Category: Daily Monitor

President Yoweri Museveni on Friday broke ground for the construction of the Kidepo International Airport in Karenga District, emphasising that it will improve access to Kidepo Valley National Park, boost tourism, attract investors and create jobs for young people.

”The airport will improve access to Kidepo Valley National Park, boost tourism, attract investors, create jobs for our young people and expand markets for local products.” Said Mr Museveni.

According to him, already, more than 1,600 Ugandans are employed on the project.

Mr Museveni noted that Karamoja has come a long way from the days of insecurity, cattle rustling, and lawlessness, saying that the restoration of peace has created the conditions for the region to develop.

The works will be funded by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry from the United Arab Emirates, which the President recognized the immense opportunities that exist in Uganda and Africa.

The facility, worth Shs269 billion, includes a 3.6 kilometer runway, 7,408-square-metre passenger terminal, 74,200 meter cargo terminal.

According to Uganda Wildlife Authority, Kidepo Valley National Park is Uganda’s most remote and least explored national park, yet it is widely regarded as one of Africa’s most breathtaking wilderness areas.

Located in the semi-arid valleys of Karamoja, the park borders South Sudan to the northwest and Kenya just 5km to the east, sitting approximately 700km from Kampala.

It has a variety of big game, unique landscapes, and rich birdlife. It is home to over 77 mammal species and 476 bird species.

Dear Diary,

A friend, let us call her Zara, has been dating someone for three weeks. Nice guy. Shows up. Texts back. By all available data, completely normal. Maybe even good. Naturally, this is utterly destroying her. Zara is in the group chat daily, not to share good news, but to build a federal case. ‘He was very calm when I cancelled on him. Is that normal?’ ‘He has not posted a story in four days. What is he hiding?’ ‘He said he had a good childhood. Do we believe that?’ She is practically begging for a red flag. Last week she sent me a TikTok titled ’10 signs you are dating a covert narcissist.’ She had circled three of them. The man’s unspeakable crimes? He sometimes takes an hour to reply to a text. He does not share his deepest feelings unprompted. He is, on occasion, in a mood.

I watched the video. Then the next one. Then six more. And what I discovered is: I am also a narcissist. Actually, we all are. The algorithm has diagnosed us. Every single one of us. If you have spent time on the internet, you have been assigned a disorder, a trauma response, an attachment style, and at least one toxic trait. You are either the narcissist, or you are healing from one. There is no third option. The TikTok algorithm does not allow you to just be a regular person who forgets their keys sometimes.

And the flags. The flags are a psychological hazard at this point. Bad communication one time? Red flag. Being emotionally unavailable on a Tuesday afternoon? Red flag. Having a complicated relationship with his mother? Red flag. Posting too much on Instagram? Red flag. Not posting? Highly suspicious. Texting back too fast? Desperate. Texting back too slow? Avoidant. Being in a good mood is ‘masking,’ and being in a bad mood is ’emotional immaturity.’ There is quite literally no correct way to be a human being anymore. We have successfully pathologised existing. Now, I am not saying real red flags do not exist. If he raises his hand at you, that is not him ‘having a bad day.’ We are not confused about those. Run.

But somewhere between actual abuse and ‘he took three hours to reply,’ we lost the plot. Completely. Here is what is actually happening; psychology discovered the internet, repackaged itself in a ring light, and now hunts us down when we are at our most vulnerable. Usually at 2am, right when the algorithm predicts we are the prime demographic for ‘signs he does not actually love you’ content. This stuff is not designed to help us build healthy relationships. It is designed to keep us watching. Anxiety keeps you scrolling. Certainty does not. A woman who has her life figured out closes the app. A woman who is actively spiralling hits play on the next 16 videos. So the content just keeps expanding the definitions.

It keeps making ordinary human messiness look like severe psychological damage. It keeps producing Zaras. Women who walk into a perfectly good situation and spend months trying to find the catch. Women who are not falling in love, they are conducting forensic investigation. Women who have been so thoroughly convinced that everyone is broken that they cannot recognise a functioning person when he shows up. And the truly unhinged part? We do it to ourselves too. We are diagnosing our triggers, our patterns, our wounds. We are trapped in therapy, buried in journals, drowning in meditation apps, and unpacking ourselves into microscopic pieces. And somewhere in all that unpacking, we forgot to just live.

So here is where I leave you. Not with a checklist, or a worksheet for your ‘healing era.’ Just a question: Before you opened the app, before the group chat weighed in, before the podcast that felt like it was personally attacking your life choices… what did your gut say? We have not lost our instincts. We have just buried them under five gigabytes of content and called it self-awareness.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Uganda’s latest masterclass in fiscal gymnastics, where the budget is on a diet but only certain people are allowed to lose weight. In a dazzling display of governmental genius that would make circus contortionists weep with envy, Uganda’s leadership has once again proven that when it comes to cutting costs, nothing is too sacred except, of course, the ever-expanding waistline of the political class.

While medical interns are being told to work for the love of humanity and perhaps a complimentary plate of posho if the hospital kitchen feels generous, the noble art of creating more ministerial positions, bloating Parliament, and generously adjusting allowances continues with the urgency of a man late for his own wedding.

These are people who have survived years of medical school, exams that read like ancient spells, and hospital shifts that make military training look like a wellness retreat. After all that, just when they finally reach the finish line, the system looks at them and says: congratulations but your payment is experience.

Apparently, producing more doctors is now a budgeting emergency, we may soon declare education itself as a luxury item.

In the same Kampala, cabinet expansion talks continue like a landlord discovering vertical construction. Ministers, ministers of state, assistant ministers, deputy assistants of ministers.

Each one comes with fuel, convoy, office, allowances, furniture, and at least one mandatory benchmarking trip to a country that has already solved the problem we are travelling to study. Parliament, of course, is fully operational in its natural habitat: the national allowance distribution centre. Constituencies keep multiplying like software updates and committees appear like side quests.

Every session introduces a new form of facilitation allowance yet when someone mentions paying interns, the national budget suddenly behaves like it has seen a ghost.

A medical intern at Mulago is on hour 30 of a shift, surviving on tea, adrenaline, and sheer spiritual resilience.

He has delivered babies, handled emergencies, and made life-or-death decisions without sleeping. At the exact same time, somewhere in a heavily air-conditioned office, a newly appointed official is approving fuel for a convoy that will attend a meeting about improving efficiency. Both are serving the country, no doubt !

And that is Uganda’s real talent: selective austerity. We tighten belts where it hurts least, but the pattern is simple: those who hold scalpels and chalks are always told to understand, while those who hold microphones and budgets are told to increase allocation. Uganda, once again, remains undefeated in the art of financial illusion.

Nine people have been rescued as the search for more continues after a building under construction collapsed in Kisota Zone, Kibaaye Parish, Kawempe Division, Kampala on Friday afternoon.

Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Rachel Kawala, said the nine people were successfully evacuated for treatment after the incident, which occurred at 3pm.

”Rescue operations are still ongoing to establish whether there are additional persons trapped under the debris and to determine if there are any fatalities.” She said.

Ms Kawala explained that investigations into the circumstances under which the collapse occurred have commenced.

”Police have commenced investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collapse.”

By press time, efforts were underway to trace and apprehend the site supervisor and other persons who may be held responsible to assist with the ongoing investigations.

Health officials in Busoga Sub-region have raised concern over persistent water-borne diseases, saying poor sanitation and inadequate access to safe water continue to contribute to preventable illnesses and deaths, particularly among children under five.

The concerns were raised during a stakeholder meeting organised by Jinja Regional Referral Hospital to discuss the role of community leaders in promoting improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) practices.

Dr Alfred Yayi, a senior executive consultant at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, urged political, religious, cultural and community leaders to intensify public awareness campaigns on hygiene and sanitation.

“We need community leaders to educate the public on the importance of safe water, proper sanitation and good hygiene practices. Their voices are respected and can help change behaviours that contribute to disease outbreaks,” Dr Yayi said.

Data presented at the meeting showed that diarrhoeal diseases remain a major public health challenge. According to the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH), diarrhoea accounted for about 10 percent of deaths among children under five in Uganda in 2022.

In Busoga, more than 40 percent of outpatient visits in 2023 were linked to WASH-related illnesses, including diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid.

Mr Joseph Oposhia of the Busoga Regional Emergency Operations Centre said several disease outbreaks reported in the region have been linked to poor sanitation and contaminated water sources.

He cited cases of cholera, viral conjunctivitis, mumps and food-borne illnesses reported in Jinja and Luuka districts in 2024, which investigations associated with the use of contaminated water from shared sources.

Mr Oposhia said open defecation remains common in some communities, particularly on islands in Namayingo District and parts of Jinja City, increasing the risk of disease transmission.

Jinja City Health Officer Dr Fredrick Isabirye said health authorities are also monitoring cases of schistosomiasis, commonly known as bilharzia, in Kisima I and Kisima II islands and neighbouring communities along the shores of Lake Victoria.

More than 100 stool samples have been collected for laboratory testing to confirm infections and guide treatment, he said.

“The parasite enters through the skin when a person comes into contact with infested water and, if left untreated, can cause severe complications,” Dr Isabirye said.

Assistant Resident City Commissioner Paul Balidawa called on local leaders to enforce hygiene measures at household level, including regular handwashing, proper waste disposal and protection of water sources.

He also urged residents to boil drinking water to reduce the risk of infection.

Health officials warned that inadequate investment in water infrastructure, sanitation facilities and public awareness programmes continues to undermine efforts to control preventable diseases across the region.

According to available data, safe water coverage in Busoga remains below 65 percent, compared with the national target of 85 percent. Sanitation coverage is estimated at below 50 percent in several districts, while about 30 percent of households lack access to improved sanitation facilities and handwashing stations.

A 2021 Ministry of Health assessment further found that only 38 percent of health facilities in the region had an on-site basic water supply, while fewer than 25 percent had functional handwashing facilities at points of care.

More than 500 villages across five sub-counties in Namisindwa District are facing increased risk after large ground cracks widened following heavy rains, damaging homes, farmland and infrastructure.

The affected areas include Buwabwala, Bumumali, Tsekululu, Mukoto and Luwa Town Council, where residents reported fresh destruction after rainfall on Wednesday triggered landslides and flooding.

District Chairperson Emma Bwayo said an assessment conducted with local leaders found that the cracks were expanding, increasing the threat to lives and property.

“The cracks are expanding rapidly, and the risk to lives and property is very high. We are working with local leaders to assess the most urgent needs and coordinate support,” Mr Bwayo said.

Residents said several homes have developed deep fissures, while large sections of farmland planted with maize, beans and bananas have either been buried by landslides or washed away by floodwaters.

Timothy Nashimolo, a resident, said some families have already been displaced while others remain in areas considered vulnerable to further ground movement.

Local leaders are calling for emergency relief assistance and longer-term measures to address recurring landslide risks in the mountainous district.

Environmental expert David Okot warned that continued rainfall could worsen the situation if no intervention is undertaken.

Mr Bwayo said the district was compiling a report for submission to central government seeking emergency support and long-term mitigation measures.

“It is time for the government to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves. We should not wait for people to lose their lives before taking action,” he said.

Betty Nandutu, the district councillor representing Tsekululu and Bungati and secretary for social services, said many residents were spending nights in fear as floodwaters continued to enter homes.

“If government does not intervene quickly, hunger will become another disaster facing our people,” Ms Nandutu said.

She added that the destruction of crops could undermine household incomes and recovery efforts under the Parish Development Model, as many families rely on farming as their primary source of livelihood.

Several affected residents, including Khaukha Cassim, Makati Patrick and Elvis Wamono, said they had nowhere to relocate despite living in homes threatened by widening cracks.

“We are sleeping in houses that could collapse at any time. Every day we fear for our lives, but we have nowhere else to go,” Mr Wamono said.

Namisindwa lies within the Bugisu sub-region, which has experienced repeated landslides over the past decade. Districts including Bududa, Bulambuli, Sironko and Namisindwa have recorded numerous disasters that have killed hundreds of people and displaced thousands.

Among the deadliest incidents was the 2010 landslide in Nametsi village, Bududa District, which killed more than 100 people. Other major landslides occurred in Bududa in 2012 and 2018, while Bulambuli District recorded fatalities in both 2023 and 2024.

The government launched a resettlement programme in 2010 targeting communities living in high-risk areas. However, many households remain in landslide-prone zones, while some relocated families have struggled to adapt due to limited access to suitable agricultural land.

As the world marks World Environment Day today under the theme ‘Inspired by Nature: For Climate, For Our Future,’ we are reminded that nature remains humanity’s greatest source of survival, hope, and renewal.

The air we breathe, the water we drink, and the climate that sustains life all depend on how well we protect the environment today. Yet, despite nature’s generosity, human activities continue to threaten the very ecosystems that support our lives.

One of the greatest environmental challenges facing our communities today is poor waste disposal such as the careless dumping of polythene bags and plastic waste.

In many urban centres and surrounding communities, rubbish is irresponsibly thrown into drainage channels, roadsides, wetlands, and open spaces. When rains fall, this waste is carried into streams, rivers, lakes the very water sources that millions of people depend on for daily life.

What may appear to be a simple act of littering carries devastating consequences for the environment. Polythene bags do not easily decompose.

Instead, they accumulate in water bodies, clog drainage systems, pollute ecosystems, and destroy aquatic habitats. Lakes that once symbolized beauty and life are increasingly becoming overwhelmed by floating waste and pollution caused by human negligence. This growing environmental burden does not only affect nature; it directly affects people and essential services.

The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), which relies heavily on lakes and other water bodies as major sources of water supply, faces increasing pressure in treating polluted water. As populations continue to grow and urbanization expands, more waste finds its way into the lakes, making water treatment more difficult, costly, and demanding.

The presence of plastics, polythene bags, sewage, and other rubbish in lake water forces water treatment plants to work harder to ensure that safe and clean water reaches homes, schools, hospitals, businesses and more.

More chemicals, more energy, and more resources are required to purify water that has been contaminated by irresponsible human activities.

More electricity is consumed to operate treatment equipment for longer hours. More manpower and maintenance are needed to continuously remove waste that clogs intake points and damages machinery.

This not only strains NWSC operations but also threatens the long term sustainability of clean water supply for future generations.

The financial cost of treating polluted water continues to rise, yet the root cause often begins with simple irresponsible actions such as littering and poor waste management.

Funds that would otherwise be invested in expanding water services, improving infrastructure, and enhancing customer service are instead diverted towards dealing with preventable pollution challenges.

In the long run, environmental degradation threatens NWSC’s operational sustainability but not limited to the country’s ability to provide affordable and safe water to its citizens.

However, there is still hope if collective action is taken. Conserving the environment begins with simple but responsible choices made every day. Proper disposal of waste, reducing the use of polythene bags, recycling plastics, protecting wetlands, and planting trees are all actions that contribute towards restoring and preserving nature.

Every individual has a role to play in protecting the environment, regardless of age, profession, or status. As we commemorate this important day, let us reflect on the relationship between human behaviour and the health of our environment.

Nature continues to provide us with water, food, and life itself, but it can only continue doing so if we protect it from pollution and destruction.

The future of clean water, climate resilience, and sustainable development depends on the actions we take today.

Let us therefore become responsible stewards of the environment by protecting our lakes, preserving our ecosystems, and embracing practices that secure a cleaner and healthier future for generations to come. Because when we protect nature, we protect our climate, our water, and ultimately, our future.

Four weighbridges previously operating in Bunyoro’s sugarcane-growing areas have been returned to Victoria Sugar and relocated to the company’s factory in Luwero District, a move local leaders say marks a significant step in the fight against rampant sugarcane theft.

The weighbridges were handed over on Friday, June 5, by Masindi District Police Commander Pensive Tukasiima following directives from Uganda Police Headquarters ordering their return to their rightful owner.

The development follows a recent Memorandum of Understanding signed between Kinyara Sugar Limited and Victoria Sugar in Kampala under the guidance of Balaam Barugahara.

Under the agreement, Victoria Sugar will continue purchasing cane from farmers who are not contracted to Kinyara Sugar, while Kinyara will maintain relationships with its contracted outgrowers.

The two companies also agreed to end the use of roadside weighbridges that had increasingly become controversial within the sugar industry.

For years, leaders, farmers and millers complained that some roadside weighbridges had evolved into trading points for illegally harvested cane.

Farmers frequently reported losing mature sugarcane to thieves who would harvest it at night and quickly dispose of it through informal trading networks.

The problem became so widespread that local leaders in Masindi, Kikuube and Hoima repeatedly raised concerns about organized theft syndicates targeting sugarcane plantations across the region.

Francis Tumwine, a community mobiliser in Masindi District, welcomed the decision to relocate the weighbridges away from Bunyoro.

‘The weighbridges have been returned to their rightful owner, but stakeholders have agreed that they should no longer be used in a manner that facilitates illegal cane trade and theft,’ Tumwine said.

‘What farmers and leaders want is an organised sugar industry where genuine growers benefit from their sweat and criminals have no market for stolen cane. The agreement between Kinyara and Victoria Sugar is a positive step in that direction.’

Tumwine said taking the weighbridges to Victoria Sugar’s factory in Luwero effectively closes a chapter that had generated tension among farmers, millers and local leaders.

Several farmers interviewed by this publication also welcomed the new arrangement.

Peter Byaruhanga said cane theft had become a serious threat to livelihoods in the region.

‘There were farmers who would spend more than a year nurturing their cane only to find sections of their gardens harvested by thieves. Anything that helps stop that problem is good for us,’ Byaruhanga said.

Another farmer, Sarah Nakato, said the agreement between Kinyara and Victoria Sugar provides greater clarity for growers.

‘Now farmers know the system. If you are contracted by Kinyara, your cane goes to Kinyara. If you are not contracted, Victoria Sugar can buy your cane. That removes a lot of confusion,’ she said.

Local leaders say the new arrangement is expected to reduce disputes over cane ownership, improve coordination between millers and strengthen protection for farmers’ investments.

The return of the weighbridges and their relocation to Luwero comes at a time when Bunyoro’s sugar industry is seeking to balance the interests of investors and farmers while stamping out criminal activities that have undermined confidence in the sector.

For many growers across Masindi, Kikuube and Hoima districts, the latest developments signal a shift towards a more structured sugar market where legitimate farmers are protected and cane theft is increasingly difficult to sustain.

Tanzania gave Africa Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, the pan-African statesman who championed African unity. Even when his East African federation dream did not materialise, Nyerere never abandoned the vision of East African political unity.

Now, Tanzania has given the East African Community its new secretary general, Stephen Patrick Mbundi, who assumed office on April 25. The profound question facing him is whether he will draw inspiration from Nyerere’s pan-African legacy to advance the East African socio-economic liberation cause.

Mbundi is not an outsider to Jumuiya. In the last 20 years, he has risen through ranks in Tanzania’s Ministry of EAC Affairs from a principal economist to director (political, defence and security affairs) and more recently, to permanent secretary.

Having led Tanzania’s delegations in technical and ministerial sessions across three Kenyan and three Tanzanian presidencies, he carries institutional memory that few current EAC officials possess. He has built relationships across partner state bureaucracies and understands EAC’s technical and political architecture and its intersection with national politics.

East Africans are counting on that depth of experience and institutional memory to deliver tangible results.

The question is whether Mbundi uses this experience as foundation for innovative problem-solving, or as a constraint that dismisses new ideas with “we’ve tried that before.”

Heads of State decried the “massaging” of their decisions by bureaucrats and ministers, delaying implementation. Indeed, some EAC members practice what many diplomatically call “thorough consultation”.

In practice, this is a consultation carousel, where decisions circle endlessly through technical committees and ministerial meetings but never arrive at action.

The question is whether Mbundi will align with the gate keeping officialdom that explains why integration initiatives “can’t work,” or become a reconciling facilitator, advising how to make them work faster. The new EAC Development Strategy provides Mbundi with a clear mandate: full implementation of the Common Market, operationalisation of Monetary Union institutions, finalisation of the Confederation constitution making process and institutional reform.

The question is whether Mbundi will facilitate full implementation of joint commitments or defend Tanzania’s delay tactics from Arusha. On institutional reform, he will have to choose between focusing on fundamental strategic issues such as strengthening the Secretariat’s capacity, or consuming Ministers’ time with trust-eroding administrative and personnel battles.

Strategic transformation requires evidence-based decision-making anchored in established institutional procedures.

These priorities depend on political will from the Summit, Ministers and national officials. The Secretary-General administers and implements rather than co-decides. He cannot force partner states to act against their perceived interests. But this is not an excuse for inaction. The Secretary-General directs what issues are prioritised in background papers that inform ministerial discussions.

That determines which challenges receive attention, how they are framed, which partner state concerns are amplified or reconciled, and whether the proposals arrive ready for approval or requiring ‘further consultation’.

This is why the facilitator versus gatekeeper choice matters absolutely. Even when political will seems limited, a transformative secretary general will prepare technical groundwork, identify win-win outcomes and create conditions for political courage so that ministers’ approvals become easier.

Mbundi also assumes office flanked by committed integrationists, President Museveni and Council Chair Rebecca Kadaga. Both are credible political champions who want integration to succeed. This support raises expectations significantly.

The Community is under close observation. When integration stalls, fingers mostly point to Arusha.

Every year on June 5, the world commemorates World Environment Day, a moment for reflection and renewed commitment to protecting the planet that sustains us.

This year, as communities across the globe mark the day under the theme ‘Climate Change,’ the occasion serves as a timely reminder that climate change is no longer a distant threat. It is a present reality whose impacts are increasingly evident in our weather patterns, ecosystems, economies, and livelihoods.

Uganda is among the countries already experiencing the consequences of a changing climate. Rising temperatures, prolonged dry spells, erratic rainfall, floods, landslides, and declining agricultural productivity have become more frequent and severe.

For a country whose economy and food systems remain heavily dependent on climate-sensitive sectors such as agriculture, climate change poses significant risks to sustainable development and poverty reduction efforts.

The recently released June-August 2026 Seasonal Climate Forecast by the Ministry of Water and Environment provides a stark illustration of these challenges. According to the forecast, most parts of Uganda are expected to receive near-normal to below-normal rainfall, while temperatures are projected to be warmer than average during the June-August period.

The forecast further indicates that central and western Uganda are likely to experience predominantly drier-than-normal conditions, while northern and eastern regions are expected to receive near-normal to below-normal rainfall.

These projections carry important implications. Reduced rainfall and elevated temperatures can negatively affect crop yields, livestock production, water availability, and public health. Communities that rely on rain-fed agriculture may face increased vulnerability to food insecurity, while water stress could place additional pressure on households, businesses, and ecosystems. Such conditions underscore the urgent need to strengthen climate resilience at all levels of society.

Yet climate change is not merely an environmental issue. It is also a development, economic, health, and social justice challenge. The burden of climate impacts often falls disproportionately on the poorest and most vulnerable populations, including women, youth, and rural communities.

Addressing climate change therefore requires a whole-of-society approach that integrates environmental sustainability into national planning, investment decisions, and community development initiatives.

On this World Environment Day, there is a need to move beyond awareness and towards action. Government institutions, the private sector, development partners, civil society, academia, and local communities must work together to accelerate climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.

This includes investing in climate-smart agriculture, expanding renewable energy access, restoring degraded ecosystems, protecting forests and wetlands, strengthening early warning systems, and promoting sustainable consumption and production practices.

The Ministry of Water and Environment has commendably enjoined stakeholders to utilise climate forecasts for strategic planning and informed decision-making. Such science-based information is critical for enhancing preparedness, protecting livelihoods, and reducing climate-related risks.

As we commemorate World Environment Day 2026, the message is clear: Climate change demands collective responsibility and decisive action. The choices we make today will determine the resilience of our communities and the sustainability of our development tomorrow.

Protecting the environment is not only an ecological imperative; it is an investment in Uganda’s development, peace, security, and the well-being of generations to come.