Category: Daily Monitor

When Nakagwa speaks about the darkest chapter of her life, her voice trembles, but her resolve remains firm.

‘I still cannot believe a father could do that to his own child,’ she says quietly, wiping tears as she recalls the years her daughter was sexually abused by the person meant to protect her, her biological father when she was 10 years old.

Her testimony, shared during a community meeting in Kijabijo, Wakiso District, on November 28, has become a rallying cry during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, an annual global campaign highlighting the urgent need to protect women and girls.

A house of secrets

Before the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, Paul Sserunjogi, then a resident of Kampala, began subjecting his young daughter to sexual abuse.

Ms Nakagwa said Sserunjogi routinely intoxicated the entire family ; his wife, the girl he abused, and other children to render them unconscious before committing the acts.

‘But on the first day, my daughter saw him and asked what he was doing between her legs,’ Nakagwa told the gathering.

‘He lied that he had come to cover her.’ The family lived in two cramped rooms, forcing the children to sleep in the sitting room.

Each time Sserunjogi sneaked in at night, he offered absurd excuses that he had come to pick up shoes or check on them.

He would also place saucers in such a way that when his wife woke up to look for him while he was in the act, the saucers would alert him by making noise.

But the signs were soon too glaring to ignore.

‘My daughter would ask me why she wakes up feeling tired, why her knickers are removed,’ Nakagwa recalls.

‘I had no answers.’ Three months later, the child began passing smelly pus from her private parts. Alarmed, her mother rushed her to the hospital, where doctors delivered a shattering verdict: the child had been repeatedly defiled by a mature man, leaving her private parts and uterus ruptured. When asked who was abusing her, the little girl said the unspeakable: ‘Daddy.’

Fear and first attempt at justice

The doctors urged Ms Nakagwa to report to the police, but she hesitated, weighed down by fear of her in-laws, the possible breakdown of her marriage, and community stigma.

Still, with encouragement from medical staff and a village defence officer who feared arresting the suspect, she sought help from a Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) officer at a nearby barracks.

The UPDF officer took swift action, arresting Sserunjogi and handing him over to Namugoona Police Station before he was transferred to Old Kampala.

Ms Nakagawa says medical examinations on both father and daughter confirmed the sexual abuse.

Sserunjogi was charged with aggravated defilement at Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court and remanded to Luzira Prison. But what followed was another injustice. For five years, his case remained unheard. Then, one day, a female village leader approached Ms Nakagwa with papers, pressuring her to sign for his release.

Sserunjogi walked free, without trial. Determined not to let her daughter’s suffering go unpunished, Ms Nakagwa contacted the Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD), a social justice organisation situated in Gayaza, Wakiso District.

With their support, authorities traced Sserunjogi in Wobulenzi, where he had reportedly vowed to burn the family home, and re-arrested him. This time, the justice system acted. After the trial, he was convicted of aggravated defilement and sentenced to 30 years in prison. The victim had hoped he would receive a life sentence. When asked in court why he defiled his own child, Sserunjogi claimed his wife had ‘stopped giving birth’.

Ms Nakagwa explains: ‘I could not continue having children with a man who never provided. Even when I gave birth to our last child, he did not pay any medical bills. He stole even the little money I kept at home.’

Lingering trauma

Years later, the effects of the abuse remain deeply etched in the young survivor’s body and mind. ‘Smelly pus still comes out of her private parts. She has persistent abdominal pains. She is withdrawn and hardly talks,’ her mother says.

The family’s troubles did not end with the conviction. Within their community, they have become a target of mockery. ‘People laugh at my daughter. Some mockingly ask her to prove that her father really slept with her,’ Ms Nakagwa says, her voice cracking with emotion.

The small two-room house where the abuse occurred continues to haunt her. She longs to move her children to a new environment, but cannot afford to.

Ms Noor Nakibuka Musisi, the deputy executive director of CEHURD, says the magnitude of violence in homes is alarming.

‘Most of the cases in our legal aid clinic are violence-related. By sharing these stories in community dialogues, we hope families will recognise the signs and speak out,’ she says.

Ms Musisi adds that CEHURD had to work with the police to protect Nakagwa after learning that Sserunjogi was threatening to burn down the home to revenge.

National efforts to end the vice

The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development reports progress in reducing GBV, with physical violence decreasing from 56 percent in 2016 to 44 percent in 2022, and sexual violence decreasing from 26 percent to 17 percent within the same period.

Domestic violence against men fell from 44 percent to 34 percent. The ministry said about 46,481 survivors have received help from the ministry’s 21 GBV shelters, yet, with more than 14,000 sex-related offences recorded in 2024, the fight is far from over.

The 16 Days of Activism against GBV, running from November 25 to December 10, continues to mobilise communities globally to end violence against women and girls.

In Uganda, stories like Ms Nakagwa’s are a testament to both the suffering endured and the resilience of survivors. For Ms Nakagwa, justice came but healing is still a long road. ‘I want my daughter to have peace,’ she says softly. ‘I pray that one day we can leave that house that brings bad memories, and start again.’

This year’s theme is ‘Unite to end violence against women and girls: Empower, consolidate and sustain the gains.’

What the law says

Section 116 of the Penal Code Act, 1950 states:

(1)”Any person who performs a sexual act with another person who is below the age of 18 years, commits a felony known as defilement and is liable, on conviction, to life imprisonment.

(2)Any person who attempts to perform a sexual act with another person who is below the age of 18 years commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 18 years.

(3)Any person who performs a sexual act with another person who is below the age of 18 years in any of the circumstances specified in subsection (4) commits a felony called aggravated defilement and is liable, on conviction by the High Court, to suffer death.

The circumstances referred to are as follow:

(a)where the person against whom the offence is committed is below the age of 14 years;

(b)where the offender is infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV);

(c)where the offender is a parent or guardian of or a person in authority over, the person against whom the offence is committed;

(d)where the victim of the offence is a person with a disability; or

(e)where the offender is a serial offender.

(c)where the offender is a parent or guardian of or a person in authority over, the person against whom the offence is committed;

(d)where the victim of the offence is a person with a disability; or

(e)where the offender is a serial offender.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) recognized the best products of agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) and ARB organizations (ARBOs) during the Agraryo Trade Fair (ATF) 2025.

In a statement, DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III praised the dedication and resilience of ARBs and ARBOs who continue to build thriving, competitive, and sustainable enterprises that contribute to national food security and rural development.

The Agraryo Trade Fair is a celebration of excellence, innovation, and the growing strength of agrarian reform communities nationwide. It provides a venue for business-minded farmers to showcase their processed agricultural products and by-products,

‘Your hard work strengthens our rural economy. I also thank our partners and organizers for making this celebration of agrarian productivity and creativity possible,’ Secretary Estrella said.

With the theme ‘Gawang ARBO, Tatak Agraryo,’ ATF 2025 showcased the ingenuity and diverse offerings of ARBOs from across the Philippines.

Undersecretary for Support Services Josef Angelo Martires led the closing ceremony at Gateway Mall 2 in Quezon City.

ATF 2025 Category Winners:

Coffee: Premium Arabica Ground Coffee CAR Region

Wine: Roselle Wine Region III

Health Drinks: Ginger Brew with Turmeric CALABARZON Region

Non-Food: Bariw Mat with Handle Region VI

Spreads and Sauces:

Artem Chili Vinegar CAR Region

Pineapple Jam with Watermelon Region XI

Snacks: Arrowroot Cookies MIMAROPA Region

Cacao: Cacao de Biao Region XI

The trade fair heightened market exposure for ARBO-made goods. It encouraged buyers, investors, and the public to support local agripreneurs while learning about DAR programs empowering farmers to become successful entrepreneurs.

Among the featured ARBOs was the Tublay Organic Farming Practitioners Agriculture Cooperative (TOFPA-COOP) from Caponga, Tublay, Benguet (Cordillera Administrative Region), whose Premium Arabica Coffee earned the top award in the Coffee category.

This year’s fair brought together over 1,000 products from 85 ARBOs representing regions nationwide-from the Cordillera to CARAGA, including the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

DAR reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ARBO enterprises through market expansion, investment support, and digital commerce initiatives to ensure continued livelihood improvement for Filipino farmers.

Police blocked Busoga One Radio’s annual music festival, ‘Endigito 2025,’ on Sunday, causing the station owner and National Unity Platform (NUP) parliamentary candidate Paul Mwiru to claim financial losses of over Shs400 million.

The concert, which runs district activations from February and was to culminate at Jinja Agricultural Show Grounds, had received multiple clearances, including from the Inspector General of Police and the District Police Commander.

Yet on the eve of the festival, the Jinja City Security Committee reversed the approvals, citing the possible attendance of NUP presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine.

‘We told them he is a presidential candidate with his own campaign schedule and we had no programme of him attending,’ Mwiru said.

He added that artists such as King Saha, Mathias Walukaga, Easy B, and Atwooki Richie were unfairly labelled as potentially politicizing the event.

On December 4, the committee, chaired by Richard Gulume Balyaino, informed organisers that the festival would not proceed, arguing there was ‘no guarantee’ that Kyagulanyi would not appear and citing security risks during the political season.

The blockade followed a directive from Internal Affairs Minister Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire on December 5, ordering the IGP to allow the concert.

‘The event should be allowed to take place. Even during this political period, political statements are not banned. Space must be given for political expression,’ Otafiire wrote.

Despite this, police on December 6 dispersed vendors and service providers assembling at the venue, insisting they ‘take orders from the Security Committee, not the minister.’

Speaking to journalists in the city on Sunday, Mwiru said the cancellation inflicted massive economic losses. ‘We booked and paid for the venue, paid 38 musicians, and cleared other service providers. Women and youth groups bought perishables expecting to sell at the event, and now everything is rotting,’ he noted.

‘We were expecting Shs1 billion from the concert, but now all I can do is count the losses,’ he lamented.

Twaha Isabirye, a resident of Bwonda Landing Site in Mayuge District, had travelled from early morning to attend the festival.

‘I travelled at 4am, but now I feel terrible that the event has been banned,’ he said, while Joram Kyomya from Kayunga District arrived unaware of the cancellation.

‘No one informed us. I was shocked when I reached the showground and found everything closed. It is very disappointing.’

Mwiru accused security agencies of targeting the station because of its opposition affiliation.

‘This is an attack on Busoga’s business community, on women and youth who rely on such events for income,’ he said.

Legal action is planned, with the station seeking damages under Article 26 of the Constitution.

‘We have already tallied Shs400 million, but the accountant is still reviewing records. We expect to seek both specific and general damages,’ Mwiru added.

Despite the setback, he vowed to continue operations. ‘Busoga One Radio is here to stay. We will not compromise our standards to appease anyone. I separate politics from business, and I am not about to surrender,’ he said.

Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 21-year-old carpenter to 18 months in prison for defiling a senior three student.

The Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi handed the sentence to Emmanuel Waswa after he pleaded guilty to one count of defilement contrary to Section 116(1) of the Penal Code Act, Cap 128.

The prosecution led by Ms Grace Amy told court that on August 7, 2025 at around 5am, the girl (name withheld) met ‘her ex-boyfriend Waswa on her way to school.’

Waswa reportedly convinced her to first go with him to Kisaasi where he lived.

On the way, he offered the girl a soda. After drinking it, she reportedly felt dizzy and Waswa took her to a lodge where he had sexual intercourse with her.

The following day, the girl’s father reported the matter to Kira Police after he got information that she had been defiled. A medical examination confirmed the student had a fresh tear while Wasswa was assessed and found to be of sound mind.

‘The convict is a first-time offender; however, these types of offences are rampant. The victim is a student. We pray for a deterrent punishment,’ Ms Amy told court during mitigation.

In response, Waswa’s lawyer, Mr Christopher Ochom, asked the court to consider his client’s age and remorse.

‘It is true he is a first-time offender. He is at a border age between a child and an adult, being 18 at the time. He has been remorseful and pleaded guilty without wasting the court’s time,’ Mr Ochom submitted.

He added that at the time of his arrest, Waswa was a student of carpentry, and asked the court to exercise leniency.

Drama unfolded when the magistrate asked Waswa what he had put in the complainant’s soda that could have caused the dizziness, noting that such an act would be an aggravating factor.

‘.please speak the truth. I did not put anything in your soda, and you know it,’ Waswa said, directly addressing the complainant who was also in court. She maintained that she drank the soda and then got dizzy.

After a brief engagement with defence counsel, court heard that the two had actually bought the soda together.

‘The convict is sentenced to 18 months in prison, deducting the period of two months and 20 days spent on remand. You have the right to appeal,’ Mr Kayizzi ruled.

Meanwhile, the court granted Waswa’s co-accused, Benjamin Niyonsaba, 18, a cash bail of Shs1 million.

Niyonsaba is also accused of defiling the same girl. He denied the charge and is awaiting trial.

On a quiet line in the Bank of Uganda’s balance-of-payments data, a decade-long drama plays out: how external partners financed Uganda through loans and grants, and how that support swelled, steadied, surged, and then wobbled.

In the 2014/15 financial year, donor flows stood at $678.6m. It was a modest base, reflecting a time when several large infrastructure and social-sector projects were still in preparation and disbursements were thin.

The following year, however, changed the tone dramatically. Bank of Uganda data show inflows surging to $1.3b in 2015/16, a near-doubling in a single year, up 92.9 percent.

The leap was driven by a structural shift in the pipeline: major loan and grant programmes negotiated earlier moved into active implementation, unlocking sizeable first-round disbursements and pushing Uganda into a new, higher bracket of external support. In practical terms, it was a reset, not a blip.

The 2016/17 financial year brought a slight pause. Inflows dipped to $1.25m, a 3.9 percent reduction. This mild retreat fits the normal rhythm of project finance. After a surge year, flows often soften as programmes move through procurement, contracting, and milestone-based approvals before the next drawdowns.

From 2017/18 through 2019/20, the line resumed a calm ascent. Inflows rose from $1.48b to $1.63b and then to $1.74b. Each year added more than the last, though percentage gains eased from 18 percent to 10.3 percent and then 6.3 percent.

Beneath the smooth ascent was routine implementation: more projects maturing, more regular releases, but a slower growth rate because the portfolio was expanding steadily rather than being lifted by new mega-approvals.

Every long story has a hinge moment, and for donor flows, the hinge was 2020/21. In that year, inflows vaulted to $2.35b, the highest point Bank of Uganda captures in its data, a 35.5 percent surge.

But the peak did not last. In 2021/22, Bank of Uganda shows a pullback to $1.93b, down by 18.2 percent. The driver was post-emergency normalization. As urgent Covid-19 facilities tapered and crisis programmes wound down, inflows corrected toward a more regular level.

Even so, support remained above late-2010s volumes, signalling moderation rather than withdrawal.

By 2022/23, inflows were rising again, reaching $2.14b, an 11.3 percent increase.

Part of this rebound reflects catch-up disbursement: pandemic-era disruptions had delayed procurement and project execution, and as constraints eased, releases accelerated. The donor portfolio remained large; some of the money simply arrived later than planned.

Then the ground shifted sharply in 2023/24, delivering the most dramatic reversal of the decade.

Bank of Uganda data show donor inflows plunged to $1.17b, a 45.4 percent reduction. Nearly half the inflows disappeared in one year, leaving the level about 50.2 percent below the 2020/21 peak.

The fall coincided with a donor-confidence shock. In 2023, the World Bank, one of Uganda’s largest sources of project loans and grants, paused new funding after the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, citing concern that its programmes could not proceed under the new legal environment.

A pause of that scale slowed approvals and dampened disbursements across a portfolio where the World Bank is a key anchor financier.

The decline also unfolded inside a tightening global aid climate in which many donors were re-prioritising budgets amid multiple international crises, making resources scarcer and more conditional.

For Uganda, which depends on a relatively small set of major partners, that global squeeze amplified the impact of the policy-driven pause.

Yet just as the decade ended on a low note, the latest Bank of Uganda reading shows a cautious lift.

During the 12 months ended June 2025, inflows rose to $1.4b, a 19.5 percent increase from $1.17b.

The recovery aligns with the reopening of key multilateral windows: by mid-2025, the World Bank had lifted its freeze and resumed new financing after agreeing on mitigation measures.

Still, the rebound is modest rather than explosive, reflecting a world of tighter donor envelopes, higher scrutiny over governance and rights issues, and tougher competition for concessional finance.

Taken together, Bank of Uganda’s data shows a decade that more than doubled from its starting point.

The June 2025 uptick presents hope amid a funding squeeze that has forced government to borrow hugely to close widening financing gaps.

The recovery could now set the stage for the next chapter in Uganda’s donor-finance story.

The Acholi Cultural Institution (Ker Kwaro Acholi) has called on candidates and their supporters to exercise restraint and avoid violence as the country heads toward the 2026 General Election.

The institution warned that violent elections could destroy the nation many Ugandans call home. Mr Okello Okuna, the minister of information at Ker Kwaro Acholi, said while political parties may have different ideologies, disagreements should remain ideological, not violent.

He cautioned security agencies against using excessive force, saying political violence casts the country in bad light.

‘I went to the barracks and told a gentleman in uniform that if Kyagulanyi comes here on Saturday, we do not want a single drop of blood spilled. We have lost too many people already. When we talk about war, we understand it better than anybody in Uganda,’ Mr Okuna said.

Mr Okuna made the remarks during a visit by the Democratic Front party president, Mr Mathias Mpuuga to the Paramount Chief’s palace at Wii Got, on the outskirts of Gulu City. He said the Paramount Chief, Rwot David Onen Acana II, has consistently called for a peaceful 2026 General Election, which he said is the country’s greatest need at the moment.

Mr Mpuuga said his party fully supports the call for peaceful elections. Although he is not contesting for the presidency, he has been travelling across the country advocating for peaceful participation in the elections.

He added that his campaign for peace will take him to northern Uganda, West Nile, and the Teso sub-regions.

Mr Mpuuga pledged that his party is committed to providing solutions to the country’s many challenges.

‘The country’s problems are widespread and require a multi-faceted approach, including a national dialogue,’ he said.

Mr Martin Okumu, the deputy prime minister of Ker Kwaro Acholi, cautioned politicians against sowing seeds of division among their supporters.

‘As the Acholi Cultural Institution, we want politics that embraces everyone, politics that unites the country for a common goal, even if we belong to different political parties,’ he said.

To help enhance public awareness on the importance of lung care, President Ferdinand Marcos has declared the third Wednesday of each June as ‘National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Day.’

Under Proclamation No. 1104, the Chief Executive directed the Department of Health (DOH) to lead in the observance and celebration of the said event.

It will coordinate with other non-governmental organizations such as the Philippine College of Chest Physicians, private sector, and local government agencies in the said endeavor, which aims to raise awareness on pulmonary rehabilitation.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a comprehensive intervention, which aims to improve the quality of life of patients with chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs).

The new issuance also reinforces the government’s campaign against smoking and vaping advocacy, which causes CRDs.

‘The DOH emphasizes the need to raise public knowledge and appreciation of pulmonary rehabilitation as a well-established and effective standard of care for CRDs, particularly those linked to smoking and vaping, to promote prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation efforts, and to reinforce the government’s anti-smoking and anti-vaping advocacy given the direct link between smoking and CRDs,’ the two-page Proclamation 1104 read.

Based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), chronic lower respiratory diseases was the seventh leading cause of death in the country from January to August 2024. Over 10,700 people died from the disease during the said period.

The Presidential Communications Offices (PCO) was tasked to help in the information dissemination related to the National Pulmonary Rehabilitation Day.

The new celebration will be held during the commemoration of ‘No Smoking Month,’ which is also held every June under Proclamation No. 183, series of 1993.

Marcos issued Proclamation 1104 last Thursday through Acting Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto.

THE House of Representatives has taken a major step toward strengthening the Marcos administration’s anti-corruption efforts with the committee-level approval of a long-overdue bill easing restrictions under the bank secrecy law.

Deputy Majority Leader Luigi Villafuerte said the House Committee on Banks and Financial Intermediaries has approved a consolidated measure amending Republic Act 1405, or the Secrecy of Bank Deposits Law, to grant the Bangko Sentral (BSP) authority to examine bank accounts of individuals or corporations when there is reasonable ground to believe they are involved in fraud, serious irregularities, or unlawful activities.

The bill-passed by the panel chaired by Manila Rep. Irwin Tieng-also seeks to relax the 70-year-old provision that bars bank officials from disclosing account details without the depositor’s consent, except in cases of impeachment or court orders in graft-related litigation.

The approved measure consolidates eight proposed amendments to RA 1405, including House Bill (HB) 1786, authored by Villafuerte along with Camarines Sur Reps. Migz Villafuerte and Tsuyoshi Anthony Horibata, and Bicol Saro Rep. Terry Ridon.

Villafuerte noted that a similar House-approved bill stalled in the Senate in the previous Congress owing to the absence of a counterpart measure.

He stressed that the proposal is among the 44 priority bills under the Common Legislative Agenda (CLA) endorsed by President Marcos and the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) during its meeting at Malacañang on September 30.

‘The congressional approval of this proposed amendment to RA 1405 is timely, given that it is among the priority bills of the Marcos administration in the 20th Congress and is in step with Malacañang’s efforts to double down on its anti-graft drive,’ Luigi Villafuerte said.

‘Lifting the secrecy of bank deposits will certainly complement the government’s drive for greater transparency with the recent decision by Ombudsman [Jesus Crispin] Remulla to restore public access to the SALNs [Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth] of both appointed and elected public officials,’ he added.

He said that the measure also responds to the call of business groups-such as the Organizationof Financial Executives (Finex), Makati Business Club, and the Management Association of the Philippines-for stronger transparency and accountability mechanisms to curb corruption.

‘The approval of this bill further addresses the push by business groups for the government to strengthen transparency and accountability in government as a better means to combat official corruption,’ Luigi added.

Meanwhile, Migz Villafuerte said HB 1786 seeks to exempt the BSP from bank secrecy restrictions when exercising its supervisory powers, allowing it to examine accounts when there is reasonable ground to suspect fraud or unlawful activity.

Migz, who chairs the House committee on information and communications technology (ICT), said that with the advancement of technology, financial transactions have become easier, faster, more efficient, and more accessible through mobile banking, agent banking, and fintech platforms.

He said that, ‘There are even banks that allow online deposits of their checks, which means that depositing money in bank accounts can now be accessible with just a few clicks of the mobile phones of depositors, making money flow in the economy faster as well.’

Lawmakers said that there are individuals or corporations that use RA 1405 to their advantage, being aware that even if they deposit bank checks fraudulently, they are protected by this law on bank secrecy, especially its specific provision barring banks from examining deposits without the consent of their depositors.

They added that HB 1786 upholds the provision of RA 1405 that all deposits are considered as of an absolutely confidential nature and may not be examined, except upon written permission of the depositor, or in cases of impeachment, or upon order of a competent court in cases of bribery or dereliction of duty of public officials, or in cases where the money deposited is the subject matter of the litigation.

However, HB 1786 amends this provision by stating that the ban can be lifted upon the Monetary Board’s determination that ‘there is a reasonable ground to believe that fraud, serious irregularity, or unlawful activity has been or is being committed by the above mentioned persons and that it is necessary to look into the deposit to establish such fraud, serious irregularity, or unlawful activity.’

This bill provides, too, that this proposed new authority of the BSP to examine deposits ‘shall also apply in the course of its investigation of closed banks as used in this Act; deposits shall refer to money or its equivalent received by a bank in the useful course of business and for which it has given or is obliged to give credit to a commercial, checking, savings, time, or thrift account .’

HB 1786 states that the results of the inquiry or bank examination shall be for the ‘exclusive use’ of the BSP and ‘shall not be made available to any person or entity, whether public or private, except to the Securities and Exchange Commission [SEC], Anti-Money Laundering Council [AMLC], Department of Justice [DOJ], and the courts.’

The sharing of information on deposits with the SEC, AMLC, DOJ, and the courts is premised in the bill on the necessity of examining such bank accounts to prevent or prosecute any offense or crime.

There was so much praise and debate around the ongoing presidential campaigns in the early days as everything went on in a serene manner. The tranquillity was there for all to see as candidates traversed the country peacefully.

Some even argued that it was boring because of the history we all know of past campaigns. Ugandans have witnessed campaign beatings. Realists expect that every election cycle has been marked by violence. Most of the blame is often on the state apparatus.

While the Opposition players have been blamed by state institutions, the images and videos that we all see are of the police and the army brutalising citizens.

The serenity of September has given way to a cloud of tear gas and beatings of citizens, especially at campaign events organised by Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, the National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate. It has happened in Kawempe Division (Kampala), Kayunga, Buikwe, Mukono, Wakiso and Luweero. A one Meshach Okello was killed in Iganga.

Several more have been arrested over the course of the campaign. Saturday’s events in the northern Uganda district of Gulu have touched a new peak as a group of people waylaid Mr Kyagulanyi”s team. What followed was bloodshed that saw many injured.

NTV Uganda, a subsidiary of Nation Media Group Uganda, broadcast videos of soldiers beating people. Most of those who were battered surrounded Mr Kyagulanyi to prevent him from being assaulted. The crime that NUP has been accused of is holding processions that are banned by the Electoral Commission.

These beatings, however, benefit no one. The Ugandan authorities should immediately end all forms of harassment and intimidation of journalists, Opposition supporters, and leaders. Instead, the authorities should protect rights, including freedom of movement, and ensure respect for the rule of law. If any laws have been broken by Mr Kyagulanyi, the EC should take charge and not let sticks held by the police and the army run the show.

Ugandan security forces should abide by the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which require law enforcement officials to apply non-violent means and to use force only when strictly unavoidable to protect life.

The principles also require governments to ensure arbitrary or abusive use of force and firearms by its officials is punished as a criminal offence under national law.

Uganda is gradually recovering from decades of political unrest and internal conflict. In 1995, the country promulgated a new constitution as a foundation for constitutional governance.

Political violence and conflict in the country’s history are not necessarily limited to elections. Much of Uganda’s post-independence history did not feature any elections.

From 1962 to 1980 there were no elections but conflicts and violence were still prevalent. We must all take a step back and respect the law to stop electoral violence.

Uganda is heading into the 2026/27 budget with a widening gap between what the country needs and what government can comfortably raise.

Over time, public spending demands have piled up. From the Kampala-Jinja Expressway to the standard gauge railway, and an exploding youthful population, the list of needs is endless.

Domestic revenue has been rising, but more slowly than the needs. For years, borrowing bridged that gap. But Finance Minister Matia Kasaija says the debt environment has shifted sharply.

On the domestic market, interest rates on government debt are high, with every bond auction pitting government against investors seeking high returns. The result is elevated yields, a rising debt-service bill, and growing pressure on the budget.

Abroad, the story is equally tight. Global interest rates remain elevated, risk appetite is more cautious, and lenders demand stronger guarantees, clearer project pipelines, and stricter repayment terms.

Concessional finance is limited, while commercial loans are costlier and carry heavier foreign-exchange risk. In short, the space to borrow has narrowed, amid rising financing needs.

Thus, government is rolling out measures: Innovative Financing Solutions for the 2026/27 financial year. In the National Budget Strategy, Kasaija describes innovative finance as a diversified toolbox that mobilises additional resources and improves efficiency of financial flows beyond loans and grants.

The Ministry of Finance is speeding up implementation of the Public Investment Financing Strategy to tap non-traditional channels, deepen domestic markets, and secure financing that is affordable and sustainable.

Islamic finance is one of the clearest alternatives being pursued. Government plans to issue a Sukuk bond, an instrument based on shared returns rather than interest alone, to co-finance large projects.

Kasaija says a Request for Proposal has already been issued to banks and non-bank institutions, due diligence completed, and a lead Sukuk structuring advisor is being procured to open a fresh investor pool when standard borrowing is pricey.

Government is also widening local participation in its securities market through the Okusevinga Mobile Money Investment Platform, where small retail investors will buy government securities directly on their phones.

Airtel has already integrated and tested the system, while Kasaija says MTN is being onboarded.

On the external side, the Ministry is preparing a Panda bond in the Chinese market, which Kasaija says, a roadshow in China has already identified potential investors, with discussions ongoing to secure guarantees from the African Development Bank, World Bank, Afreximbank, and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, to lower the risk premium investors charge.

Government is also exploring green bonds, and Kasaija says the Ministry has completed the terms of reference for a National Green Bond Framework and is procuring a consultant to finalise and operationalise it.

The framework will build a credible pipeline of eligible projects and connect Uganda to climate-aligned capital that is often cheaper and longer-term than commercial debt.

Diaspora financing is also being pursued in parallel. Government is developing a National Diaspora Policy led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to build a robust diaspora database and automate account opening for banking and Central Securities Depository investment accounts.

Kasaija says that diaspora bonds can convert steady remittance flows and patriotic savings into structured development capital, creating a more stable funding source that is less sensitive to global market moods.

Infrastructure bonds, supported by an existing framework, are also planned, starting with PPP financing for the Kampala-Jinja Expressway.

These are designed to mobilise long-term funds and reduce refinancing risk by aligning repayment with project life rather than repeated short-term rollovers.

Kasaija places these innovations inside a wider financing posture, where government will reprioritise spending toward high-impact investments, strengthen domestic revenue mobilisation, and attract more foreign direct investment.

Widening private sector lending

Development finance institutions such as Uganda Development Bank and Uganda Development Corporation will be capitalised to crowd in private capital, while domestic markets are deepened and maturities lengthened to reduce rollover pressure.

The strategy also stresses better absorption of existing loans and grants by prioritising counterpart funding for land acquisition and compensation, streamlining procurement, and shortening approvals so that projects start on time.

Medium-term reforms in pensions, insurance, and capital markets are expected to unlock larger pools of long-term domestic savings, easing dependence on costly debt.

Taken together, the 2026/27 Innovative Financing Solutions agenda is a plain response to a tight debt market characterised by high interest rates.

Funding needs are surging, revenue growth is slower, and borrowing, whether home or abroad, now carries higher costs and risks.