of the girls and dragged her,’ he added.

According to Namirimu’s mother, Nalongo Nalubaale, her daughter had moments earlier asked her friends why the water had turned unusually dark before the crocodile grabbed her leg and pulled her underwater.

The reptile resurfaced three times with her body before disappearing into deeper waters.

Residents noticed on December 5 that the crocodile had vacated its nesting area after moving its hatchlings.

Namirimu’s body was recovered last Saturday (December 6), about two kilometres from the landing site at Kamujiri.

Her left leg was missing, and she was buried the same day.

Oswald Tumanya, an officer with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), explained the attack was linked to natural crocodile behaviour.

‘A crocodile protects its eggs for 30 days without leaving the nest. When the eggs finally hatch, the hunger it has endured makes it attack anything it finds in its way,’ Tumanya said on Thursday.

He added that the timing of the attack coincided with the crocodile’s natural hunting hours.

‘Crocodiles begin hunting between 5:00 pm and midnight. Namirimu was still in the water at 6:30 pm, a time when crocodiles move several miles along the shoreline searching for food. It found her directly in its path,’ he explained to Monitor on Thursday.

Tumanya advised lakeside communities to avoid the water during high-risk periods (5:00 pm to 12:00 am and 5:00 am to 11:00 am). He added that not all crocodiles pose a threat.

‘There are many crocodiles in the lake, but usually only two or three are hostile. Here in Kyankolokolo, many are harmless, but one became aggressive and attacked a girl. But that doesn’t mean we relax; preventive measures are still necessary,’ he explained.

UWA has installed over ten traps near the landing site to capture the deadly crocodile and relocate it to safer areas.

Local leaders say the lack of safe water points is forcing children to risk the lake. Abdallah Walinbwa, defense secretary of Kyankolokolo Village, said:

‘Even though our children live near the lake, if we had tap water, this girl would not have gone to the lake where the crocodile found her.’

‘Crocodiles are increasing in population at a time when we have many children on the landing site, yet we have no safe water point. Everyone is forced to depend on the lake, which is now dangerous,’ he told Monitor in an interview.

Repeated incidents

Johnson Thembo of the Uganda Wildlife Education Center previously said destruction of breeding grounds was pushing crocodiles toward ‘soft targets.’

Since last year, more than six people have been killed and at least eight crocodiles relocated in Kalangala, but residents say new crocodiles continue moving in.

For most leading strikers, success is measured in goals but for Blacks Power’s talismanic forward Innocent Maduka, influence extends far beyond the scoresheet.

With just one goal in 12 games this season, he trails Fufa Big League top scorers Jimmy Ndalambi (8 goals) and Walter Rubangakane (6).

But whenever Maduka is on the pitch, Blacks Power’s title hopes shine brighter.

He has provided five assists and contributed to three more of the 14 goals that have propelled the Lira side to the top of the table with 22 points and three clear of Kigezi Homeboyz and five ahead of Ntugasaze.

The 26-year-old Nigerian striker was born in Abia, Kaduna State and began his football journey at Hassan Academy before moving through Jimbaz Football Club, Jamba FC and Kaduna United in his native home.

He first arrived in Uganda in 2017 with Amuka Bright Stars, scoring eight goals and assisting five, though the club fell short of the playoffs.

A subsequent move to Bukedea Town Council in 2019 preceded the club’s rebranding to Blacks Power in 2020, where Maduka formed a potent attacking partnership with Michael Siu.

Together, the pair combined pace and creativity, terrorizing defenses and providing a spark that elevated the entire team.

Maduka joined Arua Hill to seek a new challenge for two seasons until mid-2023. But life in Arua proved tough as he managed only two goals in 35 appearances and struggled for consistent playing time.

Despite interest from several Uganda Premier League clubs, Maduka returned to Lira, choosing familiarity over uncertainty.

Last season, he netted five goals and assisted six but a poor finish hampered the team’s ambitions of a swift topflight return in the homestretch.

This season, injury slowed him initially, but he has returned in impressive form, directly contributing to five goals already.

Maduka’s bond with Blacks Power and the Lira community runs deep. ‘I’ve got a special connection with Blacks Power and the fans in Lira.

The fans here are passionate, and I’ve been able to grow with them. It feels like home,’ he says. Reflecting on his journey, he adds: ‘Moving to Arua Hill was a tough experience but it taught me patience and to trust my process.’

He highlights his partnership with Siu.

‘Playing with Michael is electric! We understand each other’s movement and strengths. I bring the pace, he brings the creativity. Together, we create magic on the pitch. It’s a partnership that’s worked well for the team and us.’

Coach Michael ‘Skills’ Lukyamuzi and his Blacks Power will hope that the partnership continues to prosper as they prepare to face Soltilo Bright Stars in Lira this weekend.

FUFA BIG LEAGUE

Weekend fixtures

Mbale Heroes vs. Nebbi Central – Mbale City Stadium

Catda vs. Bunyaruguru United – Bugolobi

Wakiso Giants vs. Ntugasaze – Nakivubo

Kataka vs. Kaaro Karungi – Mbale City Stadium

Paidha Black Angles vs. Kiyinda Boys – Zombo

Blacks Power vs. Soltilo Brightstars – Lira

Young Elephant Acad vs. Onduparaka – Nwoya