Category: Daily Monitor

The LC3 chairperson of Labori Sub-county in Serere District has been arrested over allegations of stealing livestock and poultry donated during a church fundraising, police said on Friday.

Haruna Onai was detained after Christians at St Michael Atirangoto Catholic Church reported the disappearance of items he allegedly took during a fundraising drive meant to support the completion of the church structure.

The complaint, filed at Aarapo Police Post under reference number 05/20/11/2025, was lodged by John Engwau, a church member who accused the LC3 chairperson of walking away with a bull valued at Shs1.7 million, a cow worth Shs1 million, two hens and a turkey valued at Shs200,000.

A police officer who asked not to be named said Onai was first arrested at the sub-county before being transferred to Serere Central Police Station, where he is still being held as investigations continue.

‘Trouble, allegedly started when the LC3 started becoming elusive to the church fundraising committee as they waited for the payment of the promised cash from the LC3 chairperson who was chief guest at the function,’ the officer said.

John Rutaagira, the DPC at Serere Central Police Station, confirmed the arrest but referred further inquiries to the South Kyoga regional police spokesperson.

SP Stephen Mukombe, the regional spokesperson, said: ‘the LC3 chairperson was arrested over alleged theft of church property,’ adding that investigations were underway.

Church leaders and local officials say the items were taken during a fundraising held on October 24, 2025.

Gideon Agili, the defence secretary of Mugarama B Village LC1, said the suspect took the livestock ‘with a promise that he would deliver the money for the completion of the church house.’

‘I will not say that he stole, he took the items during fundraising, with a promise that he would deliver the money, the bull was valued at Shs1.7 million, cow Shs1 million, the hens and turkey at shs200,000,’ Agili told Monitor.

He added that the church project needs about Shs50 million for roofing.

Christians reportedly recovered only one bull, while the cow, hens and turkey remain missing.

Monitor has learnt from authorities that Onai is separately accused of stealing a sub-county generator, a case reported at the same Aarapo Police Post under reference number 03/31/01/2024 by sub-county chief Zainab Apilo.

But a close associate of the suspect, Samson Okello, said Onai took the items on behalf of an unnamed MP candidate for Pigiere County.

He said the politician has since ‘seemingly disowned’ the LC3 chairperson.

Health officials have warned that rising vaccine hesitancy among adults is threatening to erode hard-won immunisation gains in the Greater Mubende region, just as a major $1.4 million project enters its final month.

Dr Michael Baganizi, who heads the Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunisation (UNEPI), said organised religious groups discouraging communities from seeking government services remain a major barrier to disease prevention.

‘Some districts have groups that stay there, especially religious ones that teach against government services, like education, like health, including immunisation. One of the examples is one called Triple Six, which is spread in some parts and encounters with misinformation which is keeping these areas infested with multiple diseases and outbreaks,’ he said.

Dr Baganizi cautioned that unless hesitancy is tackled directly, the region risks reversing progress made under the Saving Lives and Livelihoods (SLL) project, which has supported immunisation outreach for the past two years.

The Greater Mubende region, covering Mubende, Kyankwanzi, Mityana, Luweero, Nakaseke, Kiboga, Kassanda and Nakasongola, continues to register some of the lowest vaccination levels in the country, according to a 2024 Ministry of Health survey.

During the close-out of the project’s second phase on December 5 in Kampala, SLL project manager Edward Tibawala said the intervention strengthened district response systems and revived adult vaccination in an area where uptake had previously been ‘almost nonexistent.’

‘Before this project came, there were very few numbers. In fact, the numbers were only among the women receiving the tetanus vaccination. But as I talk now, we have vaccinated over 69,000 and above individuals or adults, something that had not been the case,’ he said.

He added that recent measles outbreaks in Mubende and Kassanda were swiftly contained. ‘They were prevented and did not spread to other neighbouring districts,’ he said.

Funded by the Mastercard Foundation through the Africa CDC and Amref Health Africa, the project has trained more than 1,200 health workers in the life-course approach to immunisation.

Amref Health Africa’s country director, Dr Patrick Kagurusi, praised the coordination that enabled smooth implementation, noting strong uptake across targeted groups.

‘The SLL project has seen around 642,020 people reached with PHC service, 580,076 vaccines administered to both children under-fives and those above nine years,’ he said, adding that combining immunisation with broader outreach ‘illustrated the value’ of integrated primary healthcare.

Uganda Red Cross Society’s Director of Health Services, Ms Josephine Okwera, said community engagement had helped counter misinformation about both COVID-19 and routine childhood vaccines.

‘It does not only stop with the COVID vaccines. Even the regular, childhood vaccines, a pocket of people have myths and misconceptions,’ she said, stressing the importance of household visits to explain ‘what vaccines are, why we get vaccinated, and what happens after vaccination.’

The Uganda national football team, the Uganda Cranes, have, in recent years, transitioned from continental outsiders to consistent contenders.

This resurgence marked by crucial qualifications and improved performances in major tournaments is not merely a stroke of luck or the talent of a few players.

It is a direct reflection of the structured, long-term vision and commitment to professionalization by the Fufa.

While the players and technical staff are rightly celebrated for their efforts on the pitch, it is Fufa’s administrative and strategic work behind the scenes that has laid the foundation for this commendable shift, making a strong case for the federation to be appreciated.

Perhaps the most significant and visible achievement of this era was the qualification for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), ending a painful 39-year wait.

The follow-up qualification for Afcon 2019, where the Cranes even secured their first tournament win in 41 years and reached the Round of 16, solidified this progress. Most recently, the qualification for Afcon 2025 is a testament to the sustainability of the structures put in place.

These back-to-back appearances are not accidents. They are products of Fufa’s commitment.

The federation has secured ttable and professional technical leadership. This is providing consistent, professional coaching staff for the national team, which fosters a long-term football philosophy. (Although there are changes, the overall quality and goal remain high).

There has been an improvement in logistics and welfare thereby ensuring the national team players, including those based abroad, are well-cared for in terms of travel, accommodation, and allowances, allowing them to focus solely on performance.

True football progress is measured by the strength of the development pipeline, and here, Fufa’s hand is clearest. The federation has prioritized youth football, which is now paying dividends.

The Uganda U-17 national team – Cubs – achieved a monumental feat by becoming the first Ugandan football team ever to qualify for a Fifa World Cup.

This is a direct result of investing in age-grade teams and competitive participation in zonal qualifiers.

Fufa has also significantly boosted women’s football, with the national teams-the Crested Cranes and the Queen Cranes (U-20)-showing notable progress in continental and World Cup qualifiers, further broadening the base of Ugandan football talent.

The strength of the national team is intrinsically linked to the health of the domestic league. Fufa has worked to enhance the visibility, governance, and financial stability of the local game.

Through initiatives like the Fufa Drum (a regional cup) and the Fufa Super 8 tournament, the federation has created more competitive playing time and exposure for local players, which is vital for the national team’s feeder system.

Fufa has successfully attracted major corporate partnerships, such as the multi-billion shilling deal with MTN, which injects necessary funds not just into the Cranes but also into the federation’s other properties, ensuring financial stability.

The implementation of a structured governance framework and initiatives to combat match manipulation ensures a more transparent and trustworthy football environment, fostering confidence among all stakeholders.

The current performance of the Uganda Cranes and other national teams is the fruit of years of deliberate, strategic, and often difficult work by Fufa.

From ending the Afcon drought to achieving a historic World Cup qualification at the youth level, the federation has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to elevating Ugandan football.

The journey to becoming a consistent continental powerhouse is ongoing, but the foundation built by Fufa deserves not just recognition, but sincere appreciation.

A televised debate between a group of men (no woman, to be sure) bidding to be Uganda’s next chief executive o fficer? Good idea in the spirit of democratic practice. There was one last weekend, broadcast live on NTV-Uganda.

To what end, though, one must ask? I shall return to this later. Credit to the organisers; they deserve to be saluted for holding out faith in our quest for a democratic process of choosing the nation’s most important office holder – President of the Republic.

We last had a televised presidential debate, in fact the very first, in 2015 – ten years ago. It was attended by all candidates. There was none for the 2021 cycle.

This time, the main man, our ruler-for-life who has had a clasp on power for 40 years, the Ssabalwanyi (Chief Fighter) and General of the people’s revolution, Mr Yoweri Museveni, did not participate. Ostensibly due to scheduling conflict.

In 2015, Mr Museveni grudgingly took part in the debate, but only after imposing a set of demands and conditions on the organisers, including not fielding questions from the late Dr Shaka Ssali, one of the debate moderators. All said, Mr Museveni has little regard, if any, for his political challengers.

He does not believe they are worthy opponents and credible contenders for the nation’s top job. Thus, he cannot debate them, at least not in a presidential debate style. He would easily get irritated if Robert Kyagulanyi or Mugisha Muntu put him to task, on live television, to answer some tough questions about his record as president.

Instead of a structured debate, with quick questions and answers, back-and-forth arguments that can get feisty, Mr Museveni’s prefers a monologue setting where he delivers a winding lecture to a passive audience. No fact-checking, pushback or counterarguments.

As President, he believes he occupies a chiefly and divinely status, placing him above reproach, which in effect means he sees it as unacceptable being subject to rigorous and sustained questioning on live television. It is in that same spirit he views campaigns and election outcomes.

As I previously argued here, the five-year election cycle is an irritating ritual Mr Museveni entertains because it is the only way to lay claim to the international de rigueur of democracy.

But he keeps up with the irritation on condition that his opponents do not have the same freedom and resources necessary for a fair contest. He cannot countenance a levelled ground for free competition.

Much of what happens in the campaign environment and overall electoral landscape proceeds on his terms, which includes unilaterally appointing leadership of the body in charge of the election.

A televised debate, by contrast, would not be under his total control, even if he imposed terms and conditions as happened in 2015. It is territory he rather steers clear of.

There is a high possibility of coming off bruised, especially with sharp-edged moderators and opponents with the depth to chip away at the chinks in Mr Museveni’s armour.

In the broader scheme of things, then, is there value to a televised presidential debate in Uganda? Yes, theoretically.

Since a great deal of what we engage in is copy and paste from practices of Western liberal democracy, holding a televised debate tracks with the rest of the systems and processes we embraced.

In functioning democracies, not just in the West, televised debates can make or break candidates. Not in Uganda.

The essence of a debate is for different candidates to articulate competing visions and outline contrasting policies, thereby giving voters a menu of alternatives.

In countries with sharp partisan divides among, say, two major political parties as in Ghana, UK, and US, often there is a small but not insignificant portion of independent/undecided voters that needs to be persuaded by either side.

A televised debate is one way candidate can sway those voters. We do not have anything like that in Uganda today.

Our presidential elections are not decided on which candidate can succeed in persuading undecided voters or motivate those who would have stayed away to instead turn up at the polls.

In parts of rural Uganda, to get out people on polling day requires a patronage machinery for distributing basic consumables and outright money bribery.

At the polling station, the rigging machinery that delivers ballot staffing and misreporting of voter-tallies picks the baton from where the machinery of handing out soap, salt, sugar and money would have left off. To say this is not to be cynical, rather it is to be realistic: the real televised debate Uganda needs is how to redirect the current course and reimagine the future of the country.

In the past weeks of campaigning, the main Opposition challenger, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, has been in running battles with security forces, getting teargassed and his supporters shot at.

Utterly pathetic scenes. It is dangerously disingenuous, at best foolhardy, to pretend that there is an ongoing contest for the nation’s presidency, which will be decided at the polls on January 15.

In the early hours of November 26, buses marked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) logo left the Nakivale Refugee Settlement. Their destination? Burundi.

On board were 133 individuals who had sought refuge in Uganda but decided to return home through the voluntary repatriation process. Among them was 70-year-old Robert Mikaasi, who fled Burundi following speculations of an imminent war, and ended up in Uganda in September, after two years in Tanzania and Kenya. For him, there is no place like home.

‘I am alone here. I have a family in Burundi. They are waiting for me. My land and house are waiting for me,’ he said.

But for Ms Beatrice Ngabire, who has lived in Uganda for nine years, returning to her homeland is the last resort due to the growing challenges.

‘I have a small piece of land back at home where I will do some farming, or maybe some simple business. I am optimistic about returning home. Life here is impossible.’

oluntary repatriation is a global option for dealing with the refugee crisis. International law and protocols provide that refugees may return to their countries of origin only if willing.

According to the UNHCR handbook, this should be done in circumstances that guarantee the safety and welfare of the individuals. The government of Uganda (GoU) and partners, including UNHCR, started implementing this in 2022 with Burundian nationals in the Nakivale Refugee Settlement. This has since been extended to other nationalities, including Sudanese.

Mr Patrick Okello, the commissioner for refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), explained that voluntary repatriation applies to nationals from countries with relative peace.

‘Voluntary repatriation is part of the durable solutions for Refugees. It’s informed by relative peace in the country of origin, coupled with return in safety and dignity,’ Mr Okello said.

Mr Frank Walusimbi, the associate communications officer at UNHCR, said: ‘Voluntary, informed, and safe returns respect the fundamental right of refugees to return to their country of origin while ensuring that no one is forced back, in line with the principle of non-refoulement…ultimately, promoting voluntary repatriation when refugees make a well-informed decision to return and when conditions align with international law, safeguards refugee rights, and offers a sustainable solution to displacement.’

Statistics from the two entities show that between 14,000 and 15,0,00 Burundians and 2,000 Sudanese have been repatriated. Returnees are provided a return package, including a cash grant for every individual, a family health insurance card, a three-month food ration, and each household is given a mobile phone and SIM.

A survey conducted early this year by the refugee agency found that Burundian refugees mention family reunification, access to education, and access to livelihood opportunities as the main reasons for those opting to return.

For those unsure of return, political insecurity, access to land, and fear of renewed conflict were cited as reasons. Authorities maintain they cannot force any forcibly displaced individual to go back, even when the reasons for the fleeing have been addressed. In Nakivale Refugee Settlement, messages calling for those who would like to return home are littered across the settlement. This year alone, seven convoys have departed the settlement, ferrying returnees to Burundi.

Nakivale is the oldest and most populous refugee settlement in Uganda, located in the south-western district of Isingiro, more than 250 kilometres from the capital, Kampala. It covers 72 square miles with 275,231 refugees as of November.

The majority are Congolese, fleeing insecurity, followed by Burundians and Rwandans. Other nationalities are Somalis, Ethiopians, and Eritreans. The numbers here swelled in April following the outbreak of violent fighting in eastern DRC. More than 20,000 people entered the Settlement in April alone.

Difficult times

While repatriation is voluntary, with refugees registering at will and free to change their minds at any point, deeper interrogation indicates underlying factors, leaving refugees with limited choices. Ms Ngabire, who fled Burundi due to insecurity in 2016, and was separated from her husband, with whom she has never reconnected, says she can no longer make ends meet.

‘I have decided to go back because life has become hard. I was removed from cash and food assistance. The children have dropped out of school, and I can hardly find food. Before we were getting cash, but when it was scrapped, life became nearly impossible,’ the head of a family of six, including grandchildren, said.

Ms Ngabire’s story mirrors that of several refugees living in the settlement, as life-sustaining assistance shrinks due to significant and then drastic falls in funding to the refugee response.

‘When we arrived, we received 15 kilogrammes of food per person. This was reduced to 12 kilogrammes, then to eight, six, then to three, and now I get nothing. We are given small portions of land, we cannot grow our own food,’ Christopher Munezero, who fled the DRC in 2009, said.

He, however, can’t return home because of the cycle of insecurity.

Funding to the refugee response has reduced globally, with Uganda, the biggest refugee host in Africa, and home to 1.9 million refugees, reeling under the growing numbers and shrinking financing. Agencies like UNHCR and the World Food Programme (WFP) are now forced to ration, while other vulnerable populations have been completely stripped of assistance.

Funding to the country dropped to $143 million (Shs505.3 billion) in 2024 from $460 million (Shs1.6 trillion) in 2020. According to insiders, 2025 has been the toughest year yet. The United States, the biggest funder, cut global refugee funding to UNHCR by more than half from $2.1 billion (Shs7.4 trillion) in 2024 to $843 million (Shs2.9 trillion), leaving countries and partners on edge. The impact on Uganda, the fifth largest host of refugees in the world, was unprecedented. As of June, Uganda had only 18 percent of the required funding, according to the Uganda Country Refugee Response Plan (UCRRP).

In the crosshairs

In Nakivale, where 54 percent of the refugees are women, youth and children, reduced funding has taken away basics, including food, education, health, water, and sanitation services and birthed challenges like abuse of minors, increased criminality, and insecurity.

Officials in the OPM, Department of Refugees, say the country is stretched thin by the ever-growing numbers and shrinking funding. The consequences are cutting across the refugee and host communities.

‘Last week we received 46 convoys. A convoy is usually composed of 400 to 500 households, yet our teachers, medical personnel and food rations have been reduced. There is a need for more support because we are receiving more, yet the situation is worsening,’ Ms Monica Kyokutamba, the Nakivale settlement commandant at the OPM discloses.

She says while refugees would sustain themselves by tilling the land allocated by the government, it has been reduced significantly due to high numbers.

‘Girls are dropping out of school and being married off, young children are forced to the streets to beg, and there they are being harmed.”

‘There is a lot of theft and break-ins. The children are turning to the streets to beg or criminal activity like break-ins, due to a lack of food. There is an increased dropout rate because parents cannot afford to pay the required. The teacher-pupil ratio, with the coming influx, in a classroom, which is supposed to be one teacher, 57 students, but ours is one teacher, 150 to 200,’ Ms Kyokutamba told Monitor.

Health challenges like mental health and malnutrition have also worsened. This year alone, the settlement registered two cases of completed suicide, with cases of mostly depressive disorders, post-traumatic stress disorders, and bipolar associated disorders, increasing.

‘We had a psychiatric clinical officer who would support, but the person was laid off due to the funding gaps. Nowadays, we partner with another partner who sends us one once in a while.”

‘In case you get an emergency, there is no person to attend to that,’ Dr Kenneth Ssembuze, coordinator of Medical Teams International at Nakivale Health Centre III, which serves as the referral point for the other six health centres in the camp, says.

Malnutrition has also increased from 5.2 in October 2024 to 6.9 in October this year, according to the Mass nutrition screening in the settlement, Mr Wasswa Yosiya, a nutritionist, said.

Way forward

On December 2, the UNHCR held a pledging conference for 2026 and raised $1.5 billion (Shs5.3 trillion), almost 18 percent of the projected funding needs of $8.504 billion (Shs30 trillion) for the coming year. ‘The pledges for 2026 highlight a worrisome trend as the percentage of unearmarked funding pledged has dropped to 17 percent, nearly half of what it was in 2023,’ UNHCR reported.

For Uganda, authorities are predicting a difficult 2026 as the population is predicted to surpass two million in months. Some of the donors have, however, reiterated their commitment to support the government in the refugee response, in spite of the cuts.

The EU, through the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), has so far committed pound 16.7 million (Shs68.7 billion) to the refugee response in Uganda, Mr Liam Kelly, the head of office at ECHO Uganda, said in 2024, the EU allocated pound 36.4 million (Shs149.9 billion) in humanitarian aid, and over pound 24 million (Shs98.8 billion) so far in 2025, part of the aid that has facilitated health, WASH, and infrastructure services in settlements like Nakivale.

‘In addition to humanitarian funding, we are working with the government and partners on securing a rapid integration of refugees in development programmes in Uganda, as this is crucial to support the government’s efforts and reduce refugees’ dependence on humanitarian assistance,’ Mr Kelly said.

The Government of Uganda and partners are also finalising processes of mainstreaming refugee response to local governments to consolidate resources.

Watching She Corporate this season, you feel a sense of stability and ambition in the team.

Not only can you predict the team they will present for a match, but you can count on the players to put up a show and perform to the sum of their parts.

That is a far cry from last season, where one member from their management joked they had “only a starting five.”

Burundian coach Belyse Ininahazwe and her assistant Saddam Pande have rejuvenated some players and set the standards for others to follow at their new home at Fufa Technical Centre, Njeru. The results? A second place position after nine games, in the ongoing 2025/26 Finance Trust Bank Fufa Women Super League (FTBFWSL), with 20 points – that is just five off the top.

They have conceded just six goals and scored 20 – seven from current league top scorer Jesca Namanda.

By this point last season, they had 10 points after winning two games, drawing four, and losing three. They had scored six goals and conceded as many. They got just five more wins and three draws to close the 22-game season with 28 points.

Players’ push

“The players looked at last season’s performance and decided they needed to do better,” Pande said.

But you can argue, they looked at the last three seasons. She Corporate won the 2022 league and even finished runners-up in the Caf Women’s Champions League qualifiers for the Cecafa region in Dar-es,-Salaam. However, they set up an abysmal title defence, in the 2022/23 season, that ended with relegation to the second tier Elite League (FTBFWEL) for the 2023/24 season.

She Corporate lost crucial players to the paid ranks after Dar. Notably talisman Phiona Nabbumba went to Denmark and was followed there by Daphine Nyayenga. Some suffered long-term injuries.

They fell to the second tier and immediately rose up again as champions of the 2023/24 FWEL and also 2024 Fufa Women Cup winners.

“You can tell the players have the talent and understand the game. But maybe, they needed a new voice and ideas to lift themselves.

“We promise, we shall be competitive. It is not easy for the team to go from last season’s struggles to competing for the trophy and I cannot confirm if we are in the title race or not,” Pande said. Ininahazwe said, during a ceremony to award her as coach of the month in October, that they want to win every game.

Solid side

As a player, Ininahazwe was a defender and those close to her say she is obsessed with that aspect of the game. Her team is also direct but relishes physical battles too.

“She is never happy when we concede a goal and if it is down to an error from the defence, she makes her feeling known,” a member in the team’s management, said.

Goalkeeper Molly Nabitaka Naava has kept five clean sheets so far. The centre back pairing of Lukia Namubiru and Alima Nambafu – signed from Kampala Queens and Asubo looks more steady than it gets credit for and it is easy to forget that it has kept the experienced Crested Cranes’ Margaret Namirimu, who has also struggled with injuries, on the bench.

The duo gets support from right back Rebecca Nandhego since leftback Cissy Nakate is allowed to venture forward a bit more.

iola Namuddu and Gillian Akadinda provide cover in midfield and it helps that they both established themselves as defenders at Kawempe Muslim and Olila respectively.

“I knew Nambafu long before I came here. I watched her a lot as a student at Amus College and in Mbale. She is an emerging force.

“Of course, Akadinda played fullback for me (at Olila) but she was still young. Sometimes, you allow a player to grow through a certain position before letting them discover a new position and I believe she is capable of playing in midfield,” Pande shared.

Leticia Nakyeyune is probably the softest on the eye in the squad and can fill in both in midfield and on the right flank. Winger Sandra Kisakye’s move from Uganda Christian University continues a long-term relationship between the clubs and she looks like she has found a home that suits her ambitions.

Numbers’ game

But the attack is led by the industrious Namanda, who is not only a scorer of many goals (she got 11 last season and now has seven) but good ones too as witnessed by her half volley on the turn to sink KQ in a 3-2 win last weekend. The motivated Rebecca Nakato plays slightly off Namanda and has scored four goals so far.

“We have objectives to achieve and the only way we can get them is to demand the players to perform.

“Jesca is a huge talent and wants to improve all the time. All she can ask of us is to give her playing time and when we do so, we want good performances. She is a striker and they are judged by their numbers, so, she must keep hungry and motivated to build her numbers.

“Rebecca, on the other hand, is enjoying the responsibility. Maybe in Kawempe, there were many players ahead of her and she was younger, but we believe she can get even better,” Pande said.

Penninah Akuuku, Kevin Nakacwa, Barbra Adweru, Moureen Nankinga, Ronah Regina Nantege, and goalkeeper Gift Nasasira are some of the players that provide depth for She Corporate.

She Corporate – Stats thus far

Goals scored – 17 in 9 matches

Scorers

Jesca Namanda – 9 goals

Rebecca Nakato – 4

Sandra Kisakye – 2

Leticia Nakyeyune – 1

Cissy Nakate – 1

Results – 20 points earned

Kampala Queens 2-3 She Corporate

She Corporate 2-0 Rines SS

Makerere University 0-0 She Corporate

She Corporate 0-2 Kawempe Muslim

Lady Doves 1-2 She Corporate

She Corporate 2-0 Amus College

She Corporate 2-0 Asubo

She Maroons 0-0 She Corporate

She Corporate 4-1 Uganda Martyrs

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development on Friday launched the distribution of 1,000 free liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) starter kits to households in Kisoro District, part of a nationwide push to reduce dependence on firewood and charcoal.

Speaking at a colourful ceremony at Stabex Petrol Station along the Kisoro-Kabale Road, Ms Susan Nalyoga, Senior Communications Officer at the Ministry, said the initiative aims to expand access to modern energy in rural areas.

‘Kisoro is a very important district in this journey because, like many parts of rural Uganda, the majority of households still depend on firewood and charcoal. Today we are handing over 1,000 complete LPG starter kits, each containing a 12-kg cylinder filled with gas, burner, grill, hose pipe and regulator, free of charge to 1,000 carefully selected vulnerable households,’ she said.

Nalyoga noted that less than four percent of Ugandan households currently use LPG for cooking, leaving the majority exposed to harmful smoke that contributes to respiratory diseases, particularly among women and children.

The Kisoro rollout follows successful distributions in Kampala, Mukono, Wakiso, Mbarara, Mubende, Gulu, Masaka, Kumi, Nebbi, Lira and Fort Portal, with the government targeting one million households nationwide.

Each household will pay at least Shs100,000 ($35) for the gas refill inside the cylinder.

Kisoro District Natural Resources Officer, Ms Muja Judith, said the shift to LPG is crucial for health and environmental protection.

‘Over 90% of the more than 60,000 households in Kisoro still depend on firewood and charcoal. Women and children trek long distances in hilly terrain to fetch firewood, sometimes facing arrest for trespassing into private tree plantations,’ she observed.

Beneficiaries welcomed the support with mother of five, Ms Agnes Nyirabashitsi, saying: ‘The smoke makes my children cough and my eyes water every day. Today I feel like government has brought Christmas early.’

Mr Laurent Nkurunziza, a councillor representing persons with disabilities, added: ‘Lighting a charcoal sigiri every morning has been a big challenge. This free LPG cylinder will save me from that struggle.’

Officials cautioned beneficiaries against selling or repainting the cylinders and warned local leaders against charging fees for recommendation letters.

However, Mr Sabbit Edward, the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party coordinator for Kisoro, criticised the yellow colour of the cylinders, claiming it resembled the ruling NRM party’s branding and questioned the timing ahead of the January 15, 2026 General Election.

Kisoro District Vice Chairperson, Mr Nambajimana Alex, applauded the initiative but urged government support to ensure affordable refills while Stabex International Limited pledged continued partnership to maintain supply.

A prominent Muslim leader in Yumbe District, Sheik Kassim Abdallah, publicly apologized Friday for his alleged link to violent clashes over pork butchers last month, urging peace and coexistence between Muslims and Christians.

The November 4, 2025, confrontations erupted amid rumors that security forces would arrest Sheik Kassim following a TikTok video he allegedly posted condemning the pork business-a claim denied by security agencies.

The incident escalated tensions between religious communities, leaving property damaged and several people injured.

After spending a month in hiding, Sheik Kassim returned to Yumbe for Juma prayers at Takwa Mosque, where he was welcomed by a large crowd alongside senior security officials, including Director of Security ISO Edris Sempa, SSP Abdullah Uthuma Kitimbo of the Field Force Unit, and Regional Police Commander Joseph Mwesige.

Speaking to worshippers, Sheik Kassim said he never instructed anyone to commit violence.

“With over 35 years of preaching in the region, my mission has always been on peace and unity. I urge the affected Christian communities and business owners who lost their property and sustained injuries for forgiveness, along with the Muslim community,” he said.

“I apologize for all what has happened and I request the Muslims not to repeat what has happened again. If not my life will be in danger,” he added.

Sempa confirmed that all charges against Sheik Kassim have been dropped, allowing him to move freely and reunite with his family.

He called on the cleric to use his influence to promote peace and encourage youth participation in government programs, while urging residents to avoid unlawful acts.

Yumbe District Chairman Abdulmutalib Asiku welcomed the move, praising the government’s response and appealing for the pardon of 18 individuals currently remanded at Arua Prison in connection with the clashes.

Yumbe Resident District Commissioner Sulaiman Lubwama Bukya called for unity and truthfulness, warning against further unrest.

State Minister of Defence in charge of Veteran Affairs, Huda Oleru Abason, blamed some religious leaders for failing to guide followers responsibly, urging the community to prevent similar incidents in the future.

SSP Kitimbo, addressing congregants earlier during a community policing tour, emphasized Islam’s peaceful teachings.

“Islam is a religion that promotes peace and defense rather than aggression. Reflect on your actions, considering whether your deeds will lead you to paradise or to the fire of Hell,” he said, calling for harmony with people of other faiths.

The new Mukono 220/132kV substation, a flagship component of the Kampala Metropolitan Transmission System improvement project, is nearing completion and is expected to be launched in February 2026, officials said during a media tour this week.

The project is designed to boost electricity reliability and transmission capacity across Greater Kampala and its surrounding districts.

Project manager Mark Namungo said works on the multimillion-dollar facility are now about 70 percent complete, with full commissioning scheduled for early next year.

‘This substation is an extension and major upgrade of the existing Mukono substation grid – expected to be exhausted in the next 10 years,’ he said on.

Namungo added that the project is intended to increase power transmission capacity and strengthen operational flexibility within the Kampala Metropolitan Area.

‘Once operational, it will provide adequate, reliable and flexible power supply not only to Mukono but to the entire Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area, which includes Wakiso and Mpigi for at least the next 30 years,” he revealed.

The upgraded facility will host three new 200 MVA transformers, adding 600 MVA of transformer capacity to the grid.

Power will be drawn from two major transmission routes – the 132kV Owen Falls-Lugogo line and the Bujagali-Kawanda 220kV line, located about 5km from the substation.

Namungo said the design will ensure greater redundancy. ‘This design means that even if one transmission line is vandalised or fails, Mukono and surrounding areas can immediately be supplied from the alternative route,’ he said, recalling a recent week-long outage caused by vandalism.

He added that the new substation will introduce an additional 220kV ring into a network that already includes rings at 11kV, 33kV and 132kV.

The Mukono extension is part of a $120 million project launched by the government in April 2018 with concessional financing from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The programme also covers upgrades at Kawaala, Mutundwe and Bujagali substations, and the construction of a new facility at Maya.

JICA Uganda’s senior programme officer for economic infrastructure, Ivan Muhame, said Japan’s loans remain highly favourable.

‘All loans extended to Uganda under this framework carry an interest rate of approximately 0.01 percent, with a 40-year repayment period and a 10-year grace period,’ he said.

The Mukono substation sits within the Mukono Industrial Park corridor, home to major manufacturers such as Kampala Cement and Tian Tang Group, as well as the National Water and Sewerage Corporation’s Katosi plant.

Reliable electricity is expected to draw more industrial investment and support growing household demand.

Construction began in February 2024, and authorities say the facility will be energised on schedule.

On Monday, JICA’s Inoue Yoichi said the agency has long stood as ‘a committed partner to Uganda,’ noting cooperation across agriculture, infrastructure, water, health, education and peace-building.

Residents of Nebbi Municipality in Uganda’s West Nile region have threatened to protest over recent design changes on the town’s main street, raising concerns about road safety, aesthetics, and traffic management.

The controversy centers on the replacement of a ‘solid island’ in the middle of the road with a chevron marking, also known as a ghost island. The changes, residents say, were made without consultation.

Saidi Nabil, Municipal Councilor for Hill Ward, said the move has sparked widespread dissatisfaction.

‘It’s true that the design of the road was changed without engaging the residents and ideally, the main street was supposed to have an island in the middle of the main street in Nebbi town to beautify the road. Where will that money go if the solid island is removed?’ Nabil asked on Wednesday.

Businessman Alfred Okecha added that sections of the road have become narrower, creating parking difficulties and potential traffic congestion as the town grows.

The tarmacking of Nebbi Town is part of the 33-kilometre Nebbi-Alwi Road project connecting Nebbi and Pakwach districts, including upgrades to 4.3 kilometres of urban roads.

Eng Justine Lukala of the Ministry of Works and Transport defended the design changes, citing safety concerns.

‘We have realized that a solid island couldn’t be put on the narrowed main street road, which has more traffic, so we have to redesign the road to chevron marking (ghost island) to avoid accidents,’ Lukala said.

He explained that the main street is 19 meters wide instead of the 22 meters standard, meaning a solid island would squeeze the road and increase the risk of accidents, particularly with heavy lorries, buses, and street vendors crowding the area.

‘The island design was brought in as an additional design but was later removed due to the limited space, and if the island is left on the road, it would attract more traffic challenges,’ Lukala added.

Robert Abak, Resident District Commissioner for Nebbi, urged residents to remain calm and channel concerns through proper procedures rather than holding unlawful protests.

‘No design is fixed, but changes can be made both positive and negative. If there are changes, people should go technical to seek guidance to avoid rumors about any government projects,’ Abak said.

The government allocated Shs104 billion under the National Road Development and Maintenance Program (NRDMP) to finance the Alwi-Nebbi Road reconstruction.

Initially contracted in June 2021 with an October 2023 completion, the project was extended by 24 months, with only 5 percent of the work reportedly completed.