Category: Daily Monitor

The forecasting of the Water and Environment ministry’s Department of Meteorological Services usually goes unremarked. Recent deluges in downtown Kampala, however, forced Mr Charles Ssemanda, a shoe dealer at Nana Shopping Centre, to pore over the much-maligned department’s seasonal rainfall outlook for September to December 2025. ‘The onset of rainfall is expected around mid-September. The peak is expected by mid to late October, with rainfall cessation expected around early to mid-December,’ the report reads in part.

For Mr Ssemanda, this makes for grim reading if anything, because the festive period is when businesses such as his finish off the year with a bump. Or at least intend to. For the past seven years, Mr Ssemanda has shipped in and sold men’s footwear sourced from Dubai, China, and parts of Europe. He tends to increase orders-considerably-at the backend of the year, safe in the knowledge that even the frugal join the spendthrifts in spoiling themselves. Yet his stock for the festive period arrived precisely when the Department of Meteorological Services warned that rainfall in downtown Kampala would peak.

‘I suffered a loss of Shs9.8 million in sneakers and canvas shoes. That is minus the Shs3.7 million loss incurred on the gentle shoes. All these had been stocked for the festive season, but it was all wasted away,’ Mr Ssemanda tells Sunday Monitor. Per the Department of Meteorological Services’ forecasting, rains will continue to pound downtown Kampala. Only relenting in mid-December. This past week rising floodwaters inundated shops that hug Kampala’s main stormwater artery-the Nakivubo Channel-with a sense of foreboding having an icy grip on traders like Mr Ssemanda

The shoe trader says he has lost much more than just his Christmas stock. He has no peace of mind, with his heart pounding faster at the slightest mention of one word-rent. ‘The landlords have refused to waive off the rent arrears and yet we are have no way to secure the funds to pay up,’ Mr Ssemanda, who rents space in Nana Shopping Centre’s basement area, shares. He adds: ‘I have tried to re-wash the few shoes that I recovered from the floods, but buyers are only willing to pay Shs10,000 for a pair that previously fetched me Shs60,000.’

Little to no hope

While traders in the weather-beaten downtown Kampala have gained renown for having a high pain threshold, the mood in the area relays a story of betrayal. This is especially so after the Government of Uganda (GoU) green-lit a construction project by Mr Ham Kiggundu in a flood plain. ‘Hamis Kiggundu is backed by State authorities and, therefore, nothing much can be expected from him as compensation,’ Mr Ssemanda discloses. He adds: ‘[GoU officials] came here, registered all traders in shops that were affected by the floods.

They only asked for details on the trading licenses that we had in our shops and have not given us any feedback about the compensation. I personally doubt if we shall be compensated by this government. I mean, if [the] Kiteezi [landfill tragedy] that killed people and broke houses has not yielded compensation, how about us who have only lost shoes?’ Compensations might not be forthcoming after the recent downpours left downtown Kampala submerged, with billions of shillings in traders’ goods washed away, but the political implications could come with a sobering jolt. Both the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party and its arch-rival the National Unity Platform (NUP) party find themselves in the eye of the storm.

After the Museveni administration gave Mr Kiggundu the all clear to build in a flood plain, NUP councillors at City Hall-the seat of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA)-offered support. Minutes from an April 3, 2025 council meeting suggest as much. Minute seven, which reportedly establishes the guilt of most of the councillors, has been endlessly debated and recalled as Cleopatra’s nose was. Parliamentary and local government races in not just Kampala Central but also electoral constituencies like Makindye West could be impacted in specific and harsh ways for the accused.

Increasing urban runoff

Yet there is little solace to be found in such an outcome. The here and now is the fact that-because of a perfect storm-the work of traders, like Mr Ssemanda, in downtown Kampala is full of defeat and other people’s profits. This appears to be such a sledgehammer blow even for people who have long endured the boom-or-bust nature of business relevance in the Central Business District (CBD) of Kampala. A 1999 World Bank report entitled Nakivubo Channel Rehabilitation Project: Environmental Impact Assessment captures how the tentacles of the businesses along Kampala’s main stormwater artery stretch far and wide.

It disclosed that 29 percent or just under 60 hectares of the industrial area stretches into the Nakivubo Channel catchment area. The report further found that five percent or slightly over 10 hectares of the channel’s catchment area shoulders markets, car parks, and bus stations. That is not to mention the three percent combination of residential and mixed-use buildings on the contours of the channel’s catchment area. While no other similar comprehensive study has been done, anecdotal evidence suggests that the number of businesses in and around Kampala’s principal drainage channel has bulged. Exponentially.

The 1999 report also found that ‘more than ninety-five percent’ of the city’s developed central urban area drains into the nine-kilometre natural channel. With that number more likely than not to have increased, and the impact of climate change having resulted in significantly more storm water during the rainy season, experts say the 1999 recommendation that Kampala’s main storm water artery be widened should not have gone unheeded.

The nine-kilometre natural channel has a catchment area that spans 27 kilometres, snaking its way from the slums of Kampala through to Lake Victoria, via Murchison Bay, in Luzira. It is a natural waterway that moves from Kampala’s low-lying areas to the lake, channelling storm water and flood water from the former to the latter. As well as widening it, the World Bank report recommended that the 20th-century channel that underwent refurbishment in 1958 be de-silted, realigned, culverts constructed, and trees planted along its banks. This was supposed to be in response to the increasing urban runoff.

Quiet agitation and fear

Mr Kiggundu’s construction atop the channel is but one of several human activities-undertaken in the absence of proper planning and controls-that have contrived to make a bad situation worse, impacting the largest of the city’s 12 green corridors or wetlands-the Nakivubo Swamp. ‘The wetland is fed by the Nakivubo River and its tributaries the Katunga, Kitante, Lugogo and Nakulabye. It is dominated by papyrus grading to dry land through cat tails and common reeds, with a large area on the north east side covered by Miscanthidium grass. The wetland is bisected by a railway line, running from the city to Port Bell on the shore of Lake Victoria,’ a 2003 report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) discloses.

The report adds: ‘This effectively divides it into two zones of human influence. While wetland areas to the south of the railway are still relatively intact, northern parts have been modified substantially. Much of the shallow upper zone has been reclaimed for settlement and industrial development, or is under cultivation. The deeper, lower zone below the railway line comprises a floating papyrus swamp, and contains only a small amount of cultivation on its fringes.’ A Makerere University researcher encapsulated, in a 2022 study, how things look grim and uncomfortable two decades later, writing:

‘Nakivubo drainage channel is under intense strain due to rapid urbanisation, increased impervious areas, high intense rainfall, poor waste management and siltation, which causes hydraulic overloading resulting into pluvial flooding that damages infrastructure, disrupts traffic movements and economic activity and increases ground water pollution.’ The description could not be more chillingly accurate. As Mr Ssemanda licks his wounds amidst dwindling foot traffic into his shop at Nana Shopping Centre, and the prospect of an unannounced visit from the landlord, the mood in downtown Kampala remains one of a moan of quiet agitation and fear. The sun has disappeared and continues to hide behind a dark cloud.

Nakivubo

Nakivubo Channel, a nine-kilometre natural channel, has a catchment area that spans 27 kilometres, snaking its way from the slums of Kampala through to Lake Victoria, via Murchison Bay, in Luzira. It is a natural waterway that moves from Kampala’s low-lying areas to the lake. The channel was refurbished in 1958.

Pain point.

“I suffered a loss of Shs9.8m in sneakers and canvas shoes. That is minus the Shs3.7m loss incurred on the gentle shoes. All these had been stocked for the festive season.” – Charles Ssemanda, shoe dealer.

According to Radio Katwe Reloaded, ‘The Bermuda Triangle is a loosely defined area in the western North Atlantic Ocean where a number of planes and ships have reportedly disappeared. Its vertices are generally considered to be Bermuda, Miami, Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. While popular theories range from the supernatural to the scientific, experts state that the area is where missing State funds could further be disappeared.’

In 1998, I visited the Triangle. At the time, it had been relocated to Wandegeya. Surrounded by the still dance of kiosks under the generic name of Kafunda, the Triangle was a circumference of potentially dizzying heights.

Amid plastic chairs left askew by boozehounds having a howling good time, I saw three of my friends and a plus one. I had never seen the man before. However, as soon as I sat down, his eyes widened to lusanias as he sprung up like a man possessed by more than the spirit of Uganda. This man had drunk so much waragi, he’d need an exorcist to get him sober. If the Bermuda Triangle was an ocean of booze, this guy was drinking like a fish in its liquid depths. Looking at me with deadly intent, he rounded a plastic table and then outstretched his dangerously accommodative hands like he wanted to greet my neck with them. Before I knew it, he was strangling me! My neck squeezed into a noodle; I was only saved by my three buddies after the beer I had not yet drunk was peremptorily released into my zipped ‘basement.’

My friends were a motley crew. We had Davi, he’d misplaced his second ‘D’ on somebody else’s birth certificate. This guy worked at a health spa for free, demanding compensation in the shape of massages with ‘happy endings’. He always told us that the masseuses with the most discernible backsides were called Daphne. So, we now knew who took his ‘D’, a girl originally called ‘Aphne.’ Then there was Clever, he was his name by half. Or maybe more. Because his name being monosyllabic, halving it would leave him with six of one and half a dozen of the other letters. Besides, he was drinking soda because it was being sold at a discount. According to him, a discount would enable him to ‘dis’ a count and thereby impress a countess.

Then there was Recoba. It was a nickname. He loved Álvaro “El Chino” Recoba, a Uruguayan former professional footballer and coach known for his powerful left foot, set-piece expertise, and dribbling skills. He most famously played for Inter Milan in Italy from 1997 to 2008. Recoba would never say a word, until he drank four beers. After which, he would be seen dancing ‘paka chini’ with every waitress. To his correct mind, ‘paka’ meant ‘cat’ in Swahili and ‘chini’, meaning ‘down’ in the same language. His (miss)behaviour put the ‘why’ in Uruguay. That night, we all sunk in the Bermuda Triangle. But remember, we were still in Wandegeya.

Being still while drowning, our state obeyed Newton’s first law of motion: when inside the Triangle, we were at rest because our position relative to the seats, drinks, and floor of the Triangle was not changing. The Triangle being our immediate surrounding, with us moving with it as a single system. The politics of survival required that we change our state, possibly to what Clever was drinking. Since, as Mao once said, it could offer us a discount on the democracy of this shared drinking spree, and we could then reject it outright. The discount, that is. Our state was another matter altogether. We were drunk with the powerlessness that convinced us of our power. However, being four friends, we sat at the four ends of a plastic table like a square peg in a round watering hole. This state was a poor fit. Or were we to blame? As the bard said:

‘A little learning is a dang’rous thing;

Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring:

There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us again.’

The independence of the Electoral Commission (EC) has been questioned so many times that further questions barely grab people’s attention. Those who question its independence are doing so for very valid reasons. We all know – at least those of us who follow politics – that Mr Museveni appoints the chairperson and the commissioners who organise presidential elections in which (would you believe it) he stands. Uganda has held six such elections, and they have all been won by the same person: Mr Museveni.

True, the Constitution gives Mr Museveni the responsibility to appoint the EC. But allowing the President to perform this function makes the legitimacy of the entire exercise questionable. It is hard to understand how the Constituent Assembly, which debated the draft Constitution, failed to realise that it was creating a problem that stands in the way of democratic governance. Elections, like football matches, are contests. If you appoint a commission to oversee an election in which you are a candidate, you are acting remarkably like a football team that chooses its own referee.

Now, if you are certain that you are going to lose elections or football matches all the time, nobody is going to complain. But if you emerge the winner all the time, people are going to complain. That is the problem we are dealing with in Uganda. You can sum it up like this: The striker chooses the referee and wonders why we doubt the score. There is no doubt at all that the EC owes allegiance to Mr Museveni. If the EC were truly independent, we would all know it is only answerable to the electorate and that it performs its duties without fear and favour, without intimidation.

But in August 2018, Mr Museveni gave us more reasons to cast doubts on the EC’s ability to act independently. Speaking at an event in Kampala, which took place after the NRM had suffered a series of defeats in by-elections, Mr Museveni blasted the Commission, saying: ‘Why should we suffer with corrupt election officials when the NRM has so much manpower? They should be out.’ Several news outlets that quoted Mr Museveni actually used stronger words: ‘The Electoral Commission is full of rotten people. I am going to get rid of them.’ I did not start with these words because, when I reviewed the NTV news report the news outlets cited, I did not find them.

The takeaway from the President’s comments is that he intimidates the EC. If he had not appointed it, he would not threaten to throw its commissioners out. And there is something even more telling, especially for people who read between the lines: Why would the President say ‘NRM has so much manpower’? The EC is not the secretariat of the NRM. It needs qualified people to lead it, not pro-NRM people appointed by the President. The EC organises elections for Uganda, not for the NRM. What is the relevance of the NRM manpower to the way it works?

It is really hard for the EC to lay any claim to independence. Last Sunday, a Kampala newspaper quoted it as saying it had registered 3.5 million new voters. The paper reported that it had spoken to several political parties that had written to the EC requesting the national voters’ register, but that they had got no response.

People who want to view the national voters’ register have to pay, according to the EC’s spokesperson, Julius Mucunguzi, who says the money is meant to meet production costs.

But some countries where elections are managed well make voter rolls publicly accessible. In 2022, Nepal’s electoral commission published its national voters’ register on its website. The EC is going to come under a lot of criticism in the run-up to the election, but the real problem is how it is appointed.

Agroecology is a holistic, scientific approach to farming that considers ecological and social factors, while organic farming is a specific set of practices, often certified, that prohibits synthetic pesticides, fertilisers, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Organic farming is considered one type of agroecological practice, but agroecology goes beyond just crop production to include broader aspects like social justice, economics, and traditional knowledge. As Christopher Bendana asks, which is better – agroecology or intensive agriculture?

At the Participatory Ecological Land Use Management (Pelum) food festival held in Kampala in October, one of the stalls had the most bountiful food. There was a huge bunch of matooke of the Kibuzi variety, pumpkins, cassava, and vegetables.

‘Do you see the size of the Kibuzi bunch? It is from my farm,’ Mohammad Kasaija, a farmer from Harugongo Sub-county, Kabarole District, said proudly. The stall belonged to one of the organisations supported with agro-ecology by Broederlijk Delen, a Flemish aid and development agency which specialises in improving the living conditions of rural communities in Africa and Latin America.

Bram Jacobs, the country representative of Broederlijk Delen, says agro-ecology is sometimes referred to as organic farming. The two systems are interdependent but different.

‘Organic farming is mostly about avoiding chemicals. Agro-ecology, on the other hand, is a more systemic approach that looks at ecological solutions. It also has a broader definition that includes social aspects such as food sovereignty and farmers’ rights. However, in practice, both frameworks are often close,’ he explains.

The food festival, the 15th of its kind, showcased foods from different regions of the country and how they were being preserved. Kasaija talks about farming as an environmentalist. His farming and agro-ecology work with the environment, discouraging the use of synthetic fertiliser.

‘Intensive agriculture gives you more output, but organic farming comes with better health benefits,’ he says. While the National Organic Agriculture Policy 2019 is supported by the country’s current low land intensification, the government’s daily development slogan has been commercial agriculture, promoting the growing of palm trees and sugarcane, both of which are highly intensive. ‘We lost crop diversity. The soil health is compromised, and farmers are stressed. The plantations are large, but the expenses are high and profit margins very low, benefiting mainly agro-companies,’ Jacobs told Monitor.

On the other hand, Kasaija has a two-acre farm. He rears two cows, a few goats, and 400 kroilers. Part of the farm is a banana plantation, while the other is for vegetables. For higher harvests, his farm needed land intensification. However, but he has chosen organic farming, with the intention of preserving the ecosystem, including the soils, healthy.

‘I have practiced organic farming for the last 15 years. I use chicken droppings and cow dung as manure for the banana plantation. On average, I sell ten bunches of matooke a month. I also sell all the kroilers in a season,’ he explains. To fight crop diseases and pests, Kasaija uses organic biopesticides extracted from urine, herbs, and ash.

‘We do not kill the pests; we chase them away. They are also important for the ecosystem,’ he argues.

Relatedly, Andrew Ndawula Kalema of Talent Orchards, a 50-acre agro-tourism bamboo farm in Nakaseke District, combines traditional farming and intensive agriculture.

A former agriculture journalist and editor at the New Vision newspaper, Ndawula is passionate about environmental protection and farming.

‘I test and study different crop varieties and breeds before I fully adopt them, looking out for traits like pests and disease tolerance and palatability. The Kabwe variety of matooke takes a long time to mature, but it is more resilient to pests and disease and the vagaries of weather,’ he explains.

Kalema has also brought cherry tomato seedlings, since they are tolerant to diseases and weather vagaries. Like Kasaija, he practices circular agriculture. ‘I do not buy fertilisers. But I tow the middle ground because some diseases, if left unsprayed, will lead to heavy losses. I do it the right way, and moderately,’ he says.

Experts view

Jacobs, a biologist, argues that the world must adopt organic farming for a sustainable ecosystem. He explains that countries like Belgium, which intensified long ago, are reaping the effects of industrial agriculture with its mono-cultural preference and the import of inputs like animal feed.

‘Loss of diversity is not limited to commercial agriculture. Uganda has lost much of its crop diversity because farmers prefer high-selling varieties and animal breeds. When many farmers go commercial and intensify, agriculture will become more difficult,’ he notes.

He argues that ecological farming will lift farmers out of poverty at a much lower cost. Once road access is improved,

-farmer-gate prices will also go up. Dr Victoria Sekitoleko, a former agriculture minister and Chairperson of the Uganda Agribusiness Alliance, says the problem begins with defining what many call indigenous crops. ‘We may only talk about pumpkins, millet, and yams, but what many call indigenous foods, like beans, maize, onions, and tomatoes, were introduced by the colonialists. There has been a preference for mono-culture crops where other organisms are cut out at the expense of the whole ecosystem,’ she explains.

Dr Sekitoleko argues that it is difficult to draw a line between organic and conventional farming systems, advising farmers to adopt what works for them.

‘However, let us not compromise on quality for quantity. I use organic manure – a mixture of milk and sodium nitrate – to water the crops in my backyard farm throughout the year,’ she adds.

Dr Andrew Kiggundu, a principal biotechnology scientist with the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), says farmers should be able to choose the technology that works best for them. Kiggundu has been involved in the breeding of crops resistant to pests and diseases.

‘They should make the choice based on the specific agriculture enterprise they are involved in. The scientists’ role is to respond to farmers’ concerns. If a farmer of organic jackfruits wants fruits that ripen at different times, we investigate that and try to get a solution,’ he explains.

To better understand the difficulty of drawing a line between traditional farming systems, a study, From organic farming to agroecology farming, what challenges do organic farmers face in Central Uganda, published in Nature, a multidisciplinary science journal, found that organic farmers in Uganda are yet to fully embrace agroecological practices.

The paper, which assessed how organic farmers apply agroecological practices, cites the limited recycling of most residues and waste for use as organic fertiliser and a limited water harvesting system as factors limiting the incorporation of organic farming into agroecology. There was also limited diversification by farmers with agroforestry.

The system was prone to climatic shocks. The study defines agroecology as an ecology-based discipline buttressed by the five principles of diversity, synergies, efficiency, recycling, and resilience. On the other hand, it lists the principles on which organic agriculture is founded as fairness, care, health, and ecology.

The health aspect involves enhancing and sustaining soil health, plants, animals, humans, and the planet as one. The ecology aspect is based on leaving ecological systems and cycles, working with them, emulating them, and helping to sustain them. The principle of fairness builds on relationships that ensure fairness with regards to the common environment and life opportunities. The aspect of care ensures a sustainable health ecosystem for the present and future generations.

Diseases

Viral and bacterial diseases can decimate gardens and plantations within a few days, and their intensity is increasing. Jacobs, who is more scientific in training and knowledge than the farmers he supports, seems wary of plant viruses, and invests much of his energy in training farmers on prevention. ‘Diseases are difficult to cure once present. So, it is mostly about prevention, encouraging practices like crop rotation, planting of clean materials, uprooting of sick crops, and sterilising farm equipment,’ he advises.

On the other hand, Jacobs also warns of diseases caused by chemicals used in intensive agriculture. ‘We are going to have a big disaster with cancers due to the increase of chemicals like Mancozeb,’ he warns. Jude Ssebuliba, the head of programs at Pelum, says the way forward in fighting pests and diseases is to have locally manufactured and certified organic pesticides as well as organic fertilisers. ‘There is a need to invest more in organic farming to satisfy the increasing population.

We are working with the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) to increase the volume of good indigenous seeds. We work aggressively to fight pests and diseases, and we need to give the farmers the options to synthetic inputs,’ he explains. Crop selection and movement have been part of human endeavor, and farming systems have changed, depending on the economic and population pressures – from hunters and gatherers to settlements agriculture, intensive agriculture, back to traditional agriculture.

The farming systems of our forefathers cannot suit this era of high consumption and high population. However, technologies come with challenges. Many extinct species in Uganda are not due to conventional farming. They were made extinct by subsistence farming, whereby farmers clear fragile ecosystems to open new agriculture land. Populations and incomes are increasing, and eating habits will tilt towards meat and other high-value products that will have to be produced in large numbers.

‘They should make the choice based on the specific agriculture enterprise they are involved in. The scientists’ role is to respond to farmers’ concerns. If a farmer of organic jackfruits wants fruits that ripen at different times, we investigate that and try to get a solution,’ Dr Andrew Kiggundu, a principal biotechnology scientist with the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO),

Agroecology

Definition: A holistic approach that integrates ecological principles with social, cultural, and economic considerations to create sustainable food systems.

Scope: Wider than organic farming, encompassing social and economic aspects like empowering farmers, supporting local communities, and using traditional knowledge.

Practices: Encourages practices like crop diversification, agroforestry, cover cropping, and water conservation to improve the entire farm ecosystem.

Approach: A scientific discipline that studies the interactions between the environment and all components of an agricultural system.

Organic farming

Definition: A specific method of production that avoids synthetic inputs like pesticides, fertilizers, and GMOs, and follows strict standards to ensure ecological integrity and animal welfare. Scope: Primarily focused on the production process itself, with a set of rules and certifications to guarantee certain environmental and health standards. Practices: Emphasises practices like crop rotation, using compost, and protecting habitats, but within the framework of certified organic standards. Approach: A specific type of practice that can be seen as a component of agroecology.

Uganda is set to flag off 200,000 tonnes of powdered milk to Nigeria valued at over Shs3.7 trillion ($1.02b) -at factory price, at the end of this month, in a deal, which promises to create another large scale milk off taker for the country after Algeria.

The western African market comes at a time Kenya continues blocking Uganda’s dairy and dairy products since 2023, when the Ruto administration opted to promote local production against cheap imports.

‘Nigeria is coming on towards the end of November this year,’ Samson Akankiza, the Commissioner for Dairy Development and Production in the Ministry of Agriculture, said.

The two countries will use a Nigerian cargo carrier to transport the milk from Entebbe to Lagos, Nigeria, in a deal brokered by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Nigeria will be the largest off taker at 200,000 tonnes after Algeria, which takes 20,000 tonnes per year. The western African populous country is reported to be spending Shs5.2 trillion ($1.43b) annually on importing milk from Europe due to the persistent domestic production gap.

Nigeria faces low domestic production of milk. It’s estimated that on average, pastoralists’ cows in Nigeria produce at least 0.5 to 1.5 litres daily. Accordingly, the country imports 70 percent of its milk needs, amid concerns of low investments, poor access to finance and a weak regulatory environment in the dairy industry.

Comparatively, Uganda has a competitive advantage in milk production as its cost of production per litre is lower than other countries in the region. The country also exports milk worth Shs921.8b ($254.15m) as per 2023 data from the Finance ministry.

Until 2023, Kenya was the leading buyer of Uganda’s milk.

However, the Kenya Dairy Board subjects imported dairy and dairy products to import levy equivalent to 10 percent of the value of the import determined using the cost, insurance and freight basis. Typically when powder milk, which costs Shs18,500 per kilogramme at the factory is delivered in Kenya, the 10 percent excise duty pushes up the price to Shs20,350 each kilogramme, making it uncompetitive.

Uganda has always protested Kenya’s protectionism measures, on grounds they violate the East African Community Protocol, especially the free movement of goods within the region as outlined in the East African Community Common Market Protocol.

‘I have been notified Uganda has been negotiating to waive these barriers,’ Ms Lynette B Bagonza, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Trade Industry and Cooperatives, said in a November 11 interview.

She described the Kenya-Uganda milk war as more of politics. Her comments come shortly after Uganda’s Trade minister, Gen Wilson Mbadi and Kenya’s cabinet secretary for trade Lee Kinyanjui agreed in Mbale that all goods originating between the two countries would be treated as ‘transfers’.

This means, at least on paper, the two countries ended the use of discriminatory excise duties, levies, and non-tariff barriers (NTBs).

Yet Under EAC law, goods traded within the bloc are not meant to be treated as ‘imports’ but as intra-regional transfers. Uganda is now betting on Kenya to overhaul its Dairy Industry Act (Cap 336) to remove dairy products restrictions.

Uganda counting losses

Apart from Brookside Dairy Uganda Limited, which has been waiting for permits for more than two years now, the Presidential Advisory Committee on Exports and Industrial Development (Paceid) says Kenya also limits Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) milk from Uganda, through issuance of import permits. Other firms whose products are restricted include: Muhangi Dairy Farm, Lakeside Dairies, Rainbow Dairy Uganda Limited, and Amos Dairies Limited, translating into a loss of Shs270b ($74.4m) in revenue from exports annually.

For Mr Allan Ssenyondwa, the director of policy research and advocacy at the Uganda Manufacturers Association, despite the challenges in Kenya, Uganda’s milk industry is poised for a positive outlook in the long run, driven by rising production capacity, a strong demand in the new markets and the stable farm gate prices on the domestic market.

For example in Uganda’s cattle corridors, the Agriculture ministry says the farm gate price of raw milk has averaged Shs1,100 ($0.31) per litre in the past three months to September this year, up from about Shs700 ($0.19), attributed to a growing demand.

Yet, Mr Joram Kajwenge, who spends Shs600 ($0.17) on silage per kilogramme, his wish is for the farm gate price to reach Shs1,500 ($0.41) per litre to report a profit.

Body language: When the Democratic Front (DF) honcho, Mathias Mpuuga, is waving to a gathering of supporters and spectators, he typically does it with his elbows cranked at 90 degrees. The left arm is in front of him with the palm facing down, and the right palm facing forward, just above the ear.

I guess he unconsciously wants to carry himself like a paramount chief, although much of the prestige he enjoyed as the Nyendo-Mukungwe MP and the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament (LoP) has somewhat been eroded after he got involved in a self-serving parliamentary manoeuvre apportioning him half-a-billion shillings that many people could not understand.

His party at the time, National Unity Platform (NUP), was not amused, relieving him of his position as LoP. I believe Mpuuga made a huge mistake at the time. He hastily – far too hastily – launched himself in a struggle to look like he was walking upright on a very slippery steep slope.

Because of his earlier connection with Buganda Kingdom’s Mengo establishment as a minister, plus his links in the Catholic Church, he sought to overtly associate himself with the attributes of dignity, loyalty and integrity. At every opportunity in the media, the ex-LoP and his close political associates made contrasting pictures of an elevated and polished Mpuuga against an inexperienced, low-grade or unpolished Robert Kyagulanyi (aka Bobi Wine).

To them, it was appropriate for polished people to elegantly slander Kyagulanyi and his foot soldiers, but it was instantly judged to be uncouth and disrespectful when the unpolished people insulted Mpuuga and his apologists. In this game of nerves and verbal venom, Mpuuga and his friends have formed the Democratic Front (DF), which is even less likely than NUP to have the capacity to force through any of the electoral reforms Mpuuga has been singing about, whether today (before the 2026 General Election), or at any time in the foreseeable future. It is easier in Uganda for an Opposition politician to make political losses or to capitulate to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) than to make substantial gains in advancing electoral democracy.

Kyagulanyi perfectly understands this, and I do not know why a supposedly more erudite Mpuuga pretends not to. Citizens have to operate in this unjust NRM-weighted environment. It is pure hypocrisy for Mpuuga’s camp to enter the 2026 elections at parliamentary level before any reforms when they have been castigating NUP for participating before those reforms.

The undeclared heart of the matter is that when the political lineage that runs from Ben Kiwanuka, through Paul Ssemogerere and a distinctly uncharismatic Sebaana Kizito brought in Nobert Mao, who speaks in riddles, the once formidable Democratic Party (DP) looked more like a joke that was half drip patient and half NRM fodder.

Many DP stalwarts felt that their party had lost direction because it had replaced Sebaana with the wrong inheritor, moreover through a disputed party election in Mbale. Unfortunately, Mao was not leaving office. He would in fact design another customised party election in Mbarara a few years down the road.

A wave of desertions before the 2021 elections saw many of the pretenders to the DP throne migrating with their ambition to the then new National Unity Platform, expediently supporting the man of the moment, Kyagulanyi, as their national presidential candidate. I suspect some of these people still secretly believe that Kyagulanyi had jumped ‘the queue’. Even in their new parties after finally leaving NUP, the work to undermine Kyagulanyi sometimes consumes more of their time than trying to become paramount chief.

A case with grave ramifications for both the banking and insurance sectors is raging in the courts, with the key question being whether a bank can benefit from insurance cover given to a surveying company it has contracted.

The case is particularly considering circumstances where professional negligence by the company is proven. In the case, which has been adjudicated by the Insurance Regulatory Authority Tribunal and the High Court, Finance Trust Bank, which is represented by Muwema and Company Advocates, is pitted against AF Mpanga, representing Sanlam General Insurance, which provided insurance cover christened as professional indemnity to Katuramu and Company Consulting Surveyors.

Finance Trust first lodged its claim in 2023 at the Insurance tribunal , contending that it secured the services of Katuramu to provide professional advice through inspection, opening boundaries and valuation of various plots of land and properties before it could proceed to grant credit facilities to potential loan applicants.

What claims has the lender made? As a prerequisite for engagement, Finance Trust says Katuramu was required to maintain professional indemnity insurance from a reputable insurance company. Thus, Katuramu secured insurance from San General Insurance.

The insurance was renewed twice between 2020 and 2022.

Relying on the valuation reports provided by Katuramu, Finance Trust says it extended credit facilities to various borrowers, who later defaulted on their loans.

‘These inaccuracies included the valuation of the wrong properties, undisclosed graveyards, and some properties were vacant, but the valuation reports indicated that they were developed.

Those posed challenges for the bank in recovering the loans and foreclosing the mortgaged properties,’ the bank, which asked in excess of Shs3 billion in compensation from Sanlam, said in documents filed both at the Insurance tribunal and the High Court. The bank’s case hinges on the letter dated October 4, 2023, addressed to the insurance authority, wherein Katuramu acknowledged their negligence, saying they sanctioned the valuation reports without verifying the contents therein, which was a breach of their professional duty.

What is the insurer’s defence?

In documents filed at the Authority, it said Katuramu’s move to admit negligence was in bad faith. Sanlam also blamed Finance Trust for being imprudent in issuing loans, therefore liable for contributory negligence. ‘The bank officials extended their imprudence when they failed to do the basic legal requirements to lend and secure the loans by mortgages,’ Sanlam’s legal team argued.

What was the verdict?

The Insurance tribunal threw out Sanlam’s argument. ‘The bank [Finance Trust] hired and relied on the advice of competent professionals to advise it regarding the security mortgage, rather than relying on its staff. The due diligence function has been outsourced to the insured [Katuramu and Company Consulting Surveyors], who had the necessary expertise.’ Consequently, the tribunal ruled that Sanlam should pay Finance Trust Shs1.9 billion after the directors of Katuramu admitted negligence.

What was the response?

Sanlam wasn’t pleased with the tribunal’s determination to take the battle to the High Court’s Commercial Division, mainly insisting that Finance Bank couldn’t be a beneficiary of the insurance policy issued to Katuramu. In overturning the adjudication by the tribunal, Commercial Court’s Justice Patricia Kahigi Asiimwe ruled that the principle of privity of contract dictates that, as a general rule, a person who is not a party to a contract cannot enforce that contract.

Though Justice Asiimwe said there are exceptions to the doctrine of privity of contract, which are provided under Section 64 of the Contracts Act, the case before her was different. ‘In the present case, I have reviewed the policy agreement, and I have not found any clause that expressly allows the respondent [Finance Trust] to enforce the contract,’ she said.

Basing on a clause in the agreement therein, Finance Trust lawyers had argued that Sanlam undertook to indemnify Katuramu against any claim for breach of professional duty. Asiimwe didn’t agree with them, interpreting that Sanlam only undertook to protect Katuramu from financial consequences of claims made against them by its clients due to negligence, errors, or omissions in their professional service.

What next?

Finance Trust has taken the battle to the Court of Appeal, asserting that Justice Asiimwe’s judgment has created a public crisis. In its appeal, the lender says the judgment has negative ramifications because professional indemnity insurance is designed to benefit third parties who suffer loss occasioned by the negligence or errors of insured professionals.

Ruling

The Insurance Regulatory Authority Tribunal had ruled that Sanlam should pay Finance Trust Shs1.9 billion after the directors of Katuramu and Company Consulting Surveyors admitted negligence.

On August 18, a Ghanaian politician and journalist left Accra in a black Toyota Land Cruiser SUV for a road trip. It would not be an ordinary trip. The plan was to cover a historic 40,000-kilometre journey that would span 39 African countries over a duration of 163 days. The man in question is 46-year-old former legislator and journalist Abdulai Mohammed Mubarak, alias Ras Mubarak. His mission was to try and convince Africa to go visa-free for all African visitors through his Trans African Tourism and Unity Campaign.

His first stop was Lomé, Togo’s capital, before proceeding to Cotonou in Benin a few days later. When he reached Nigeria almost a week later, he’d spent one of the longest visits due to the enormity of the country. He toured the country for eight days, meeting leaders and talking to the press before exiting eastwards into Cameroon. By the time he arrived in Kampala on November 16, through Katuna border, he had traversed through 21 countries, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Rwanda.

True to his mission, as soon as he arrived with his delegation, he visited Ndere Center to soak in Uganda’s culture and traditions before driving to Mayuge District to meet President Museveni, who was on the campaign trail in Busoga Sub-region. The Ghanaian was joined by officials from the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities and the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB). ‘When I met His Excellency yesterday (November 17), I was telling him that Mr President, I don’t think you have really showcased Uganda enough. Because from what I saw on my way to Kampala from the southwest was breathtaking. And he agreed with me. He said he’d been focused greatly on the bread and butter issues and security,’ Ras Mubarak said.

In his remarks, Mr Museveni pledged strong support for the initiative, which aims to foster unity, development, and collaboration across the continent through strategic engagement in tourism. The travelling politician and activist strongly believes tourism is the future for Africa, adding that Africans should be incentivised by African governments to travel extensively throughout the continent and that the first step is to scrap all visa requirements for Africans. Which is why Ras Mubarak ensured in every country he visited, he met the President or top government officials to have this much-needed conversation.

Better option

He believes Africa has more to show than the Middle East, which is loved by a huge chunk of all global tourists, and that something must be done now.

‘We’ve overly relied on our natural resources, which, to a large extent, we don’t control. And even those we control, we don’t determine their prices. Somebody is sitting in London or in Paris or in Washington, telling us how much he is willing to buy our crude for. Or our cocoa. Or gold. Or diamonds,’ he says. His dream is to see a borderless Africa for Africans by 2030 so that tourism, trade, and cultural exchange can be fast-tracked to unite the peoples of the continent.

He strongly opines that history will honour leaders who act decisively to unite Africa, and he’s just doing the little he can. A well-travelled man himself, having travelled to more than 100 countries before he embarked on this mission, this avowed pan-African has seen Africa both from afar and from within. He says these extensive travels have opened his eyes to see the enormity of resources in Africa and the ironic lack of opportunities for young people. His idea is to convince Africa to look in the mirror and take advantage of the opportunities within.

Africa is safe

Ras Mubarak also believes that Africa must learn to tell its stories because what he has discovered on this long trip through 22 countries by road is that the continent is safer than we have been led to believe. ‘I think Africa is safer than it has been portrayed. I mean, as we left Accra, there were people who were telling us, ‘You guys are crazy. It’s not safe! You’re going to Congo? You’re going to Angola?’ But we have not suffered any problems in all these countries.

These are all places that we are told to be careful. There’s a lot of nonsense written about us, and I strongly feel that as Africans, we need to begin to tell our own stories. Because at the end of the day, they are putting down our countries. And guess what? When they put down our countries, we lose tourism numbers, and when people are not coming, the hotels can’t keep up, you have to lay off staff,’ he says.

Countries that stood out

Of the 22, the country that stood out for Ras Mubarak the most was Equatorial Guinea for all the surprising reasons. Having never been there, the stories he had heard about the country prior to visiting were those of poverty, dictatorship, corruption and such other stories. On the contrary, however, Ras Mubarak says he discovered a country with top-of-the-range infrastructure and systems that run well.

As it turns out, the country seems to use their oil wealth very well to help the nationals, he says. The other country that stood out for him was Rwanda because of how clean and organised Kigali is and how beautiful the countryside is. ‘Uganda stood out for me when it came to passport control. It took us less than 30 minutes to get everything cleared. This is not the case in many countries,’ he says.

Cameroon’s roads were the worst on his journey.

Out of the 54 African countries, only nine have scrapped visa requirements for Africans, including Kenya and Rwanda. His native Ghana is scrapping these requirements in the next 12 months. He hopes that his campaign yields fruit so that all of Africa is visa-free for Africans by 2030. Ras Mubarak left Uganda on November 18, but not after enjoying a behind-the-scenes experience at Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Centre (UWEC)-exactly three months since he left Accra. He was headed to Ethiopia through Kenya to continue with the noble mission.

Sadly, he can’t enter the country because of the outbreak of Marburg virus that happened this week. He has to wait in Kenya. Countries he will visit after Ethiopia are the Central African Republic, Chad, Niger, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and of course his home country Ghana.

UTB Chief Executive Officer Juliana Kagwa welcomed the strong push by the Ghanaian consulate and tour operators and buyers after their exploration of Uganda and engagement with President Museveni for a visa-free travel arrangement. ‘This progressive call reflects growing confidence in our destination and represents a major opportunity to boost intra Africa tourism, ease travel, deepen cultural exchange, and advance the continent’s vision for seamless mobility,’ she said.

BRIEF BIO

Ras Mubarak was born in 1979 and worked as a journalist with Ghana Broadcasting Corporation for 10 years between 1997 and 2007 where he was a dreadlocked reggae music presenter. He left the media to join politics, first volunteering for his party in efforts to help it to get it elected. Later, in 2012, he stood for his first parliamentary election in Ablekuma North in Accra and lost. In 2016 he switched constituencies and stood again, this time in Kumbungu in the north and won. He lost the election in the just concluded general elections.

Philip Matogo meets Edna Kusiima, a creative who is also a nutritionist, at-of all places-a KFC branch, to talk about prolonging life by putting healthy food options on the plate.

The KFC branch at Acacia Mall in Kamwokya, Kampala, adjacent to the mall’s Cafesserie, is the bomb. Yeah, I said ‘the bomb’ (spelt ‘Da Bomb’). It’s detonated by the taste of the food. Kaboom! Okay, now I’m sounding childish. But it all started many years ago, when I was a child growing up in London, England.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) was the rave. I ate so much chicken that my tongue grew feathers that took wing whenever I said anything ‘fly’ about the chicken. And trust me, there are plenty of urban colloquialisms to glorify the food.

It is certainly better than Kireka’s KFC, Kireka Fried Chicken. The image of Harland David Sanders, the American entrepreneur and founder of fast-food chicken restaurant chain KFC, looks meatier at Kireka Fried Chicken.

So, meaty that I wonder if he was getting high on his own supply and therefore left Kireka depleted of its tasty chicken. I did a little sleuthing and found out that the Colonel Sanders of Kireka is big-boned, not overweight.

His smile is wider, too. It’s the smile of the cat that ate all the canaries. Smug, self-satisfied and snuggled into the curl of his own grin. Enough about Kireka.

The helpings there are big enough to take care of themselves. I was more interested in taking care, as it were, of the bucket of chicken that stood before me like a sentry guarding against my hunger. A bucket was necessary. Anything less always leaves me wanting more of my fingers, as I lick them bone dry.

The essential cog

It’s a guilty pleasure, more pronounced when nutritionist and creative Edna Kusiima pitched up at the same KFC for lunch and a discussion. I know. It was impolite to order before she arrived. But she might have advised me against eating fast food if I had not.

Then I would have to kick the bucket, of KFC. I can’t just go around tempting fate by kicking buckets. I have a meeting to attend, that’s not at Heaven’s pearly gates or in Hell’s bunker.

Ms Kusiima is one of the most innovative and hardworking persons you will ever meet. She used to be well known as an Open Mic Uganda Events MC. That’s the biggest poetry and hip-hop platform online and arguably offline, too. As an MC, she revealed a voluble and engaging trait that comes with the territory of MC-ing.

Her dogged devotion to that platform was the reason it grew so fast, 10 to 15 years ago. Sure, Black Poet was the leader of that outfit. But Ms Kusiima was the essential cog that made it all happen.

We now found ourselves happening on a bucket of KFC. Well, Ms Kusiima was tasting, and so that left even more for me. Yeah, chivalry is dead. But so is the chicken and it remains a good thing. Possibly we might reconsider the utility of chivalry as a cold product.

Death is a transition, after all. Ms Kusiima is a vivacious woman. Her evangelical faith has imbued her with a distinct appreciation for a life that is not worth losing as American comedian George Carlin would have you believe.

Unintended consequences

Ms Kusiima is a nutritionist, cancer survivor, and entrepreneur, born in a small town in western Uganda. She holds a Master’s degree in Human Nutrition and a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture and Entrepreneurship, with over five years of university and field research experience exploring sustainable ways to address diet-related health conditions.

During her battle with cancer, Ms Kusiima experienced firsthand the powerful role proper nutrition can play in recovery. This journey, combined with her academic background, inspired her to establish Caheki Integrative Nutrition Centre in Bukoto, Kampala.

Through Caheki, she supports individuals with diabetes, hypertension, malnutrition, weight challenges, and cancer patients undergoing treatment, helping them make informed, nourishing food choices.

Her services include personalised meal plans, nutrition education, healthy snack packs, green tea, and nutrient-rich juices-all designed to support recovery, boost energy, and improve overall well-being.

‘Beyond my work in nutrition, I am a writer and poet and a founding member of the Uganda Poetry Society. I have authored two children’s storybooks, Meet Bobby the Farmer and Alexia – the Highly Priced Princess.

A devout Christian, I draw inspiration from my faith and the creative arts, blending wellness with personal expression in all aspects of my life,’ she reveals, nibbling a little chicken.

‘My mission is to empower others to make practical, nourishing choices that heal, sustain, and transform their lives.’

Her line of work

Based in Bukoto, Ms Kusiima’s approach to health and nutrition is essentially interdisciplinary. She will not only advise on what you eat, she will show you how a holistic approach to nutrition not only improves your body, but your mind and soul too.

‘My work focuses on helping individuals with diet-related health conditions make practical, nourishing choices that improve their health and support recovery. Through Caheki Integrative Nutrition Centre, I provide personalised meal plans, nutrition education, healthy snack packs, green tea, and nutrient-rich juices. I work with clients managing diabetes, hypertension, malnutrition, weight challenges, and cancer patients undergoing treatment, helping them choose foods that support their specific health needs,’ she says.

‘I also focus on nutrition education, empowering clients to understand how what they eat affects their energy, immunity, and overall well-being. My goal is not just to provide meals or snacks, but to teach sustainable habits that foster long-term health, recovery, and vitality. Essentially, I combine my professional expertise in human nutrition with practical guidance so that individuals can make informed decisions that heal, sustain, and transform their lives,’ she adds.

Uganda, nutrition-wise

I see a lot of Ugandans gorging themselves on rolexes (fried eggs rolled in a chapati, sometimes beef, chicken, tomatoes, onions and cabbages are added) and kikomandos (chapatti and beans).

In the case of the latter, if we were what we ate, Uganda would be full of commandos. On top of that, there’s this chicken I am sharing with Ms Kusiima. It might one day be the end of me, but at least I will expire when I am smiling. Enough about that. What does Ms Kusiima think?

‘Uganda is facing a growing challenge of diet-related health conditions alongside undernutrition.

Conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity are increasing, with approximately 10 percent of adult women and two percent of adult men classified as obese, and an estimated 5.6 percent of adults living with diabetes. Cancer incidence is also rising, with around 36,000 new cases reported in 2022, and both obesity and undernutrition affect cancer risk, treatment outcomes, and recovery,’ she reveals.

‘At the same time, undernutrition persists, particularly among cancer patients who may experience weight loss and nutrient deficiencies due to disease and treatment, while some individuals face overweight and obesity caused by poor dietary patterns. Several factors drive these trends: urbanisation has changed lifestyles, leading to more sedentary behaviour; increased access to cheap, energy-dense, low-nutrient foods encourages unhealthy diets; and busy lifestyles push people toward fast, convenient, but less nutritious meals. Addressing these issues requires better public awareness, improved access to healthy foods, and lifestyle interventions to prevent and manage diet-related conditions while supporting recovery in vulnerable groups such as cancer patients,’ she adds.

Advice to Ugandans

This is really heavy stuff. No, not the chicken. But what Ms Kusiima is saying.

‘My advice to Ugandans would be to prioritise nutrition and make conscious food choices. Focus on eating a variety of whole, minimally processed foods-vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, and lean proteins-and limit sugary, salty, and highly processed foods. In addition, stay physically active and avoid prolonged sedentary behaviour. For those with diet-related health conditions like diabetes, hypertension, or cancer, seek personalised guidance from a nutrition professional to support recovery and manage your health effectively,’ she posits.

‘Finally, take small, consistent steps-even minor changes in daily meals and lifestyle can prevent diet-related illnesses, improve energy, and support long-term health. Education is key, so learn about nutrition and involve your family in healthy eating habits.’ How about the road ahead? Ms Kusiima says: ‘In the next 10 years, I see Caheki Integrative Nutrition Centre expanding its reach across Uganda and beyond, becoming a leading hub for nutrition education, wellness products, and personalised dietary support. I envision a centre that not only provides meal plans, healthy snack packs, green tea, and nutrient-rich juices, but also offers community programmes, workshops, and virtual nutrition services to empower people in both urban and rural areas.’

In 10 years, I will be 10 years older. I know, my lack of ambition is concerning. I blame KFC. It serves buckets with holes at the bottom. One minute, the chicken was there. The next, it was gone. In fact, in the next 10 minutes, I am about to call the manager and demand to know where the chicken I ate went. I want more. Ms Kusiima, meanwhile, still has a prime eye on the future, and it does not include KFC.

‘I also aim to collaborate with healthcare providers, schools, and organisations to integrate nutrition education into daily life, helping prevent diet-related illnesses and support recovery for patients with conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and cancer. Ultimately, I want Caheki to be recognised as a trusted partner for evidence-based nutrition solutions, improving health outcomes and inspiring a culture of healthy living across the country.

About the nutrition centre

Caheki Integrative Nutrition Centre offers holistic nutrition counseling and support that nurtures body, mind, and spirit, promoting effective management of health and wellness.

Their healthy snacks combine taste and nutrition, offering fiber, protein and healthy fats to keep you energised and satisfied between meals. The facility supports individuals diagnosed with cancer, diabetes, blood pressure, arthritis and all non-communicable disease.

Jinja Hippos’ fairytale charge to the 2025 Premiership final where they only fell to Black Pirates in extra time, was no accident.

It was the product of sustained investment in coaching, structure and continuity, foundations that matured under the late Robert ‘Soggy’ Seguya, who joined the project in 2019.

But the turbulence that followed their historic final appearance unsettled their Sevens campaign, and even when calm seemed restored, the wrangles resurfaced.

The team is now back under founder Jonan Manzi, yet the transition has not been without friction with several senior players have been slow to report, leaving visible gaps in the front row and on the bench throughout the Uganda Cup group stage.

Even then, the Hippos fought their way to the top of Group B with scores of 35-29 over Rhinos, 78-0 at home to Mbale Elephants and 38-33 over Gulu City Falcons plus a walkover against Warriors.

Their reward is a quarterfinal against Buffaloes in a clash between two clubs whose impressive growth is forever linked to Seguya’s influence.

And while today’s match is not officially dedicated to him, many Hippos supporters and sympathisers hope the occasion jolts the team back into full rhythm.

‘Settling and readiness are two different things,’ head coach Edmond Quaresma said.

‘We can say we’re ready, but not yet fully settled because we expect almost the same faces we’ve fielded recently. Still, we want to win and bring the vibe back with this fixture.’

Seeking momentum

At Kyadondo, defending champions Heathens host Rams in the day’s other fixture as they look to tighten their gears under new coach Tolbert Onyango.

His tenure has shown promising signs with a second-place finish in the Sevens series and Uganda Cup wins over Impis (29-6) and Kitgum Lions (57-6).

Their 35-17 performance against Victoria Sharks further suggested that the Heathens still possess the teeth to grind out results.

‘So far we’ve ticked a couple of boxes, with many more still unattended, but there’s good progress,’ Onyango said.

‘Rams are a youthful side who troubled us in the Sevens, and we expect no less in the 15s. The game should be fast-paced, and we have to manage that well.’

2025 UGANDA CUPSunday fixtures – 4pmHippos vs. Buffaloes – Ruck Yard, JinjaHeathens vs. Rams – Kyadondo