Category: Daily Monitor

After witnessing the silent suffering of countless women living with obstetric fistula, Alice Emasu Seruyange set out to build a lifeline of dignity, treatment, and hope. Her work is transforming lives one healed woman at a time.

At just 16, Alice Emasu Seruyange had a vision that would shape her future. While still a secondary school student, she witnessed the deaths of four of her friends due to preventable childbirth complications and saw two others silently suffering from obstetric fistula, a condition that causes women to leak urine or faeces due to prolonged labour. Shocked and determined, Emasu decided to enter the media industry to raise awareness about maternal health and childbirth complications.

Although her early career in journalism provided her a platform to advocate for women, she quickly realised that awareness alone was not sufficient. In 2001, she founded the Association for Rehabilitation and Reorientation of Women for Development (Terrewode), a non-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness and supporting women living with fistula. Her vision later culminated in the establishment of the Terrewode Women’s Community Hospital (TWCH) in Soroti District, a specialised hospital for treating fistula patients.

A childhood shaped by loss

Emasu’s determination was rooted in personal tragedy.

‘Even though I was still a teenager, I felt the need to take action instead of just sitting and watching young women die from a preventable condition.’

After completing her secondary education, she returned to her village in Kaberamaido and was confronted by the devastating toll that childbirth had taken on her friends. Four of them had died, and two others were socially isolated due to fistula. Unfortunately, community leaders had done nothing to address these issues.

Motivated by this injustice, Emasu began listening to radio programmes in Ateso and Luo. She called in as a student to ask how she could become a journalist. The presenters advised her that she needed to complete her education first, which only fuelled her determination. Emasu pursued a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication at Makerere University and began writing for The New Vision newspaper in 1999, focusing on women’s issues.

‘I did not even know what fistula was at that time,’ she admits.

‘I was as ignorant as many Ugandans, except for a few medical personnel who treated women in silence.’

Fistula: A silent epidemic

Dr Edwin Andante, a gynaecologist at Soroti hospital, explains that an obstetric fistula is a hole that develops in the birth canal, bladder, or rectum due to prolonged labour. As a result, women experience constant leakage of urine or faeces. This condition is most prevalent among rural women who give birth without medical assistance. Labour can last for days, often leading to the baby’s death, and leaving the mother with permanent incontinence.

Uganda has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, with 336 deaths per 100,000 live births. Each year, 6,000 women die from preventable causes during pregnancy, while an additional 1,900 develop fistula. The country ranks third globally in fistula prevalence, with adolescent girls being particularly vulnerable. Nearly 25 percent of girls experience pregnancy before the age of 18, and sexual violence, especially in northern Uganda, is alarmingly high, further exposing young girls to various maternal health risks.

Journalist to advocate

Emasu’s journalism career exposed her to the silent suffering of women, but she longed to do more than just report. In 2008, she left active journalism to pursue a doctorate in women’s health, focusing on obstetric fistula at Washington University in the US. There, she met Louis Wall, a lecturer who was passionate about building specialised fistula hospitals, which inspired her to envision a dedicated facility in Uganda.

Her research across the Great Lakes region deepened her understanding of maternal health systems, and in 2019, her dream became a reality with the opening of the Transcultural Women’s Clinic and Hospital (TWCH). Located on six acres in Soroti, the hospital provides specialised fistula surgeries and holistic care, including post-recovery counselling, legal guidance, HIV/Aids education, and entrepreneurial support for former patients.

Stories of healing, hope

For women like 19-year-old Robinah Akoi from Lira, TWCH was life-changing.

Forced into early marriage and abandoned by the father of her child after a traumatic childbirth that left her incontinent, Akoi lived in isolation for more than two years. She lost hope and was shunned even by her own family. In 2023, she learnt about a Terrewode health camp, received surgery, and fully recovered.

‘Akoi’s experience is typical,’ notes Emasu. ‘We have treated women who have lived with fistula for more than 10, even 20 years. The relief and joy they feel after surgery is indescribable.’

Some patients are so overwhelmed that they demolish the homes where they were once confined, symbolising a rebirth into dignity and freedom.

In villages such as Gweri, more than 20 women have been treated, saving families the money that would have been spent on traditional healers and restoring their place in the community.

A hospital that transforms lives

TWCH operates as a National Centre of Excellence accredited by the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) and trains doctors from Uganda and abroad in fistula care.

The hospital not only provides surgical treatment but also promotes systemic improvements in maternal healthcare, advancing sexual and reproductive health rights, safe motherhood, and the empowerment of women and girls.

Emasu emphasises that Terrewode uses fistula as a catalyst for transforming healthcare, addressing underlying issues such as poverty, early marriage, and lack of education that contribute to maternal mortality.

The hospital’s holistic approach ensures women not only recover physically but are also reintegrated socially and economically.

A vision for the future

From a curious 16-year-old asking questions on the radio to the founder of a fistula hospital, Emasu’s journey is a testament to courage, compassion, and unwavering commitment.

She has restored dignity to thousands of women, transformed communities, and shaped the discourse on maternal health in Uganda and beyond.

As she continues to expand Terrewode’s reach, her message is clear: no woman should suffer needlessly from preventable childbirth injuries.

Uganda on Wednesday launched the Nilotica Shea Alliance (NiSA), a new collaboration between government, investors, and agro-processors aimed at protecting endangered shea trees and expanding the market for shea butter, a key natural cosmetic ingredient.

Speaking at the launch, Mr Alex Lwakuba, Commissioner for Crop Production and Protection at the Agriculture Ministry, described the alliance as a ‘new platform to protect the endangered shea trees and also enable Ugandan shea butter processors to access better foreign markets.’

He said the ministry would support the establishment of shea nut primary processing and value addition facilities under a Public-Private Producer Partnership, including collection centres, bulking, primary processing, and value addition.

‘We are optimistic that this will increase the quality and marketability of shea nut products in regional and international markets,’ Mr Lwakuba said, adding: ‘The ministry intends to support critical interventions in the shea nut value chain by mobilizing the community. to plant, to protect, to conserve and commercialize, to increase industrial exploitation of shea production, both internally and regionally.’

The launch, held in Kampala, brought together partners including the Global Shea Alliance, the International Trade Centre-UN, the Korean International Agency KOICA, and other stakeholders.

‘The major challenges that we are looking to address with the launch of NiSA are that, currently, the shea sector is very fragmented in Uganda,’ said Ms Marie Veyrier of the Global Shea Alliance.

‘You have a lot of stakeholders, but because they haven’t come together, they don’t have a voice,’ she added.

Kim Hyoje, deputy country director for KOICA Uganda, said the alliance would help pool resources and strengthen the industry’s position.

‘Our priority is to ensure that these investments and capacity-building efforts generate tangible benefits for the farmers and communities at the centre of the shea industry,’ he said.

Shea butter, a vegetable fat extracted from the nuts of shea trees, grows naturally across sub-Saharan Africa in the so-called ‘shea belt.’

In Uganda, significant populations of shea trees are found in Lango (Otuke District), Acholi (Kitgum, Pader, Agago, Lamwo), and West Nile sub-regions.

Shea trees are classified as vulnerable due to overexploitation for timber, fuelwood, charcoal production, and land clearing for agriculture.

Yet rising global demand for natural and organic cosmetics has increased the value of shea products.

About 10 percent of shea exports are used in the global cosmetics industry, with an estimated 20,000-25,000 tons of shea butter utilized annually.

‘Particularly restore the shea trees that are being cut down. The opportunities are huge, we need to make known a lot better the particularity of Nilotica shea and how to look at international markets,’ Ms Veyrier said.

The launch, officials held, signals a concerted effort to preserve a vulnerable natural resource while boosting Uganda’s participation in a growing global market for natural cosmetic ingredients.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Trk, has raised alarm over what he described as a ‘deepening crackdown on Uganda’s opposition and the media ahead of next month’s general election.’

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Trk said credible reports show that at least 550 people-mostly members and supporters of the largest opposition political party, the National Unity Platform (NUP)-have been arrested since the start of the year.

More than 300 arbitrary arrests were recorded after 2025-26 campaigns kicked off in September, with many detainees still in custody on charges ranging from public nuisance and disobedience of lawful orders to assault, obstruction, and incitement of violence.

‘It is deeply regrettable that election campaigns have once again been marked by use of unnecessary or disproportionate force against the opposition, as well as undue restriction of press freedom,’ Trk said.

He urged authorities to ‘cease the use of such repressive tactics’ and allow Ugandans to ‘fully and peacefully exercise their right to participate in their country’s public affairs’ during and after the polls.

Escalating violence on the campaign trail

Presidential campaigns have in recent weeks been marred by deadly confrontations between security forces and mainly NUP supporters.

Armed security personnel have repeatedly deployed at venues and along routes where NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, is scheduled to campaign, often using teargas and live rounds against the two-time presidential candidate. Last week in Iganga, security forces fired live ammunition, killing at least one person and injuring three others.

NUP supporters were also beaten during Bobi Wine’s rally in Kawempe, with video evidence showing dozens falling into a deep ditch and sustaining serious injuries during a chaotic police and army chase.

Security forces have further used teargas, water cannons, whips, batons, attack dogs and chemical irritants to disperse his supporters.

Mr Trk expressed concern over incommunicado detention, enforced disappearances, and torture, saying these abuses have intensified over the past year.

The UN chief cited reports alleging that security operatives continue to use unmarked vans-commonly known as ‘drones’-to abduct individuals who are then held in unofficial detention facilities, often called ‘safe houses’, in violation of international law.

Under international standards, Mr Trk noted, detainees must only be held in officially recognised facilities to prevent abuse.

He referenced several recent incidents, including the May episode in which the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, posted on X that he was holding Bobi Wine’s civilian bodyguard, Eddie Mutwe, in his ‘basement’ and ‘teaching him Runyankore.’

The guard was later produced in court, visibly shaken and exhibiting signs consistent with physical torture. He remains on remand to date.

In another case, two Kenyan activists (Bob Njag and Nicholas Oyoo) who attended a NUP rally in October were allegedly detained for more than a month before being handed back to Nairobi.

President Museveni said the two were being held by his government in what he called ‘the fridge.’

Dozens of other opposition supporters arrested during the 2021 election cycle also remain in detention, Trk said.

‘I urge the Ugandan authorities to fully and impartially investigate all allegations of enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and detention, and torture or ill treatment, punish those accountable and provide full reparation to the victims,’ he added.

‘All individuals arbitrarily deprived of liberty should be released.’

‘End violence against journalists’

In his statement, the UN rights chief condemned what he described as an escalating crackdown on Uganda’s media. In October, several journalists from Nation Media Group-Uganda, particularly from NTV Uganda and the Daily Monitor, had their parliamentary accreditation withdrawn for unclear reasons, and the same media company has since been barred from covering President Museveni.

Earlier, at least 32 journalists were assaulted, detained, or had their equipment confiscated during the Kawempe North parliamentary by-election in March, prompting NMG-Uganda to withdraw all its reporters from the chaotic polls.

‘The Ugandan authorities must halt all violence against the media and the opposition and act fully in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law,’ Mr. Trk said.

Civilians are once again set to face trial before military courts after President Museveni appointed a new 10-member panel to reconstitute the General Court Martial (GCM).

This comes months after the Supreme Court froze its operations in a landmark judgment.

In a November 25 letter addressed to Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the President, acting on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), named Brig Gen Richard Tukachungurwa as the new chairperson of the GCM.

‘In accordance with Sections 192, 193, and 195 of the UPDF Act as amended and acting on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, I have appointed persons below as head and members of the General Court Martial,’ reads part of President Museveni’s communication to the CDF.

Brig Gen Tukachungurwa replaces Brig Gen Robert Freeman Mugabe, whose single term ended earlier this year. Until his appointment, Gen Tukachungurwa served as Judge Advocate of the now-frozen GCM, guiding the court on points of law.

The newly-appointed members of the GCM are Col Simon Wankandya Tusah, Col Asha Patra, Col Frederick Kangwamu, Col Raphael Mugisha, Lt Col Nasser Igambi Mohammedie, Maj Samuel Moses Amodoi, Maj Emmanuel Arihaihi, Maj Abubaker Nyombi, and Maj Denis Chemtai.

The President also named Lt Col David Drani Epalu (4th Division) and Lt Col Hassan Mulyanti Yaqoub (Special Forces Group) as chairpersons of the Division court martials.

How did we get here?

The reconstitution of the GCM follows a January 31 Supreme Court ruling that declared the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional.

In the lead judgment, Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo held that military courts lack the independence and safeguards required under the Constitution, since their powers derive from the UPDF High Command.

The court ordered all ongoing civilian trials before military courts to cease and be transferred to civilian courts. The justices also proposed reforms, including transforming the GCM into a division of the High Court and limiting military tribunals to disciplinary offences.

President Museveni and Gen Muhoozi, however, publicly criticised the ruling, calling it ‘regrettable’ and ‘unacceptable.’

In response, the government fast-tracked the UPDF (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which reinstated military jurisdiction over civilians under what it termed ‘exceptional circumstances.’ Parliament passed the Bill on May 20, and the President signed it into law on June 16. Critics argued the legislation was aimed at targeting members of the Opposition. Under the new law, military courts may try civilians accused of possessing military equipment, aiding soldiers in serious crimes, or accompanying troops on operations. The law also introduces a tiered military court structure; Unit, Division, and General Court Martial with clearer appeal routes up to the Court of Appeal.

A law under fire

The UPDF Amendment Act is already facing legal challenges. The National Unity Platform (NUP) and other petitioners have filed cases in the Constitutional Court, arguing that the law undermines the Supreme Court decision and revives unconstitutional practices.

Critics maintain that the legislation was rushed through to target political opponents ahead of the 2026 elections.

Reactions

Former Nakawa MP Michael Kabaziguruka, whose case resulted in the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling, last evening, said the government’s move remains illegal.

‘What they have done is still illegal, and in due course, I will be going back to court to challenge it,’ he said.

‘Parliament doesn’t have the powers to create a court at the same level as the High Court. They are supposed to create subordinate courts only.’ He accused the government of using the General Court Martial as a ‘scarecrow’ against Opposition politicians during election season.

Kampala Mayor Erias Lukwago, who has represented several political figures, including remanded Dr Kizza Besigye, previously tried in military courts, described the new developments as ‘the reincarnation of the old General Court Martial.’

‘The new chairman was part of the former kangaroo court, and he could be worse than Gen Freeman,’ Lukwago said, accusing the tribunal of persecuting government critics. Renowned constitutional lawyer Peter Walubiri also earlier warned that the reconstituted military court system violates constitutional principles and is designed to suppress political dissent.

Recommendations

In his January 31 landmark judgment, the Chief Justice went on to make several recommendations to the Executive and Legislative arms of government for consideration as a viable alternative in the establishment of the military courts;

(a) Administratively establish the General Court Martial (GCM) as a division of the High Court without the need to create a new court, with jurisdiction to handle capital criminal cases involving both military officers and any civilians who would exceptionally fall within its ambit; with magistrates within the division handling offenses falling under their jurisdiction.

(b) Limit the functions of Unit Disciplinary Committees (UDCs) and Summary Trial Authorities (STAs) to handling strictly disciplinary offenses, with no power to impose sentences of imprisonment.

(c) Utilise the existing magistracy to handle the rest of the criminal cases (other than disciplinary offenses) committed in Uganda (which are currently falling within the docket of the UDCs). The subordinate military courts can handle criminal cases at the level of Chief Magistrate’s Courts (for offenses attracting life imprisonment and those carrying a sentence of 25 years or less). Or;

(d) With the advice of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), appoint civilians with the requisite professional legal qualifications to serve as judicial officers in the current subordinate military courts. They would exercise jurisdiction over offences triable by subordinate courts and should have the same privileges and safeguards as their counterparts in the civil courts. Or;

(e) Amend the Constitution to establish superior courts within the military court system under Art 129; and clothe them with the requisite jurisdiction and guarantee of independence and impartiality to try specific military offenses of a capital nature and all other capital offenses under existing laws, committed by military personnel. Or

(f) Provide in the UPDF Act for the High Court to sit as a court martial with the power to try all criminal capital offenses within the High Court jurisdiction, and those unique to the military that attract a maximum of life and death sentences. Grant the Chief Justice powers to assign judges to the military courts. A select number of military personnel can act as assessors. Appeals to the Court Martial Appeal Courts would follow the same format, with the Court of Appeal sitting as such. Magistrate’s courts would assume the jurisdiction over all other offenses of a subordinate courts.

(g) Make provision in the UPDF Act for the trial of civilians in military courts to be only under limited circumstances; and only after the State has concretely demonstrated to the court by verifiable facts, and by objective and serious reasons, the need and justification for recourse to the military court. This must only apply where, in relation to the specific class or category of persons and offences in question, ordinary courts are not in a position to undertake such a trial.

(h) Make provision in the UPDF Act for appeals from military courts and tribunals, corresponding to appeals in ordinary courts.

Users of a 1.5km access road in Butuntumula Sub-county, Luweero District, have received temporary relief after the High Court ordered Victoria Sugar Limited to reopen the road. The access route had been blocked by the sugar company, sparking a dispute with Ammars Agro Limited and residents of Kibaaga Village.

The fight over the shared road escalated in August when Victoria Sugar Limited, owned by Indian nationals, dug a trench across the road. This move cut off the only road leading to the 450-acre farm owned by Ammars Agro Limited, a business run by Eritrean nationals and a section of Kibaaga Village.

Victoria Sugar later filed a civil suit at the High Court in Luweero, asking for an injunction to stop Ammars Agro Limited from reopening the road. The company also accused Ammars Agro of trespassing on its land, damaging its property by installing culverts, and demanded Shs500m in general damages. Through Nshekanabo and Partners, Advocates and Solicitors, Victoria Sugar Limited asked court to block Ammars Agro Limited, its agents or workers from undertaking any activity on land comprised in LRV 2406 Folio 12, Plots 4 Block 769.

Court ruling

However, Justice Faridah Shamilah Bukirwa Ntambi dismissed the application after the company failed to follow court directives. During a locus visit on October 1, the judge ordered both parties to file written submissions by set deadlines. ‘The applicant (Victoria Sugar Limited) was granted up to October 15, to file the submissions. While the respondent (Ammars Agro Limited) was to file a reply thereafter. Court records that no written submissions were filed by Victoria Sugar Limited. They also did not seek extension of time within which to file the submissions. I, therefore, find that the applicant has failed to comply with the courts’ clear directives without providing any justification for such omission,’ the October 29 court ruling reads.

The judge further pointed to Order 17 Rule 4 of the Civil Procedure Rules, which allows the court to determine a matter when a party fails to take steps necessary for the case to proceed. Justice Bukirwa ruled that Victoria Sugar had not met the legal threshold for an injunction to keep the road closed. ‘I must state that the actions of the applicant go beyond the assertion of proprietary rights as they cause economic hardships and disrupt a long-established state of access that existed for years. Equity demands that such conduct should not be rewarded through judicial sanctions,’ the ruling further reads. The judge then ordered Victoria Sugar Limited to stop blocking the access road. The court declined to award costs but cautioned Ammars Agro Limited to avoid tampering with Victoria Sugar’s property while using the road.

On November 27, Luweero District security teams led by the District Police Commander, Mr Brighton Ahimbisamukama, moved to execute the court order. Victoria Sugar Limited did not send any representative, but police and Ammars Agro officials supervised the reopening of the 1.5km road. Ammars Agro Director Petros Fissahaye, on November 27, said the trench dug by Victoria Sugar had severely affected their operations. ‘Our efforts to seek redress from different authorities, including the resident district commissiomer’s office and the other government departments earlier yielded little results. The court ruling is a big relief,’ he said.

But Victoria Sugar officials insist they have blocked certain roads to protect company property from vandalism and for security reasons.

Luweero District chairperson Erastus Kibirango said the disagreement over the access road shocked both leaders and residents. ‘When the issue was brought to our attention. Our efforts to have the issue resolved were disregarded by one of the parties,’ he said. Residents say investors blocking roads is becoming a growing problem. Mr Samuel Ssemwanga of Ndibulungi Village said some access roads that have existed for more than 20 years have been sealed off, cutting families off from water sources, churches and schools. ‘When you visit Ndibulungi Village, we have a perimeter wall that was constructed by Victoria Sugar on a more than 2km access road. We were blocked from accessing our gardens,’ he said.

Background

Victoria Sugar Limited owns 54 hectares of sugarcane on block 769, plots 4 and 6 in Butuntumula Sub-county, where it also operates a sugar factory.

Ammars Agro Limited manages 170 acres of pineapples, 50 acres of bananas and 180 acres of maize on plots 2 and 3, Block 756.

Butuntumula Sub-county hosts more than five investment companies, including one of the largest ethanol producers under PRO Industries and SR Afro Chicks Company.

Communities in Nebbi District and neighbouring Maracha District erupted in celebration on Tuesday as a solar-powered borehole water system was commissioned, ending four decades of reliance on unsafe water sources.

Residents of Abar West Parish, Ndhew Sub-County in Nebbi, and students at Yivu Secondary School in Maracha had long relied on streams shared with animals, exposing them to waterborne diseases.

‘For decades, accessibility to water was a big problem,’ said Ms Jenerosa Wiyajik, 65, a resident of Palyec Central Village who manages a public water stand.

He further explained that: ‘People spent hours at the few water sources. Marriages were breaking because men were suspicious about their wives taking longer hours at the water source.’

The new solar-powered system, implemented by the Ministry of Water and Environment through Nexus Green Limited, now serves over 5,000 people across seven villages, pumping up to 257.9 cubic meters of water per day via 36 solar panels.

The system includes an 18-cubic-meter storage tank and cost Shs170 million.

‘The connection and extension of piped water is for willing customers who wish to be connected at cost,’ said Mr William Okwir, Chairman of the Water User Committee in Abar West Parish.

He noted that 44 additional water points have been extended to nearby villages, including Omoyo Central, Omoyo North, and Lengi Awo Palyec North.

However, challenges remain. ‘Now the water is covering only seven villages in one parish. What about other parts of the sub-county without clean and safe water?’ asked Ms Eunice Atimango, female district councilor representing Ndhew Sub-County.

At Yivu Secondary School, students described the difficulty of fetching water from wells and streams.

‘Waterborne diseases were rampant among our students because students were fetching water for cooking and for their own use from streams and wells in the valley,’ said Mr Modest Bandale, the school’s director of studies.

Head Girl Never Winny added, ‘It was inconvenient to fetch water from outside because we were expected to be in class at the time.’ The Head Prefect, Maurice Adrapi, said poor sanitation and personal hygiene were major challenges due to lack of clean water.

The Ministry of Water and Environment hailed the project as transformative for the region. ‘The solar-powered borehole is bringing new hope to rural communities, particularly for women and children who previously had to walk long distances for contaminated water,’ said Mr Noel Muhangi, senior public relations officer at the ministry.

Officials said the system is part of a plan to expand piped water access to more villages, aiming to improve livelihoods and reduce waterborne diseases that have affected the region for over 45 years.

Tension has escalated in Bukomansimbi South after a supporter of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) was struck on the head with an axe and left unconscious in a clash linked to campaign posters.

The victim, Farid Mulindwa, 45, a resident of Buwenda in Bukomansimbi District, was attacked on Wednesday at around 7 p.m. while guarding a campaign poster belonging to Bukomansimbi South candidate Bashir Ssemakula.

According to locals, the violence erupted after rival candidate Hassan Mukiibi allegedly demanded the removal of Ssemakula’s posters from their placement in Buwenda Town, Butenga Sub-county.

Mulindwa was reportedly confronted by Mukiibi’s supporters before the situation escalated.

Mukiibi allegedly stopped his vehicle at the scene, after which his bodyguards disembarked, surrounded Mulindwa and began struggling over the poster. It was during the scuffle that Mulindwa was struck on the head with an axe.

He was rushed to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital in critical condition and was on oxygen at the time of filing this story, mid-morning Thursday.

His wife, Aisha Tumushabe, said she received a phone call informing her that her husband had been assaulted. She rushed to the scene and found him in a severely critical state.

Tumushabe added that the attackers did not stop at harming her husband but allegedly proceeded to the couple’s home, searched the entire house, vandalized property and then fled.

The incident comes barely a month after similar violence in Mbaale Village, where supporters of Hassan Mukiibi allegedly attacked supporters of Geoffrey Kayemba Solo following a dispute over one of Kayemba’s posters placed on a Boda Boda rider’s motorcycle.

By press time, Mukiibi, who is allegedly accused of being behind the attack, was not picking our calls.

Masaka Regional Police spokesperson Twaha Kasirye condemned the latest violence and warned that all those responsible will be held to account.

Kasirye said investigations have begun and urged supporters across Bukomansimbi to avoid acts that could inflame tensions further.

Uganda will hold its General Election on January 15, 2026, to decide the next parliament and president.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Presidential Candidate, Mr Museveni, has asked Ugandans requesting for services to be patient with him as he cannot deliver everything in a single day.

Mr Museveni, who was campaigning in Rubirizi District yesterday, said Ugandans are fond of demanding for many developments at the same time yet he can only deliver one thing at a time.

‘Your road from Mbarara to Katunguru and Kasese has been worked on three times. It was in bad condition from Bushenyi to Katunguru but we have reconstructed it and now it is very good. The road you are talking about, Katerera road, we wanted to construct it,’ he said.

Mr Museveni added: ‘When sending Members of Parliament (MPs) advise them to listen to the methods of bush fighters. For us, we are used to operating like poor people because we know how to multiply small things. We believe in one by one makes a bundle.’

The NRM flagbearer noted that whoever tells people to work on developments and other services at ago are liars because it is not practically possible.

‘Those who tell you that they will work on everything at once, they are lying. God, our creator took seven days creating the world. Monday, he did something, Tuesday other things, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and on Saturday he created a man,’ Mr Museveni said.

He added: ‘Why didn’t God do everything on Monday. So what failed God on Monday, can I manage it? I am not God, I do what I can manage. But the cause of delays for roads is handling many things at ago.’

Mr Museveni was responding to the request of the district NRM chairperson, Mr Edgar Amanyire, to have Katerera-Kamwenge Road tarmacked.

‘You have been promising to have Katerera road tarmacked but people have waited for over 10 years and this road has not been constructed,’ he said.

You could feel the weight in Sam Ssimbwa’s voice – a crestfallen tone from a man who believed he had earned his ticket to Morocco.

For the veteran tactician, December’s TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations was supposed to be another chapter in his storied Uganda Cranes journey.

Instead, days before the team departs to face Tunisia, Tanzania, and Nigeria in Group C, he finds himself off the technical team, reportedly cut loose by his boss Paul Put in a move that has left him feeling deeply betrayed.

Insiders say Ssimbwa had already drafted his preferred 27-man provisional squad after Put personally asked him to do so.

He even followed it up with a lengthy tactical discussion at Put’s residence, convinced that the Belgian valued his input and intended to keep him close for the Morocco mission.

The next communication he received was the termination letter from Fufa CEO Edgar Watson.

“Yes, my contract expired but I should have been given an opportunity to serve my country on the big stage. One of the reasons I was appointed was to help the team return to Afcon. It is sad that I have been sacrificed. There are other people on the team who also dont have running contracts. Why did it have to be me,” Simbwa wondered.

Ssimbwa, the only Ugandan who applied for the Cranes job before Put’s appointment, joined the Belgian’s staff days into his reign two years ago.

For months, he was seen as the bridge between Put and local football dynamics – a role he embraced diligently.

But cracks began to show midway through their working relationship.

The first major red flag came during the Chan home tournament in August, where despite Ssimbwa contributing heavily to player identification and the initial summons, he was sidelined during the event.

The team, instead, was handled by stand-in coaches Morley Byekwaso and Fred Muhumuza, who guided Uganda into the last 16 – a historic first.

Those close to Mengo reveal that the decision not to renew Ssimbwa’s contract was influenced by ‘character issues,’ an accusation that stings a man who has served the country as a former Cranes midfielder and as assistant to several expatriate coaches particularly Lazlo Csaba in 2007.

His decorated CV did little to shield him this time.

Signs of an impending fallout were evident last month.

Ssimbwa was nowhere near the bench during the Cranes’ friendlies against Chad and Morocco, even though he travelled with the team.

Rumours swirled that he and Put were no longer aligned – a rift only patched superficially after Put signed his new two-and-a-half-year contract.

Now Muhumuza is reported to be elevated to join Put’s permanent technical staff.

The Belgian must now prove that severing ties with his longtime lieutenant was justified as he leads Uganda into Afcon 2025 and toward the 2027 Pamoja Afcon on home soil.

Their worlds could not have been more different: a gentle church girl and a calm-but-confident police officer, yet one ice-cream date revealed that their hearts were meant to walk the same path.

When Esther Namaganda and Philip Busulu first walked into Arise City Altar Church in 2022, they were simply two strangers sharing the same pews. Week after week, they worshipped under the same roof, exchanging polite smiles but never imagining that God was quietly stitching their destinies together.

For months, they remained nothing more than ordinary believers whose paths had not yet intertwined.

But everything changed when Busulu reached a season in his life where he felt ready to settle down. Suddenly, the familiar church around him looked different. He began to notice people he had never really seen before, and one woman stood out. Esther. Gentle, composed, and radiant in a way he could not ignore.

‘When I wanted to marry, I looked around the church and worked up the courage to approach her,’ he recalls.

The day he finally gathered the nerve to speak to her, he was surprised by a wave of nerves he rarely felt. Yet his calm, confident approach was enough to draw her in.

‘He asked to speak with me in a very calm yet confident way,’ Esther remembers.

She did not know where the conversation would lead, but something in his sincerity made her pause and listen.

It was in late December 2023 that he reached out, gently persuading her to accept a proper date. She agreed, and by March 2024, the two were finally sitting across from each other, sharing ice cream and unknowingly stepping into a love that would transform their lives.

A changing date

Their first date was simple, no fancy setting, no elaborate plans. Just ice cream, conversation, and an unexpected spark that neither could deny. As they talked, Busulu found himself deeply moved by Esther’s humility, her poise, and the sharpness of her mind.

‘During the date, I knew Essy was the woman I had prayed for because of her unwavering intellect,’ he says.

Their conversation flowed effortlessly, like two souls recognising each other after a long journey. Esther felt safe in his gentleness, surprised by how different he was from the stereotype of police officers she had heard.

‘I realised I did not want to spend the rest of my life without him,’ she admits softly.

From that day, everything shifted. They held onto each other with intention, choosing to court for a year so they could truly understand the depths of one another’s hearts.

Together as one

As their relationship blossomed, their faith remained at the centre. They informed their spiritual leaders, sharing the quiet conviction that God had woven their destinies together long before they knew it themselves. With the church’s blessing, they approached their families and embraced tradition wholeheartedly.

When Busulu finally proposed, Esther felt a sense of certainty settle over her heart.

‘My husband proposed to me, and I knew that was it!’ she says, her smile lingering.

Together, they embraced each cultural milestone with joy, beginning with the Kukyala (visit to bride’s aunt) on May 26, 2025, followed by the Kwanjula (introduction) on September 6, and culminating in their wedding on September 13.

Busulu could not wait to sanctify their love. He wanted nothing more than to honour God and to honour her by stepping fully into marriage.

Cherished moments

Their wedding day carried double significance: it was also Esther’s birthday.

‘I cannot forget my wedding day because I cut a cake for growth and for finding a soulmate,’ she says.

But even before the vows, Busulu had already sealed his place as a man of thoughtful surprises. During her introduction ceremony, a drone descended from the sky carrying her promised ring, an entrance so magical that Esther still struggles to describe it.

‘I had to do something unique and unforgettable for my Essy,’ he says, proud of creating a moment straight out of a love story.

Another deeply emotional moment came with the unexpected arrival of Apostle Michael Kimuli, who had recently lost his wife. His presence felt like a divine blessing over their new union.

Different careers, one purpose

She is an accountant. He is a police officer. Their worlds could not be more different and yet, their hearts aligned effortlessly.

‘For us, only love led,’ they say with soft smiles.

Not everyone understood their connection. Some doubted their union, others stayed away. But they chose to focus on those who celebrated their joy. In moments of challenge, they held each other close and prayed, anchoring themselves in Job 42:2:

‘I know that you can do all things, and no purpose of yours can be withheld.’

Now, as newlyweds, their voices soften when they speak about each other. Their love is steady, their faith unwavering, and their commitment unshakeable. Together, they step confidently into the future, hand in hand, hearts intertwined, ready for a lifetime of God-led love.