Category: Daily Monitor

Tears welled in his eyes as Mr Tonny Bayiiza, the chairperson for Persons with Disabilities in Kalule-Bombo, recounted the silent suffering of girls with disabilities preyed upon by able-bodied men under the cover of darkness. The emotional moment unfolded on Sunday as Ramadhan Foundation, a non-profit organisation supporting vulnerable groups, delivered household relief and financial support to a traditional birth attendant living with disability in Luweero District.

‘There are still some able-bodied men who use girls with disabilities. They impregnate them and run away. When you ask the girl who is responsible, she does not know because the man only comes at night,’ Mr Bayiiza said painfully. He added that he has repeatedly warned young women against men who appear only in the darkness. ‘I told my councillor that a man who seeks a relationship with you at night should not be welcomed. If you truly love a disabled woman, come during the day and introduce yourself,’ he said.

Mr Bayiiza also highlighted the daily struggles disability leaders face while executing their duties. ‘Some of my colleagues crawl to reach communities, others rely on crutches, wheelchairs, or borrowed transport. We face many challenges during our work. Support like wheelchairs, crutches, glasses, and mobility canes would make a huge difference, especially for those deep in the villages,’ he said. He urged parents to stop hiding disabled children out of shame.

‘Take them to school. One day, they can become important people, even ministers. My parents once said I didn’t understand anything, but today they seek advice from me,’ he said.

Among the beneficiaries was Ms Nusula Nanyanzi, the Luweero District Woman Councillor for Persons with Disabilities. Born disabled alongside her late brother, she credits her resilience to her father’s encouragement. ‘He always told us that we would be powerful people even if we were disabled. I am in a wheelchair, but there is nothing I cannot do because my brain functions well,’ she said. A mother of three and a traditional birth attendant, Ms Nanyanzi detailed the harsh realities of her work.

‘Transport is my biggest problem. Sometimes I have to hire expensive transport to refer expectant mothers with complications. I also lack sterile tools, gloves, and disinfectants, yet my people need me,’ she said. She expressed gratitude for the support received-household items, clothes, mama kits, shoes, and financial aid for her small shop. ‘If possible, the Ramadhan Foundation can even lobby for us to have a car. We shall serve our people better,’ she said. Mr Moses Kibirige Ssebunya, the founder and CEO of Ramadhan Foundation, said the organisation collects aid from community members and redistributes it to those in need.

‘You may find people with items they no longer use-clothes, household goods-but these things can change someone’s life. We collect donations and give them directly to the needy,’ he explained.

He condemned those who exploit disabled children for profit. ‘Some people make children beg in town every day and take the money themselves. Even if you give them clothes, they won’t wear them because they want to appear miserable,’ he said. Mr Ssebunya emphasised that supporting individuals directly in their homes ensures help reaches the rightful beneficiaries. ‘We came today because we identified Ms Nanyanzi, a hardworking mother living with disability who supports many others. You help one hand, and that hand helps another. That is how communities grow,’ he said.

Uganda has taken a significant step towards producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), with a feasibility study revealing the country’s potential and capacity to produce SAF in the future.

The study, conducted by the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) in collaboration with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), highlights Uganda’s feedstock options, mainly based on waste, including agricultural residues and municipal solid waste.

Speaking at the public presentation of the feasibility study report on Monday, Mr Cesar Velarde, the lead consultant from ICAO’s Office of Environment, emphasised the double environmental benefit of SAF production, addressing circular economy and reducing aviation’s environmental impact.

“This is paving the road for the future of aviation in terms of making sustainable air transport, reducing dependence on energy sources, and providing opportunities in other areas outside aviation, such as agriculture, waste management, and energy industry,” Velarde said.

The study aligns with ICAO’s global aspirational goals to reduce emissions through SAF use. Some countries, including those in the European Union, India, and Brazil, are already implementing mandatory SAF use.

“Uganda’s aviation industry can benefit from SAF production, and it’s an opportunity for other sectors in the country,” Velarde added.

The next step involves a business implementation study to identify a viable SAF production project, attracting industry stakeholders and funding organizations.

“Our study identifies feedstock options that can achieve emission reductions of up to 80-90% in life cycle assessment, contributing to the decarbonisation of air transport,” Velarde explained.

Deputy Director General of UCAA, Ms Olive Birungi Lumonya, highlighted the importance of meeting global carbon emission reduction targets, particularly the 5 per cent goal for Africa.

“We’re happy to note that the visibility study confirms Uganda’s capabilities to manage SAF production. We’ll now focus on developing a business plan and implementing SAF production,” Birungi said.

The feasibility study is a significant milestone in Uganda’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable aviation industry.

She noted that fuel companies such as Tri-star have expressed readiness to adapt their systems for SAF Production.

The feasibility study report outlines Uganda’s potential for SAF Production and the government is expected to take steps to support the industry’s development.

Eng. Ronny Barongo, UCAA’s Director Safety, Security and Economic Regulation, expressed gratitude to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the UK government for their support in conducting the study.

Barongo emphasized Uganda’s commitment to environmental protection and climate change mitigation, highlighting the country’s participation in the ICAO Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) since 2019.

“The delivery of the Uganda SAF Feasibility Study report is both timely and transformative,” he said.

Barongo reaffirmed UCAA’s commitment to championing sustainability, fostering innovation, and ensuring Uganda keeps pace with global advancements in green aviation technologies.

He emphasized the need for coordinated effort, enabling policies, and sustained investment to adopt SAF.

“Uganda is poised to become a regional leader in sustainable aviation, supporting national climate objectives and ICAO’s vision to reduce international aviation’s CO2 emissions by 5% by 2030,” Barongo said.

The study provides a comprehensive assessment of Uganda’s potential to produce and use SAF, guiding collaborative action among government agencies, aviation industry partners, and stakeholders.

It analyzes factors determining the technical viability, economic feasibility, and sustainability of SAF projects in Uganda.

Meshach Okello, a supporter of opposition presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, was laid to rest on Sunday in Buyende District after being shot dead during a campaign rally in Iganga District.

The incident was condemned by the Electoral Commission on Saturday as its chairperson James Byabakama warned against the escalating tensions ahead of Uganda’s January 2026 elections.

Okello, 33, a Human Resource Management graduate who sold timber for a living, died Thursday after he was shot dead by security forces during a campaign activity of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party at the Railway Grounds in Iganga Municipality.

He is survived by six children and three wives. Uganda will hold its next General Election on January 15, 2026 to decide a new president in a race that has attracted 8 contenders including incumbent Museveni and Bobi Wine.

Police said the shooting occurred during an operation to disperse what they described as ‘unruly and violent crowds’ following Bobi Wine’s rally.

During the burial, local leaders and politicians called for accountability and condemned the killing.

‘Let us not kill our children and colleagues. Let us do what is expected of us. Today you have power, tomorrow you may not,’ said Mr Difansi Kalani, Speaker of Ndolwa Sub-county Council.

Ms Mutesi Kayanga, Female Councilor for Mutukula Sub-county in Iganga District, extended condolences to the family.

‘I send my heartfelt condolences to the relatives of the deceased, especially the widows. Be strong. It is God’s plan. We are deeply concerned about what happened,’ she said.

Rev. Kitimbo Robert, Vicar of Wesunire Parish in Buyende, urged mourners to reflect on life’s uncertainty.

‘No one knows the day, time, or type of death. Meshaki didn’t know he would die on November 29, but God knew. Let us prepare ourselves as we accept Jesus Christ,’ he preached.

NUP leaders have since vowed legal action. Jinja South East parliamentary candidate Paul Mwiru, representing the party president at the burial, said the government must answer for the shooting.

‘This government is carrying laws in their hands by killing people. They told us they don’t know who killed him, but they will find out. We want justice for Meshaki,’ Mwiru said.

Abedi Nasser Mudiobole, NUP’s Iganga flagbearer who witnessed the shooting, described Okello as peaceful.

‘I was there when Meshaki was shot dead. I have never seen anyone stoning or pointing at a police officer during the three rallies I attended in Iganga. People of Iganga are peaceful,’ he said.

Mudiobole added that an unmarked vehicle arrived and ‘started shooting,’ claiming some violence was staged.

The Uganda Police Force confirmed the incident in a statement on X, alleging officers faced ‘sustained attacks, including stone-throwing allegedly incited by the candidate.’

The police said several officers were injured and patrol vehicles damaged, warning that confronting security personnel ‘poses grave risks and will be met with firm, decisive action.’

But Bobi Wine condemned the shooting as a ‘cold-blooded murder,’ accusing security forces of targeting peaceful supporters.

‘After a very successful rally, police and military attacked us again as our supporters were going home. They fired live bullets at peaceful people, killing at least one comrade and injuring several others,’ he said, identifying Okello as shot through the head.

He named three others hospitalized as Samuel Nuwamanya (24), Naminya Banuli (44), and Faima Namusobya (24).

The party alleges security agents removed other bodies from the scene, though this is still being verified. Kyagulanyi added: ‘Museveni and his criminal regime must be held accountable for these crimes against humanity.’

Uganda’s political climate has been tense since campaigns began a month ago, with similar violence reported during the 2021 elections in the Busoga sub-region, leading to nationwide protests and arrests.

As Okello was laid to rest, mourners called for justice and accountability, mourning a young man described as ‘humble, hardworking, and peace-loving.’

Tanzania has quietly pulled off one of the biggest shifts in Uganda’s regional trade in a generation.

In just three years, it has moved from a secondary supplier in Uganda to the country’s single most important import source in East Africa, overtaking Kenya, the traditional heavyweight that has anchored Uganda’s import market for decades.

Bank of Uganda data shows how dramatic that turnaround has been.

In the year ended June 2023, Uganda imported $475.95m worth of goods from Tanzania, compared to $831.96m from Kenya.

Kenya’s lead seemed secure. But the next year flipped the story. Tanzania’s exports into Uganda surged nearly fourfold to $1.81b in the year to June 2024, while Kenya’s grew only marginally to $858.1m.

By June 2025, Tanzania widened the gap even further, supplying Uganda with $2.2b, compared to Kenya’s $1.19b.

Over three years, Tanzania’s footprint grew by about $1.73b, more than quadrupling, while Kenya’s rose by roughly $364m. Tanzania now supplies almost twice as much to Uganda as Kenya does.

For decades, Uganda’s import logic in East Africa has been Kenya-centred.

Kenya’s stronger industrial base, the Northern Corridor, and long-standing trading relationships made it Uganda’s default supplier for processed foods, household manufactures, construction materials, and a wide range of consumer goods.

But Tanzania’s rise suggests that Uganda’s trade gravity is rebalancing toward the Central Corridor and Tanzania’s expanding role as both a supplier and a transit economy. What was once a secondary route is now a primary artery.

Although Bank of Uganda doesn’t list commodity breakdowns, analysts indicate Tanzania’s dominance at this scale is typically driven by strategic, high-value inflows tied to corridor logistics, with the biggest drivers being petroleum and refined fuel products routed through Dar es Salaam, which carry a heavy value.

Alongside fuel, Tanzania has become a key channel for bulk industrial inputs such as cement and construction materials, major food staples and agro-commodities like rice, grain, sugar, and fish, and a growing flow of manufactured consumer goods moving through Tanzanian supply chains.

Uganda has also made occasional gold imports from Tanzania.

Uganda Revenue Authority Commissioner of Customs Asadu Kisitu Kigozi says the trade dynamics between Uganda and Tanzania reveal an interesting pattern of growth in volume and value, with a notable 70 percent of these imports being agricultural products such as rice, maize, groundnuts, and, to some extent, gold.

In contrast, he notes Uganda’s imports from Kenya are predominantly manufactured or processed goods, accounting for around 80 percent of the total.

‘This disparity highlights the complementary nature of our trade relationships with Tanzania and Kenya, with Tanzania meeting some of Uganda’s food security needs while Kenya plays a significant role in supplying our industrial and manufactured goods requirements,” he says.

In short, Tanzania is increasingly supplying Uganda’s essentials, fuel, bulk commodities, and corridor-linked inputs that keep transport, production, and household markets running.

Kenya’s story, by contrast, is not one of collapse. Its exports to Uganda are still rising, reaching $1.19b in the year to June 2025, the highest in the three-year window.

Uganda continues to import major volumes of processed foods, household goods, pharmaceuticals, and manufactured inputs from Kenya.

The difference is that Kenya’s growth has been incremental rather than transformational.

Dr Fred Muhumuza, a renowned economist, says that whereas Tanzania’s contribution to Uganda’s import basket has grown, “some of the imports are quite new compared to what we get from Kenya”.

Thus, he says, comparing Tanzania and Kenya should largely be restricted to value.

“We can’t say [Tanzania] is substituting Kenya entirely”, even as more manufactured products, freight, and insurance services are increasingly coming from Tanzania, he says.

Kenya remains a strong second, but no longer the anchor it once was.

Bank of Uganda data also shows how uneven the rest of Uganda’s regional import map has become.

Imports from DR Congo have steadily fallen from $82.05m in June 2023 to $63.37m in 2024 and $42.61m in June 2025, reflecting a shrinking lane likely shaped by instability, weaker production linkages, or shifting corridor economics.

South Sudan’s supplies dropped sharply from $132.7m to $29.6m before ticking up slightly to $36.34m, underscoring how border trade with South Sudan remains narrow and highly sensitive to security and currency pressures.

Rwanda is still small but rising fast, nearly tripling from $10.93m to $30.61m in the three years, suggesting deepening regional integration through specialised goods and re-export channels.

Burundi remains marginal, falling steeply and then stabilising at low levels from $8.58m to $2.1m and to $2.83m.

Tanzania’s overtaking of Kenya marks a structural change in Uganda’s regional economy. High-value essentials, especially fuel, gold re-exports, and corridor-critical goods, are reshaping who sits at the top of Uganda’s import hierarchy.

With the shift becoming more consolidated and growing stronger in the last three years, Dr Muhumuza says, this warrants “closer examination of the trade dynamics and implications for regional economic integration.”

This also means Uganda’s supply risk is now increasingly Tanzania-centred: disruptions on the Central Corridor, port delays, fuel price shocks, or policy shifts in Tanzania will transmit into Uganda more directly than before.

And perhaps most importantly, East African trade leadership is no longer automatic for Kenya. Kenya remains a major industrial supplier, but Uganda’s import future is now tied more tightly to Tanzania’s logistics, bulk-goods pipeline, and corridor power.

Quietly, steadily, and without much headline noise, Tanzania has become Uganda’s new import anchor in East Africa, rewriting a decades-old regional trade order in just three years.

Congratulations! You have protected your preteens and teenagers from social media. You are doing the most, in fact, everything at home is password-protected. You even go to work with the TV remote. No one knows the WiFi password, which you in fact change every 18 hours. For maximum security, the passwords are usually composed of ancient Greek symbols.

You check the cache and history of all gadgets in the house and have the skills to retrieve any deleted history. You are armed to the teeth when it comes to making sure that the big bad internet does not corrupt your very curious children, who are on school holiday now.

Keeping them safe from online influence and predators is a full-time job. That is why you chose that remote school in the middle of a swamp 5000km away from civilization. You cannot wait for the holiday to end so they can go back to safety, or so you think.

Well, let me tell you a story. The other day, I was on Instagram idling because I had data and time. I found a random account called Iron Man. Iron Man has 112k followers and 51posts and follows only three people. For context, I have eight posts, 377 followers, and I follow 1,314 , with one of my latest being Iron Man. In case you are wondering, all Iron Man posts are videos of his hands ironing clothes. And yet, he has views, many, at least more than many politicians I know.

After watching the ironing of three yellow, orange, and blue cotton shirts and one green linen trouser, I scrolled again and found another account of a self-proclaimed chef. His most trending video that day was of him beheading mukene (silver fish) with scissors. I watched that for a bit too. By the time I moved on, he had decapitated about 50 of them. I think he was going to cook them after. I will have to go back and watch the end.

Then I came across another account, which somehow led me to a TikTok video. That is where I found him. My colleague’s three-year-old son was on TikTok dancing on the housemaid’s account. She had taken the liberty of choreographing his little performances with herself in the background. At the end of the videos, she would applaud him and hug or give him a resounding high five. Then they would pout at the camera, complete with filters and all.

In one video, she seems to be taunting an ex-lover, saying that even if he left her, she had managed to move on and now even has a handsome and healthy three-year-old with her new lover. Said child (my colleague’s son) was then made to dance around and was awarded a high-five at the end.

I watched all 23 videos with my mouth open, wondering what the colleague was going to do when he found out that his little boy was a social media star and a prop in an online diary of a young woman scorned. The very social media that he has been working so hard to keep his older children away from.

He usually brags about his tight measures and the fact that he has managed to keep his family away from the internet. He has worked so hard that even if he is active on social media, he never posts photos of his children or wives (known and unknown) on the web.

The only reason I know his children is because every morning at work, he walks to anyone nearest to him to show them pictures of the children and regale them with tales of how his toddler can now say, ‘A, B, C, D’. His siblings; all three of them younger than him, are not allowed to post any photos taken with his children on any of their social media accounts.

So now, on top of stalking the children and siblings’ use of social media, he has to stalk his housemaid. What about the gateman? I wonder who else is auditioning little junior on social media while my colleague and the rest of the family are away at school and work.

This got me thinking. You know how your company has a social media policy with all members of the company expected to abide by it; should it be the same our homes? When hiring help, one might have to clearly state where the family stands on social media posts.

Of course, I told my colleague about the videos. I would want to know if it were me.

Last week saw the police press the reset button by removing all discernment, to return to the 2021 violence levels in the Ugandan elections. The preceding campaign days were more like the calm before the storm moments. The world watched on in utter disbelief of what had become of all the statesman show that preceded this week’s turn of events where campaigns had been largely peaceful. It’s on those moments where the real ruling party supporters were starting to hold their heads high to remind the population of the ‘peace’ they claimed to have brought.

Yet the security forces reminded us that peace in Uganda is too often traded for violence and coercion, especially if you support the ‘wrong’ side. It makes it very difficult to listen to the right political messages if the headlines are instead awash with violence and atrocities by our security forces. Violence, whether physical or emotional, shatters the very foundations of trust which a government is built upon. It is like a family head who provides food and shelter but withdraws his role and turns violent when he disagrees with his wife.

The children, innocent of the quarrel, are forced to taste the bitterness of that anger, catching stray bullets. Such trauma and wounds can last a lifetime. No one wins when a home breaks down. Just as force has no place in resolving marital discord, it has no place in our nation’s political life. At the height of the Covid-era elections, my family received a distress call from Mityana. My maternal uncle, thrilled to see the NUP party presidential flagbearer Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) in his district, forgot the unwritten rule to, ‘never show genuine excitement when the candidate is not from the ruling party.’ The security forces reminded him of this sin by striking his head with batons. His jaw was broken and was rushed to hospital, where they found a clot had formed in his brain from the good beating he received. He was pronounced dead and buried fast to follow Islam traditions.

I was embarrassed to pick up my National Resistance Movement (NRM) registration card, fearing it would hurt my family even more. All the branding, the catchy Tubonga Naawe song, the excitement of being a new voter, vanished in the face of relentless beatings depicted by the media and felt even in my own household. How could I vote for those who had caused death to one of us? This is just one among the many such stories around that much dreaded election.

The NRM government says it so loved Uganda that it had to start a war and win it to come to power to bring freedom of expression and so on. And yet the bible teaches us that love is not rude, love is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. If they really love a peaceful Uganda, why always stimulate violence and then justify it with petty rally incidences only recorded from the Opposition’s side? The truth is that supporting the Opposition in Uganda is a crime. Campaigns are tolerated only to lend legitimacy to the government’s next international loans. We were never prepared for multiparty politics, nor for dissent even within our own parties.

Like a husband rushing into marriage without maturity, our leaders have not learned how to handle disagreement without violence. Or they feigned the lack of knowledge to hide from the truth of exhaustion with their politics and lack of change and thereby stifling dissent. Consider the central region. It contributes the most to the national account yet receives the harshest beatings when it voices anger over corruption and mismanagement. Instead of being given more say at the table, it is silenced through coercion and intimidation, more like taxpayers being treated as real slaves under the mask of democracy.

I keep wondering why police should beat up a shopkeeper for two hours if they deviate from a human made plan, which is prone to errors, and yet, they often close the same roads and disrupt lives and traffic whenever the President’s convoy passes? Uganda has 46 million people. Electing 45,000 leaders should not cause rifts so deep that lives are lost. Are we so unimportant that the 99.9 percent must either be killed, beaten, coerced, intimidated or silenced so the 0.1 percent can collect more taxes? If polls only pass the ‘show of force’ test but fail the legitimacy test, perhaps we should admit we are staging democracy rather that practicing it.

No amount of public relations can justify violence. When you control all the weapons, you already hold ultimate power. You don’t need to starve, kill, or teargas dissent away. Please don’t kill us.

Joseph Mabirizi, a Conservative Party presidential aspirant, claimed on Sunday that more than three million Ugandans have been mobilized to ‘rise and fight’ against possible manipulation by the Electoral Commission under Chair Simon Byabakama.

At least all recent victories for Museveni declared by the Electoral Commission (in 2001, 2006, 2016, and 2021) were unsuccessfully challenged in court.

Byabakama was only in charge during the 2021 election and is overseeing the forthcoming January 15 poll, the run-up to which has already seen deadly violence claiming one life, leaving many injured, over 100 opposition supporters arrested, and several others unaccounted for.

‘We have already mobilized more than 3 million people to rise and fight against Byabakama’s EC if it tries to rig the election,’ Mabirizi said during the 2025 NTV/Spark TV debate at Serena Hotel, referencing Uganda’s deeply contested electoral environment.

Mabirizi added: ‘We have offered a safe landing for the predecessor to be (Museveni) and that’s very important. We have already written to him. I want to arrest the fears of voters who have given up on elections.’

Security and governance reforms dominated the debate, as participants voiced long-standing concerns over ‘state capture and the politicization of security services.’

Frank Bulira Kabinga of the Revolutionary People’s Party (RPP) warned that ‘insecurity could destabilize the country within a week.’

He pledged to professionalize the army, demilitarize the police – renaming it the Uganda Police Service – and strengthen community policing, as he criticized the current system as deliberately brutal.

‘People are not safe at all due to the insecurity caused by brutality of security forces,’ he lamented.

Mugisha Muntu Oyera, of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), stressed that empowering citizens and ensuring justice are key to stability.

‘We’ve been to many places and people are sleeping with animals. When we have such insecurity, you can’t control people who are desperate. The only way to tackle insecurity by empowering people. Peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of justice,’ he said, warning that deploying the army and police without respect for law risks creating a ‘time bomb.’

Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, Museveni’s closest challenger in the disputed 2021 election, linked insecurity to state capture.

‘The UPDF is reduced to a tool of oppression. Promotion and recruitment shall be on merit. While I’m president, I will never use the military to play politics,’ he said, pledging zero tolerance for corruption and presenting himself as a disciplined alternative capable of uniting the country.

First time presidential candidate Nathan Nandala Mafabi, of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), connected what he described as Uganda’s excessive security spending to inequality.

‘The government’s budget for security is Shs9.7 trillion protecting an individual. If people have what to eat and limited inequalities, there would be fewer security threats,’ he said, calling for defunding the security forces, reduced presidential powers, restored term limits, and stronger institutions.

Still oon Sunday, Mabirizi and candidate Frank Bulira advocated federalism as a counterbalance to centralised power.

‘Regional governments will handle local issues while collaborating with the main government to solve shared problems,’ he said.

The Electoral Commission did not immediately respond to Mabirizi’s claim, with the debate taking place late Sunday night, outside official govoernment working hours.

But Byabakama has repeatedly promised a free and fair election, including while addressing journalists last Wednesday.

Uganda will hold its next General Election on January 15, 2026 to decide a new president.

Police in Uganda have raised concerns over the safety of campaign boat processions on Lake Victoria, where supporters escort candidates to rallies in wooden boats, often in ways that could lead to fatalities.

According to Twaha Kasirye, the Greater Masaka Regional Police Spokesperson, such practices endanger lives.

‘First, they have no life jackets to survive in case of an accident. Second, they are standing and dancing, making movements in the boat. Any slight wave could cause an accident,’ he said.

Kasirye noted that the boats are also driven recklessly and at high speed, which could lead to a boat collision ending in a fatal accident. He urged candidates and their supporters to prioritize safety while traveling on water.

‘We don’t expect them to overload these boats. Those driving should do so safely, ensuring everyone on board has a life jacket and avoiding unnecessary movements that may disrupt the boat’s balance,’ Kasirye said.

Political analyst Bambalazaabwe Semakula noted that boat processions are usually meant to boost a candidate’s visibility and political momentum, but candidates have a duty to take responsibility for the safety of their supporters.

‘Politicians need people, and supporters being reckless in a boat, whether it is moving fast or not is a risk to life,’ Semakula said. He advised supporters to wait at landing sites and welcome candidates from the shore rather than sail dangerously in processions.

Semakula also pointed to the hidden hazards beneath the lake surface, saying, ‘From 2018, water levels rose and submerged rocks we once knew. These rocks are still there, though invisible. It’s very easy for a boat in a procession to hit one and people drown.’

Another political analyst, Semafumu Kagwa, said safety is not only the responsibility of the candidates but also of the supporters themselves. ‘This is not only the mandate of candidates but also of supporters. They should join processions knowing they are safe while traveling on water,’ he said.

Kagwa urged especially the youth, who form the majority in these campaign boat processions, to prioritize their safety during the election period.

Every few centuries, the world undergoes a demographic shift so dramatic that it alters global power, reshapes economies, and reorganises entire populations. The last great shift, the labour shortages in Europe from the 14th to 17th centuries, contributed to the rise of the transatlantic slave trade. Today, a new shift is underway, but instead of chains and ships, it arrives dressed in policy language, ‘skills partnerships,’ and diplomatic courtesy.

Europe is ageing rapidly and irreversibly. This is not a political opinion; it is a statistical emergency. Eurostat’s 2025 Demographic Report* warns that: Europe’s median age will rise to 49 years by 2050; the working-age population is shrinking by three million people every year; and fertility rates remain among the lowest in the world, with Southern Europe as low as 1.2. This demographic crash has profound consequences. Fewer young workers means fewer taxpayers to fund social services, fewer caregivers for Europe’s expanding elderly population, and fewer workers to sustain industries already struggling with shortages. It is in this context that Europe is increasingly turning its gaze outward, and the gaze has landed squarely on Africa.

In recent months, several European states have either proposed or quietly begun exploring new labour-recruitment channels targeting African youth. In the Netherlands, a prominent government advisory body recommended sourcing workers from Kenya, Uganda, and Indonesia, a proposal that made headlines in the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad. Germany has expanded its ‘Triple Win’ recruitment scheme for care workers, targeting African countries after bilateral negotiations with Ghana and Kenya. Portugal and Italy are reviewing quotas for agricultural and logistics workers sourced from outside the EU.

These shifts are not random: Africa has the youngest population on earth, with a median age of under 20. Uganda’s median age, just 17, is even younger. If Europe is facing a demographic winter, Africa is experiencing a demographic summer. The contrast is now driving political strategy. But Ugandans must understand a crucial truth: this is not a humanitarian opportunity – it is a structural demand. Whenever a wealthy region faces a demographic crisis, history shows that it looks outward for labour. History also shows that the conditions of that labour seldom prioritise dignity or rights for those recruited. The modern language has changed – ‘labour mobility,’ ‘legal pathways,’ ‘skills circulation’, but the power relations remain the same.

This is the uncomfortable déjà vu: a continent with demographic privilege becomes a target for a continent with demographic decline. Yet Uganda enters the 2026 election season with no meaningful national conversation about this emerging global scramble for African workers. Our debates remain stuck in personalities – who sings better, who draws larger crowds, who insults who while tectonic global forces quietly position Uganda’s youth as the next export commodity.

This is not a partisan issue. It is a national survival issue. If Uganda does not develop a clear, sovereign policy on external labour recruitment, we risk repeating the mistakes of our past, allowing external powers to determine the fate of our young people while our leaders prioritise short-term political calculations. The urgent questions for Ugandans as we approach the ballot box are, therefore, not simply: Who do you support? Who speaks most passionately? But: Who understands the global demographic storm heading our way – and who has a plan to protect Uganda’s youth from becoming Europe’s demographic solution?

Because the world is reorganising. And if Uganda is not prepared, we will be reorganised by it.

Essay 2 – ‘Soft Words, Hard Realities: How Modern Policy Language Masks Exploitation.’ Ciao

After their 3-0 derby win over Asubo Ladies in the Finance Trust Bank Fufa Women Super League (FTBFWSL), Kawempe Muslim players met their new benefactor and president of Vipers Lawrence Mulindwa.

Kawempe and Vipers entered into a partnership ahead of the 2025/26 season to fulfill a club licensing requirement that requires top flight sides in both the men’s and women’s categories to have a team of the opposite gender.

The partnership, according to Kawempe coach Ayub Khalifa, sees Vipers support Kawempe with the players that not based in the school (Kawempe Muslim SS) and also allows them to play at St. Mary’s Stadium Kitende whenever they can.

Such an opportunity arose this past Saturday with Kawempe hosting Asubo on the same day Vipers were hosting SC Villa in the men’s Uganda Premier League.

Kawempe dominated against their fellow but somewhat disorganized Kawempe division side. Asubo arrived in Kitende with about 30 minutes to kick-off and were stopped by the match officials from warming up as the game was live on televsion and also a strict schedule needed to be kept to allow for the UPL clash later.

However, like most derbies it was not an easy affair. Coach Jessy Lukoki’s Asubo fought hard to stay in the game in the first half despite conceding in the second minute to Agnes Nabukenya’s freekick.

But the sustained pressure from Kawempe paid off in the second half. A 75th team move, involving Krusum Namutebi switching the ball to Nabukenya to exchange passes with Latifah Nakasi before laying it on the plate for Dorcus Kisakye, brought the second goal. Then Asia Nakibuuka made it 3-0 two minutes later to push Kawempe to 25 points in nine matches and Asubo bottom on four points.

The promise

“I have been longing to meet you all but I did not know you play this well,” Mulindwa told the players and officials at an early dinner between the games.

“I have followed this team for quite some time, especially through him (Khalifa) and the headteachers Hajj (Ibrahim) Matovu and (Bruhane) Mugerwa plus now Hajjati (Zulaika Kibirige) and I am impressed with the consistency.

“Kawempe must have started girls’ football in the early 2000s and they have outlived everyone that tried including us at St. Mary’s College Kitende. We have been attending the National Post Primaries together and you have always had two strong teams in boys and girls’ football.

“If you talk about women’s football and you do not talk about Kawempe, you would be a ‘zonto’. We have never been at loggerheads and we have both contributed to the growth of football in the country.

“That is why when we looked for a team to partner with, we came to you. We have the same ambitions. We treasure this marriage and hope we will have it for long,” Mulindwa, who was flanked by his daughter Claire plus Vipers’ chief executive officer Simon Njuba, said.

He rewarded the team with Shs2m “for entertaining us this afternoon” and told them “win the league and you will fail to carry the money.”

She Corporate beat KQ

Good omen followed Kawempe through the weekend as their main rivals Kampala Queens lost 3-2 at home to another rival She Corporate at MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo on Sunday. For four seasons, KQ had not lost to any other team other than Kawempe and now they have lost to two different teams back to back.

Jesca Namanda scored a second half brace, including a penalty won off KQ keeper Gloria Namugerwa by Rebecca Nakato, within five minutes of the restart to put the visitors 2-0 up. But Marrion Amangat pulled one back for the hosts in the 67th minute. However, Namanda immediately responded by completing a hattrick in the 70th minute.

Catherine Nagadya scored in the 77th minute to ignite a late rally by KQ but they were let down by poor finishing as they fell eight points behind Kawempe and three behind She Corporate. Nothing much changed elsewhere on the 12-team table as the other four matches produced stalemates.

FTBFWSL RESULTS

Kawempe Muslim 3-0 Asubo

Makerere University 1-1 Lady Doves

Rines SS 1-1 Amus College

Olila HS 1-1 She Maroons

Kampala Queens 2-3 She Corporate

St. Noa Girls0-0 Uganda Martyrs

FTBFWSL TABLE

Kawempe Muslim 9 8 1 0 17 4 25

She Corporate 9 6 2 1 15 6 20

Kampala Queens 9 5 2 2 20 10 17

St. Noa Girls 9 3 4 2 14 9 13

Amus College 9 3 4 2 13 9 13

She Maroons 9 3 3 3 11 8 12

Rines SS 9 2 5 2 7 10 11

Uganda Martyrs 9 2 3 4 9 12 9

Lady Doves 9 1 4 4 9 12 7

Makerere University 9 1 4 4 7 12 7

Olila HS 9 0 4 5 4 17 4

Asubo 9 0 4 5 5 22 4