Category: Daily Monitor

After 17 years of lying idle, a key water project in northern Uganda has come back to life. The government has fully restored Leye Dam in Kole District, marking a major boost for irrigation, fishing and other production activities that had stalled for nearly two decades.

Leye Dam, located in Leye Village, Telela Parish in Ayer Sub-county, was constructed around 2006 by the Ministry of Water and Environment with World Bank funding. The Shs4 billion multipurpose facility was expected to transform the area by supporting irrigation, aquaculture, and other economic ventures. But by 2016, the dam had become heavily infested with aquatic weeds, making it unusable.

Eng Ronald Kato Kayizzi, the Assistant Commissioner for Water for Production, said the infestation crippled all activities that the dam was built to support.

‘Leye Dam became impossible for people to utilise it for the intended purpose. And the investors and communities that had come in with the fish cages could no longer do business. But we also think that the aquatic weed was attributed to people who brought in infested fishing nets from other water bodies,’ he said during a visit to the site on Wednesday, November 26, 2025.

He said government intervened to rehabilitate the dam and restore its functions. ‘It has been restored, and the ministry, through the department of Water for Production and our regional office, is going to ensure that we undertake micro-scale irrigation by the beneficiaries who are around the water body,’ he added.

The rehabilitated dam was officially commissioned on Wednesday, November 26.

Mr Joe Okello, chairperson of the water user committee, praised the contractor who cleared the weeds, saying the dam is ‘now back in action’ and providing the much-needed water for production.

Kole LC5 chairperson Moses Andrew Awany described the restoration as a milestone, especially at a time when the country is struggling with the effects of climate change and its reliance on rain-fed agriculture.

The Ministry of Water and Environment has intensified efforts to address water management challenges, including removing water hyacinth and other invasive weeds choking Uganda’s water bodies.

According to Kole Resident District Commissioner Jillian Akullo, the successful restoration demonstrates the NRM government’s commitment to strengthening water infrastructure and promoting sustainable water management.

Sustainability plan

As part of the sustainability strategy, beneficiary communities will be encouraged to take up apiary and ventures such as duck rearing, with ducks helping to control aquatic weeds biologically.

The district has also set up a technical support team comprising the production, community services and water departments to develop an operation and management plan focusing on watershed protection.

‘We have planted a number of trees, and as part of the Roots campaign, the Ministry of Water and Environment has a plan to plant the number of trees equivalent to Uganda’s population every year,’ Eng Kato said.

‘So, we are encouraging everyone in your homestead. to plant a tree, where there is a possibility to plant as many as a hundred.’

Communities are also being encouraged to conserve wetlands and other ecosystems. Eng Kato said those who had encroached on low-lying catchment areas have been persuaded to move and will be supported to adopt alternative livelihoods.

‘So, we are going to ensure that they get alternative livelihoods to what they have been doing. Instead of rice, we are moving them to irrigation of high-value crops,’ he said.

Contestants in the Budiope East parliamentary race in Buyende District, Eastern Uganda, have dismissed as propaganda claims that incumbent Member of Parliament, Mr Hashim Moses Magogo is running unopposed.

Mr Magogo, who also serves as the President of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), is the husband of the Speaker of Parliament and Bukedea Woman MP, Ms Anita Among, who was also declared unopposed in her constituency.

They said the Electoral Commission (EC) duly nominated five candidates whose campaigns were harmonised and published.

The nominated candidates include: Mr Moses Hashim Magogo (NRM), Mr Daniel Mulirire (Independent),Mr Stephen Bangalana (Independent), Mr Peere Rabinson (PFF) and Ms Resty Nsiro (Independent).

Mr Magogo may join the growing list of unopposed candidates for the 12th Parliament if the EC Tribunal upholds petitions challenging his rivals’ nominations.

Four voters; Mr Humaru Waiswa, Mr Jackson Mandella, Mr Ibrahim Yeeko, and Mr Ayubu Baliise filed complaints questioning the eligibility of four aspirants: Mr Stephen Bangalana, Resty Nsiro, Daniel Mulirire, and Robinson Peere.

The petition against NRM-leaning candidate Mr Stephen Bagalana alleged that he failed to present the minimum number of nominators required for an independent candidate under the Parliamentary Elections Act.

Another complaint accuses independent candidate Ms Resty Nsiro of forging 10 signatures. The petitioner alleges that the people Ms Nsiro presented as nominators denied ever endorsing her, and she has not appeared before the Tribunal despite being summoned.

A separate challenge targets NRM’s Daniel Mulirire, with petitioner Ibrahim Yeeko claiming he is a serving police officer who did not resign six months before nomination, as required by law. Mr Mulirire has been summoned to defend himself.

The candidates have accused the EC of setting ‘a dangerous precedent’ by nominating aspirants and later attempting to disqualify them on grounds of petitions allegedly questioning their paperwork.

They argue that the commission must take full responsibility for any nomination errors since all documents were submitted and vetted before clearance.

Mulirire denounces rumors of withdrawal

Addressing the media at Century Heritage Hotel Kagulu in Buyende District, Mr Mulirire dismissed reports that he had withdrawn from the race or been disqualified for non-compliance.

Mr Mulirire said one of the allegations raised against him is that he did not resign from his previous job early enough, a claim he described as baseless.

‘We are here to pour cold water on this bogus claim. I resigned one and a half years ago and I had the resignation letter at nomination. It wasn’t even listed as a requirement on the nomination forms,’ he clarified.

Mr Mulirire reaffirmed his loyalty to First Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rebecca Kadaga,

He said he is being politically witch-hunted for standing by First Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rebecca Kadaga and describing her as his mentor and political icon.

Mr Mulirire vowed to resist intimidation, harassment, and pledged to continue campaigning while opposing any attempts to manipulate the race in favour of the incumbent.

When contacted, Mr Stephen Bangalana, one of the contestants, said he has neither withdrawn nor been disqualified, but contended that the Magogo team lodged a case against him before the Electoral Commission, which is yet to be heard.

‘These people are playing diversionary politics and using all sorts of mind games he is used to in football,’ he told this publication. I was allegedly sued, but the EC has remained silent. We have not appeared before it, and they are now using this as a campaign tool to influence voters,’ he said.

‘We are getting jittery, suspicious and pushed to the wall,’ said Mr Charles Galimaka, a political talk-show host and chairperson of the Greater Kamuli Media Association.

‘How does the Electoral Commission nominate a candidate and later claim the same person lacked certain signatures or documents? What we are seeing is money and influence taking over democracy,’ he said.

Mr Galimaka compared previous electoral processes under former Electoral Chairpersons, Mr Stephen Besweri Akabway and Engineer Badru Kiggundu, saying they handled elections better.

He expressed concern that under the current leadership, the Commission is turning electoral disputes into ‘courtroom dramas.’

He also condemned what he termed as the growing monetisation of politics, warning that it undermines democratic principles and weakens public accountability.

Mr Ayub Baliise, Mr Magogo’s official campaign agent, said their camp does not fear competition and remains confident of defeating the combined forces.

‘Our candidate has nothing to fear. It is the voters, acting in their individual capacity not Magogo who filed the petitions, and it is now up to the Electoral Commission to receive, hear, and give its verdict,’ he said.

Mr Magogo was declared winner of the NRM ticket for Budiope East with 63,758 votes, followed by Mr Geoffrey Dhamuzungu with 15,177 votes and Mr Mulirire garnered 2,127 votes.

Former Budiope East MP Mr Dhamuzungu pulled out of the race after the primaries, citing family pressure and consultations.

Mr Dhamuzungu, who was the main challenger, lost his father during the nomination week and announced his withdrawal at the burial.

‘Following a family meeting, and in respect of my father’s wish that I refrain from the fluid politics, I have decided to step out of the race,’ he said.

The EC Tribunal, chaired by Justice Simon Byabakama, is currently handling over 100 nomination disputes ahead of the 2026 elections

So far, 10 parliamentary candidates, including Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, and several representatives for women, youth, older persons, and persons with disabilities have already been confirmed unopposed.

The government has asked power dam operators to emulate Bujagali Energy Limited by developing their own emergency preparedness and response plans (EPRPs).

Mr Dominic Banaga Mucunguzi, an assistant commissioner for water resources, planning, and management at the Ministry of Water and Environment, called on dam operators to benchmark Bujagali Energy Limited’s new EPRP and create similar plans to prevent disasters in the future. ‘If these dams are exposed to danger, their breakdown affects many people in the country. Let all stakeholders in the power industry take this matter seriously,’ he said, warning that weak safety management at power-generating facilities puts the nation at risk.

Averting disasters

Speaking during a sensitisation meeting on Bujagali Energy Limited’s hydropower plant EPRP in Jinja recently, Mr Mucunguzi stressed that every dam operator should have an EPRP in place to avert potential disasters. He identified key communities in disaster management at dams as local leaders, the police, and Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces officers, who play a frontline role during evacuations in emergencies. While downplaying threats from the current floods affecting parts of the country, since they flow into water sources and increase volumes before flooding begins around dam areas, Mr Mucunguzi advised dam operators to regularly inspect water gates and reservoirs, emphasising their importance when river and lake levels rise.

At the meeting, Mr Alaister McDoughall, the general manager of Bujagali Energy Limited, highlighted that digital alerts have been installed at the plant to mitigate risks. He explained that stakeholders are currently being sensitised about the safety measures included in the EPRP. ‘We were recently in Kampala sensitising the public about the EPRP, and now we are here with the people on the ground preparing them on how to respond to risks,’ he said, adding that stakeholders are being guided on what actions to take in case of an emergency at the dam.

Mr Michael Taremwa Kananura, the chief finance officer of Bujagali Energy Limited, noted that since the company launched the first-ever EPRP campaign in October, Bujagali has generated its highest energy output of 149,335 MWh since commissioning in August 2012. He added that the company posted its lowest resultant tariff in eight years at $6.79 cents, compared to the record low of $6.22 cents in September 2018. This performance, he explained, is driven by increased domestic demand and higher exports to Kenya.

Mr Fredrick Wasike, the head of safety at Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), which manages the Karuma Dam in northern Uganda, as well as Kiira and Nalubaale in Jinja, observed that investing in an EPRP is far less costly than managing disasters. ‘Managing preparedness is cheaper than disaster handling. You just imagine how much it can cost to put up a signpost warning the public about the risky areas at the Dam. Compare that to the expenditure of evacuation if there is a problem,’ Mr Wasike said. He appealed to power dam operators to continually assess their facilities to avoid catastrophes.

The Electoral Commission (IEC), in partnership with civil society organisations, has launched a nationwide campaign aimed at securing a peaceful and violence-free general election in 2026. The drive focuses on community dialogue and sensitisation, particularly among groups often linked to election-related violence such as youth, boda boda riders, taxi operators and traders.

Mr Franklin Okello, the Executive Director of the Gulu NGO Forum, said civil society cannot afford to stand aside as the electoral body prepares for the next general election.

‘As the Gulu NGO Forum, we feel that we have a very important role to play in this election. There is no question that an election is one of the most important activities in our country. We therefore want to ensure that we have a peaceful election. Ugandans deserve better, and we want to be part of that country,’ he said.

Mr David Magarra of the Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy said the campaign, run under the Tuongea (Let’s Talk Peace) programme, has been moving across the country to encourage peaceful participation ahead of the polls.

‘Under the Let’s Talk Peace campaign, particularly with the caravan, is to assure young people and the population that we can have a peaceful election. So, the message we pursue today is all about peaceful elections,’ he said.

He emphasised that every Ugandan has a role to play in preventing election-related violence, adding that Gulu, Lira, Masaka, Kasese and Mbale remain areas of concern due to previous incidents.

‘We are doing this national campaign based on the study that we did between the period of May and August, which highlighted key hotspots. In Northern Uganda, Gulu and Lira came out very profoundly.’

Mr Francis Odongyoo, the Executive Director of Human Rights Focus (HURIFO), warned that biased enforcement of the law by security agencies-especially during opposition campaigns-could fuel unnecessary tension.

‘Police should act within the law. It should also refrain from enforcing the law selectively. Blocking opposition candidates without any justifiable reasons will create tension which could have been avoided if they had remained neutral,’ he said.

Gulu City Returning Officer, Mr Mike Jjuko, said preparations are progressing well and the Commission has hired competent staff to ensure a credible process.

‘We are working towards a peaceful election. We are now done with the two phases of the election,’ he said.

Ms Fionah Opoka, the Regional Senior Human Rights Officer at the Uganda Human Rights Commission, said the Commission continues to prioritise civic education despite operational challenges.

‘The civic education is ongoing. We will do it amidst all the challenges. We will ensure that Ugandans participate in this election without violating the rights of others,’ she said.

Former Mawogola North MP, Sam Kahamba Kutesa, has vowed to reclaim President Museveni’s overwhelming support in Sembabule District after the opposition drastically cut the President’s vote share from 98 percent to 56 percent in the last election.

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs was speaking at a meeting with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) leaders from the six sub-counties that make up Mawogola North— Kawanda, Mitima, Mijwala, Sembabule Town Council, Mabindo, and Lugusuulu— to strategize on restoring President Museveni’s victory margin, which they say has significantly reduced as the opposition gains ground.

During the Tuesday meeting held at his home in Kisekera, Lugusuulu Sub-county, Sembabule District, Mr Kutesa revealed that he was not supporting any parliamentary candidate this time, since his daughter, Shartis Musherure Nayebare, is not on the ballot and because he wants to avoid internal political fights.

Ms Musherure, who has been serving as Mawogola North Member of Parliament, pulled out of the race, much to the disappointment of many voters in the area.

‘This time, I have no Member of Parliament candidate I am supporting. My focus is only on ensuring that President Museveni gets at least 85 percent of the vote in Sembabule,’ Mr Kutesa said.

In the 2021 elections, President Museveni garnered 45,234 votes, while his closest rival, National Unity Platform (NUP)’s Robert Kyagulanyi, garnered 33,525 votes across the district.

Currently, six candidates are competing for the Mawogola North parliamentary seat. However, the main battle is emerging between NRM’s Sodo Aine Kaguta and Independent Candidate Jet Tumwebaze, although NUP’s Iddi Semata continues to win new support.

NRM leaders fear the party’s presidential vote share could fall even further from the already worrying 56 percent, prompting Kutesa to intervene to, as he put it, ‘save’ President Museveni’s numbers.

Mawogola North is currently represented by Kutesa’s daughter, Shartis Musherure Kuteesa, though the 2021 election was marred by disputes between her and Museveni’s brother Sodo Aine.

The tensions forced Aine to withdraw from the race. He was reportedly promised a smooth run in 2026, with Musherure stepping aside.

But Kutesa distanced himself from any parliamentary endorsement:

‘I am not backing anyone for MP. My mission is simple to secure victory for President Museveni and nothing else,’ he said.

He also issued a warning to NUP supporters who believe they can take over Sembabule.

‘Those who think they are going to overrun Sembabule, their journey ends here,’ Kutesa declared.

In the previous election, NUP won Mawogola South, where Gorreth Namugga secured 9,783 votes, defeating NRM’s Dez Byuma, who received 8,418 votes.

Kutesa said Sembabule politics has become increasingly chaotic, with every candidate ‘campaigning for themselves’ from the moment campaigns began.

NRM district chairperson Maj. Gen. Phinehas Katirima said the chaos stems from deep internal NRM divisions.

‘These wrangles have weakened the party’s support and left us without the resources we need,’ he said.

Sembabule RDC Jane Francis Kagayi urged party members to appreciate what the NRM has done and prioritise unity.

‘NRM members must recognise the achievements, protect the gains and stop these internal fights,’ she said.

NRM leaders from the six sub-counties echoed the call, saying internal conflicts have gravely damaged President Museveni’s vote margin.

The question now is whether the renewed force Kutesa has pledged will be enough to restore NRM’s strength in a district where almost every sub-county is embroiled in intrigue and internal disputes.

The High Court in Kampala has overturned a Shs1.5 billion bill of costs that had been imposed on the administrators of the estate of the late businessman and former Buganda Kingdom minister Muhammad Katimbo.

Earlier this year, the deputy registrar directed the family to pay the hefty sum to Katimbo’s former lawyers, Mugisha, Namutale and Co. Advocates. But the administrators, Hawiya Nabaale Katimbo, Hakim Kasirye, and Mariam Nannozi appealed, arguing that the taxation was marred by grave legal and procedural errors, resulting in an excessive and unjustified award. In her ruling, High Court Judge Jacqueline Mwondha agreed with the administrators, finding that the taxation lacked a proper legal basis, and that the Registrar acted outside the law.

Justice Mwondha faulted several items in the questioned bill of costs, including a Shs1 million award for a purported six-hour client meeting that the Registrar did not adequately justify. ‘This cost is not justified, and the reasons for the award are not explicitly explained,’ the judge stated. Furthermore, the judge criticised the award of Shs400 million as instruction fees for opposing an application for a temporary injunction, noting that the prescribed fee for such work is only Shs300,000. ‘The law is clear that while a taxing officer has discretion to increase instruction fees, such discretion must be exercised judiciously and in line with established principles,’ Justice Mwondha ruled.

She added: ‘Where awards are so excessive as to amount to an injustice, an appellate court is entitled to interfere.’ Registrar faulted for errors In her ruling, Justice Mwondha cited numerous failures by the deputy registrar, including: absence of valuation of the subject matter, crucial for computing instruction fees, generalised taxation without item-by-item analysis or reasons. Others were excessive, arbitrary awards reaching over Shs100 million in simple applications, and rulings lacking proper reasoning, discretion, or reference to the Advocates (Remuneration and Taxation of Costs) Rules.

Given these shortcomings, Justice Mwondha held that the taxation rulings, orders, awards, and certificates issued on January 24, were invalid. Going forward, the judge set aside all the taxation rulings, orders, awards, and certificates issued on January 24, with no order for costs. She also directed that the bill of costs be re-taxed before another judicial officer. ‘The re-taxation must strictly follow the applicable rules, including review of the instruction letter, proper itemisation, and proportionality to the subject matter,’ she held.

Family accuses deputy registrar

In their submissions, the administrators argued that the deputy registrar misapplied the rules governing assessment of legal costs, used incorrect application numbers, failed to keep proper records, and did not provide a verbatim account of proceedings. They added that the registrar failed to determine and state the value of the subject matter-a key step in calculating instruction fees-which led to inflated and unlawful awards.

Law firm defends its claim

However, Mugisha, Namutale and Co. Advocates insisted the taxation was lawful and reasonable. The firm said it had represented the late Katimbo in multiple land disputes, including Kyaggwe Block 118 plots 18, 21, 23, 24, and 26, amounting to 200 acres and other land matters in Kangulumira, Kayunga District.

The law firm argued that the Shs1.5 billion represented only 10 percent of its original claim.

‘The deputy registrar was very lenient, having cut our bill of costs by 90 percent,’ the firm said. The matter will now go back for fresh taxation under a different judicial officer.

When Kenyan industrialist Narendra Raval broke ground on his company Devki’s new steel plant in Tororo at the weekend, flanked by President Museveni and Kenya’s President William Ruto, he credited Uganda’s vast iron-ore deposits, roughly 500 million tonnes, and its predictable tax regime for the investment. He added that Uganda does not allow the export of raw iron ore, so anyone wishing to trade in it must process it locally.

However, the story of the Sh2 trillion steel plant, which Raval described as the largest on the continent outside South Africa, is not straightforward. The deeper and more interesting reasons lie across the border in Kenya, and they provide a sample of something important about how East Africa is being economically rearranged from the ground up.

Tororo sits just across the border from Kenya’s Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) counties.

LREB comprises 14 counties, including Kisumu, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega and Nandi, with a combined population of about 14.9 million people, roughly 31.4 percent of Kenya’s total. That represents a vast, rapidly expanding internal market. Since devolution began, these counties have improved infrastructure, strengthened local economies, and deepened intra-county trade.

They are also Kenya’s population hotspots. More people means more consumers, more housing construction, more schools, more churches, more food products and, naturally, more demand for cement and steel.

This, therefore, is not just a Ugandan resource story; it is a cross-border demographic dividend play. Tororo companies, along with others in Mbale and Kapchorwa, are effectively leveraging Kenya’s population and economic growth without paying Kenyan land prices or navigating all of Kenya’s regulatory burdens.

Drive through western Kenya or along the highways that weave through Kericho, Kisumu, or Bungoma. You will see a striking number of Tororo Cement-branded lorries, a visual reminder that Uganda’s industrial footprint is already firmly embedded in the region.

The same story applies to Geossy and Rocksprings Fish Farms in Tororo. They export large volumes of fish daily to the Kenyan market, meeting demand driven partly by population growth and partly by the slow decline in Lake Victoria’s fish catch on the Kenyan side. A 2022 Aquaculture Road Map Uganda report lists Rocksprings as one of the country’s largest tilapia hatcheries, producing 24 million fingerlings annually.

Then there is water, a highly underrated but very real factor. Kenya’s per capita renewable freshwater availability was about 406 cubic metres in 2018 and is projected to drop to just 235 cubic metres this year. The LREB region is fortunate: it benefits from Lake Victoria and multiple rivers – Nyando, Yala, Nzoia, Sondu, and others – providing its water supply with far greater stability than much of Kenya.

That reliability provides a long-term natural advantage for agriculture, aquaculture and industry. For the next 30 years, this area will host some of the best fundamentals for small industry and food processing in Kenya, and any nearby Ugandan town will benefit from proximity.

Add these factors together, and you see why Devki’s steel plant is more than a Ugandan bet. It is a cross-border arbitrage: Uganda provides raw materials, stable tax rates, and processing capacity; Kenya offers a booming market, population growth, and water-secure counties.

Tororo, though improving, is still anaemic, but it is beginning to function almost like a satellite of the LREB region.

To understand why, one must look at what has changed in the LREB counties. Devolution channelled funds directly to local authorities and allowed leaders to make faster spending decisions. Infrastructure improved, markets expanded, health centres grew, and small towns became better governed. Even with corruption nibbling at budgets, the net effect has been transformative. Household incomes rose, construction boomed, small manufacturing plants opened, and thousands of new traders entered the food and retail economy.

A walk through Kisumu today is instructive. The city shows new discipline and order, with cleaner streets and more structured public spaces than you will often see in Kampala, which retains its unique talent for organised chaos.

Kenya is slowly shifting from a coastal and Nairobi-centred economic focus to one where inland population belts drive demand. Tororo, along with Mbale and Kapchorwa, is the nearest Ugandan urban centre to these rising counties, providing their businesses with a cheaper logistical route into the country. It would be immensely profitable for Uganda to replicate this model across all its borderlands.

Once these pieces are assembled, Devki’s steel plant looks less like a classic Ugandan investment and more like a clever bet on a cross-border subregional economy quietly taking shape. And if you ask me, it is the boldest bet of all.

It tells us that within the broader East African Community story, the integration that really matters for places like Tororo is not the headline politics in Arusha or the trade speeches in Kampala, but the everyday subregional system that works across borders.

When the Insurance Appeals Tribunal was set up in 2022, it was pitched as a faster, more specialised place for insurance disputes to be settled before they clogged courts.

Three years later, the numbers show that the Tribunal has quietly become the main arena for insurance fights, but not the final stop for everyone.

In its report for the 12 months ended June 2025, the Insurance Appeals Tribunal said it had handled 51 appeals since it opened.

Almost half of that work came in just one year, with 25 appeals concluded in the most recent reporting period.

Most of those disputes, the Tribunal noted, involved the kinds of covers Ugandans argue over every day: group life, motor comprehensive, and medical claims.

It’s the territory of ordinary policyholders: families pushing for life payouts, drivers contesting accident repairs, patients challenging what their medical policy should have covered.

Yet even as the Tribunal’s files have been piling up, the courts are holding surprisingly few insurance matters.

Speaking to insurance chief executive officers and industry leaders at a dialogue organised by Insurance Regulatory Authority, Justice Thomas Ocaya Ojele Rubanga of the Commercial Division of the High Court painted a vivid picture.

For instance, he said as of September 2025, at least 8,097 cases were pending in the Commercial Court, but only 27 were insurance matters.

In a system overwhelmed by thousands of disputes, insurance cases are a sliver.

Justice Ocaya pushed the comparison further, pointing out that even the money tied up in court insurance cases is low relative to the rest of commercial litigation.

‘Shs9b is the total value of these insurance disputes, yet the value of commercial court matters is about Shs3.6 trillion,’ he noted.

The implication was clear: insurance is not flooding the courts the way other sectors do. Most disagreements are being captured earlier, at the Tribunal level.

But the Tribunal is not absorbing everything. The 27 insurance-related cases currently in court show that a meaningful number still escalates beyond the Tribunal’s bench.

Some disputes, whether because of complexity, dissatisfaction, or sheer irreconcilability, keep climbing upward into the formal judiciary.

Justice Ocaya described what those stubborn cases look like. They are not only the everyday claims that dominate Tribunal work.

Court disputes span a wide range: construction policies, motor claims, life insurance, bancassurance, customs bonds, negligence, fraud, machinery cover, trade and loan covers, subrogation, reinsurance, and third-party suits.

In other words, fewer cases, but heavier ones, often technical, corporate, or legally intricate.

Settling disputes

IRA chief executive officer Ibrahim Kaddunabbi Lubega said that, whereas litigation remains low, it is important that this is not taken for granted.

‘It is clear that cases go to court and keep lawyers busy, but they are not the parties in dispute. Two parties enter a commercial transaction; they should be able to conclude these matters themselves,’ he said.

Therefore, he noted that the Tribunal should not be treated as a conveyor belt to court, but as a genuine resolution point.

‘Clients don’t buy insurance to end up in court, they buy it to solve problems,’ he said.

From the industry side, Ronald Jaggwe of Swico acknowledged that while court cases are few, they still carry serious financial and reputational weight.

‘We must review and amend our policies to ensure clarity and transparency,’ he said, pushing for arbitration and better policy wording to reduce escalation.

He also warned that every unresolved fight, especially those that spill into court, feeds public mistrust.

‘Many people believe insurers don’t pay claims. By addressing disputes effectively and publicly, we can improve confidence and increase insurance uptake,’ he noted.

So the story the numbers tell is not that insurance disputes are rare. It’s that they are being rerouted.

The Tribunal is now the busy frontline: 51 appeals handled since 2022. The Commercial Court, by contrast, is a quieter second line: only 27 insurance cases on its docket, but often the more complex, high-stakes disputes that resisted settlement earlier.

In that gap between 51 and 27 sits the real evolution of insurance justice. The system is working better than before; most fights are being settled outside court.

But as Justice Ocaya’s figures show, and as Kaddunabbi and Jaggwe warn, a significant minority still ends up in litigation when trust collapses, or the issues get too knotty to resolve.

The Tribunal has changed the path of disputes, but it hasn’t ended them. It has simply become the place where most of them now begin, and, for many, where they finally end.

Uganda’s private sector leaders have reignited the long-standing national debate on the country’s access to the Indian Ocean, citing persistent trade disruptions, regional policy violations, and escalating risks that continue to hinder Uganda’s import and export flows.

The Uganda Chamber of Commerce (UCC), working with the Entrepreneurs’ League and other business associations, says the matter can no longer be ignored, especially after fresh complaints from traders and President Museveni’s recent remarks urging Ugandans to rethink the country’s reliance on neighbouring states for transit.

Speaking to journalists in Kampala on November 26, the lead counsel for the petition, Mr Edison Ruyondo, said the Chamber has formally petitioned the Attorneys General of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania to revisit and enforce legal frameworks that guarantee landlocked states access to the sea.

‘When there are riots and other disruptions in neighboring countries, it is Uganda that suffers the most, especially our business community. That is why we are excited as the Chamber to petition the three governments, this issue is long overdue,’ Mr Ruyondo said.

He noted that despite Uganda being landlocked, several international and regional instruments, some dating back decades, clearly outline Uganda’s right to secure transit routes, port access and coastal land for trade infrastructure.

These include the 1965 Convention on Transit Trade of Landlocked States, the East African Community Treaty amendment (2006), the East African Customs Union Protocol, provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1992), and national laws in Kenya and Tanzania.

‘Almost all these laws give clear guidance on how Uganda can access the sea and the ports where our goods are received, stored or dispatched. But some of these provisions have been violated by our partner states, and the violations have negatively affected the smooth transit of Ugandan goods,’ he said.

Mr Ruyondo cited port delays, arbitrary restrictions, increased charges, and congestion at Mombasa and Dar es Salaam as routine hardships for Ugandan importers and exporters.

He said the Chamber is asking the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) to compel Kenya and Tanzania to allocate Uganda a portion of coastal land for developing its own port facilities.

‘Our prayer is simple: Uganda should be allocated land along the Indian Ocean. This can be done through the legal provisions already in place so the business community is relieved from the repeated transit challenges we face,’ he said.

President Museveni’s stance renews urgency

UCC President Kalim Kalamaji said the private sector’s renewed push follows President Museveni’s sharp remarks cautioning Ugandans about overdependence on neighbouring states for ocean access.

‘After the President’s remarks, the business community realised that this is a crucial issue that needs immediate action. We need clear guidance from President Museveni on how we can move forward,’ Mr Kalamaji said.

He expressed disappointment that Kenya’s President William Ruto did not address the matter conclusively during his recent visit to Uganda, despite high expectations from traders.

Mr Moses Opolot, UCC’s Acting Secretary General, said the debate is not new but the urgency has intensified.

‘Since independence, Uganda has struggled with restricted access to the ocean, making imports and exports more costly. Enough is enough. The region has mechanisms such as the East African Court of Justice to handle disputes,’ he said.

He stressed that both regional and international laws not only allow but obligate coastal countries to facilitate access for landlocked states.

Ruto dismisses tensions

During his recent visit, President William Ruto moved to calm rising speculation, dismissing reports of strained relations as ‘negative propaganda.’

‘I know people in the media space, and it’s good I speak here to clarify that Uganda has always had access to the sea,’ he said, emphasising the strong ties between the two nations.

President Ruto criticised individuals amplifying the debate, arguing that such narratives distract from East Africa’s wider development agenda.

His remarks followed President Museveni’s earlier statement in Mbale, where he reminded Ugandans that international law guarantees Uganda freedom of transit to the ocean as a landlocked nation.

The two leaders maintain that Uganda and Kenya remain committed partners despite the renewed public debate.

The Minister of Relief, Disaster Preparedness, and Refugees has said the government has stopped granting refugee status to persons from countries that are not at war. The decision follows dwindling donor support amid a steady refugee influx into the country.

Minister Hilary Onek said: ‘I have instructed our officers not to give refugee status to citizens coming from those countries because there is no war there, particularly those from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.’

But he said the government would not reverse refugee status for those who have already acquired it, but would not accept new arrivals from the countries in question. Mr Onek, who was speaking during the official handover of 2,544 metric tonnes of rice, worth $2.9m (Shs10.5b) donated to the World Food Programme (WFP) by the Government of Korea, at the WFP warehouse in Gulu last week.

The rice donation will enable WFP to feed 600,000 refugees in 13 settlements and 200,000 school children in food-insecure Karamoja Sub-region for one year.

The minister explained that Uganda is also holding talks with countries that are at war to ensure they drop the guns and restore peace and security to allow refugees hosted by Uganda return to their respective countries.

‘We are in discussion with those governments, although those with many factions look at Uganda as though we are interfering. But we have not given up because they have to come to terms, have some tolerance, and enable their citizens to go back,’ Mr Onek said.

He added: ‘The refugee number is now going to two million and it is increasing every day. We’ve been receiving between 100 and 200 refugees every day from DR Congo. Even from South Sudan, which we thought was peaceful, refugees are still flowing in from there. So, we wish the government there tolerates their political opposition so that they can agree to work together and let their people go back home.’

Mr Onek also warned that whereas Uganda’s refugee policy is very friendly and allows refugees to work, trade, enjoy freedom of movement and access services that citizens enjoy, the gesture ”loads us heavily, economically”.

He said Uganda spends about Shs2b annually on the needs of refugees.

The minister added that Uganda used to get $240m (Shs866b) per year from UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, but with an increased refugee population of almost two million people, they now get less than $100m (Shs361b).

‘This year, they received only $18 million (Shs65b). So, the situation is dire, and it is our people who shoulder those costs, which the UNHCR used to handle.’

Ms Lauren Landis, the WFP country director, said the cuts have resulted in rising food insecurity, including families skipping meals, rising malnutrition, and children dropping out of school.

Ms Landis said in Karamoja, the rice donation will strengthen the homegrown school feeding programme, which serves 255,000 children in 320 schools across nine districts. She said this is critical in a region where one in four children suffers from chronic malnutrition.

Ms Landis added that in the last five years, WFP has received more than 19,000 tonnes of rice from Korea, making them one of their top donors to the refugee operation in Uganda.

The Ambassador of Korea to Uganda, Mr Park Sung-Soo, said his country has walked its own path through struggle and recovery, and this experience shaped the way it stands with communities in vulnerable situations.

“Korea is proud to deliver 2,544 metric tonnes of Korean rice to support refugees across Uganda and schoolchildren in Karamoja. We hope today’s contribution, delivered during a period of serious funding gaps, will help meet urgent needs and support Uganda’s continued leadership in humanitarian and refugee response.”

Mr Sung-Soo appreciated Uganda, whose open-door refugee policy continues to offer safety and dignity to people seeking refuge. He said such efforts not only strengthen refugee welfare but also regional stability.