Category: Daily Monitor

Uganda will take on Malawi in a high-stakes ICC T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier fifth-place playoff semifinal on Thursday at Takashinga Cricket Club, in what has been billed as a grudge match.

The Cricket Cranes, ranked 21st in the world at the start of the tournament but now down to 22nd, have endured a roller-coaster campaign – falling to lower-ranked Tanzania (34) and missing out on the coveted semifinals.

Their quest now is not for a World Cup ticket but for pride, ranking points, and a respectable finish.

Team on the rise

Malawi, ranked 54th, have been the tournament’s surprise package. They stunned Kenya – ranked 33rd – by three runs in the group stages and only missed out on a semifinal berth through Net Run Rate (NRR).

Their gritty performances have cemented their status as a rising force and a serious work in progress in African cricket – thanks to the works done by their cricket boss Vivek Ganesan and departed development guru – Arjun Menon (AJ).

Historical edge

Uganda, however, carry the historical edge. In two previous T20I encounters, the Cranes have won comfortably – by 10 wickets in Kigali (2021) and by 7 wickets in Benoni (2023). They also thrashed Malawi by 7 wickets in last week’s warm-up fixture.

But past dominance will count for little today against a side buzzing with confidence.

Assistant coach Jackson Ogwang admitted Uganda had put themselves in an unwanted position.

‘We needed that win yesterday against Botswana after the setback against Tanzania. The only way to fight back is to win the remaining two games. Our problem has been inconsistency – we can’t fire in one match and collapse in the next. If we play with consistency, we’ll win cricket games,’ said Ogwang.

Aim to finish strong

Captain Riazat Ali Shah has urged the team to keep the focus sharp.

‘It was good to see boys show character and get two points yesterday. We’ve given opportunities to everyone and hopefully we will unleash youngster Innocent Mwebaze, who is our future paceman. It hurts that we are out of the tournament, but we must move on and finish strongly,’ said the affable Shah.

With pride and rankings on the line, Uganda must blend discipline with aggression to tame Malawi’s fearless approach. A slip-up could prove costly in the long-term world standings.

ICC T20 WORLD CUP AFRICA QUALIFIER

Wednesday – 5th place playoff semifinals

Nigeria vs. Botswana, 10.30pm – Takashinga

Uganda vs. Malawi – 2.50pm – Takashinga

Main Semifinals

Namibia vs. Tanzania – 10.30am – Harare SC

Zimbabwe vs. Kenya – 2.50pm – Harare SC

Head-to-Head (T20Is):

2021, Kigali: Uganda beat Malawi by 10 wickets

2023, Benoni: Uganda beat Malawi by 7 wickets

2025 Warm-up, Harare: Uganda beat Malawi by 7 wickets (non-ranking)

The government is seeking a new law that will require all journalists to obtain official certificates and be registered to work.

The State Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Mr Godfrey Kabyanga, said the proposed press and journalism law will make it compulsory for all journalists to register with a regulatory body before they can be allowed to practice.

He explained that the goal of the proposed law is to bring order to the media industry and remove unqualified people who call themselves journalists without proper training.

Right now, the law already says journalists should register with the Media Council, but very few have done so. Mr Kabyanga warned that the new law will make it a must to have a license to work as a journalist in Uganda. ‘The government wants to replace the current media law. This new law will set up a regulatory body to oversee and guide journalism,’ he said.

Speaking to media owners, journalists, security officials, and members of the Uganda Communications Commission at Bomah Hotel in Gulu City on September 26, Mr Kabyanga said journalism, like other professions such as medicine and engineering, needs to be regulated.

He compared it to a recent move to create a body that oversees human resource officers. ‘Right now, anyone can wake up and say they’re a journalist. That needs to change,’ he added.

Despite Uganda having 280 radio stations and 31 TV stations, fewer than 500 journalists are officially accredited. The Nwoya Resident District Commissioner, Mr Christopher Omara, also raised concerns, saying many media houses are hiring people without the right qualifications.

He accused some of these unqualified reporters, especially at private radio stations, of spreading false or misleading information.

‘Many of these so-called journalists don’t understand the issues they report on. That’s why the quality of journalism is so poor. Media houses need to hire skilled and competent people if they want to improve,’ Mr Omara said.

Tooro Kingdom has launched a youth economic empowerment program in partnership with the Ugandan government, targeting agriculture, entrepreneurship, and skills development for thousands of young people across the kingdom.

The initiative follows President Museveni’s pledge on September 16 to collaborate with Tooro in agriculture, education, sports and tourism, as part of support for the kingdom’s 25-year Development Plan.

‘During our discussion, we explored the Kingdom’s framework and expressed our commitment to supporting it. We also agreed to collaborate in the areas of agriculture, education, sports, and tourism,’ Museveni posted on X.

Tooro King (Omukama) Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has in recent addresses underlined that the long-term development plan provides the kingdom with strategic direction, identifying agriculture as a cornerstone.

Demonstration farms are being set up to train youth and farmers in modern practices.

Tooro Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Akiiki said the launch fulfilled Museveni’s pledge made during two meetings with the monarch.

He noted that resources were already being mobilized to ensure the program’s implementation.

‘The first initial batch of the seedlings is going to be purchased by the government, and 90 percent of the gardens have been supported by the government, with the promise of giving 100 percent support,’ Armstrong said.

He added: ‘We thank the president because when we met him in October, he specifically pointed at this project, which we had introduced to him in May. He said in October, it would start by giving us this funding.’

The program will cover all nine counties of Tooro Kingdom, with plans to distribute 3 million coffee seedlings, 2 million cocoa seedlings, and 3 million chickens.

At least 50,000 young people are expected to directly benefit from agriculture support.

Extension workers will guide the selection process for beneficiaries, who will receive seedlings and support to establish gardens within a month.

‘We are distributing coffee seedlings across Tooro Kingdom to encourage youth to actively participate in farming. This program is about providing livelihoods and equipping young people with entrepreneurship skills,’ Armstrong added.

The initiative will roll out in two phases, beginning with distribution of seedlings before establishing nurseries, mother gardens and demonstration farms to guarantee sustainability.

Officials expect the program to boost household incomes for youth-led families and link Tooro’s young people with national wealth creation initiatives such as the Parish Development Model and Operation Wealth Creation.

The launch comes ahead of King Oyo’s tour of the kingdom’s nine counties starting October 6, where he is expected to popularize the program.

At least 25 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are lined up for signing at the third Uganda-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation and Business Conference due in Kampala from October 7 to 8.

Uganda’s ambassador to Russia, Moses Kizige, said more than 23 MoUs have been processed, noting that while not all will be signed next week, some will be referred for further consideration.

‘Some of the MoUs pending include a draft agreement on bilateral military and technical cooperation; and mutual protection of classified information, among others,’ Kizige revealed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headquarters in Kampala on October 1.

He added: ‘Those that have been cleared and are ready include a draft agreement on computer attacks and response to computer incidents, and mutual recognition of academic qualification, among others.’

Vladlen Semivolos, Russia’s ambassador to Uganda, said the Russian side of the Commission will be headed by Bella Cherkesova, the deputy minister of digital development, communications and mass media, while Uganda’s Foreign Affairs state minister Henry Okello Oryem will lead the Kampala delegation.

‘Russia and Uganda actively cooperated on the preparation of a number of bilateral agreements, including; MoU on cooperation in the field of agriculture, among others, and are hopeful that some of them will be signed on the margins of the upcoming summit,’ said Semivolos.

Adding: In particular, there is interest to establish in Uganda an electric cable-producing plant, as well as to organise, on the basis of its facilities in Russia, the professional training courses for Ugandans with basic knowledge of the Russian language, legislation, and history of the Russian Federation.’

He further stated that his country had been informed about the interest in supplying bulldozers, pipe layers, excavators, and loaders for projects in the field of extraction of minerals, constructing gas and oil pipelines, roads, bridges, dams, buildings and structures.

‘There are also plans of East African Motor Supplies Limited and Auto Tune and Engineering Limited to establish the large-scale assembly of Urai vehicles in Uganda to meet the needs of East African Community (EAC) member states.’

Semivolos said holding the session in Kampala underscores the particular importance both countries attach to the development of their cooperation in trade, economic investment and other areas, sanctions on Moscow notwithstanding.

‘Russia is the most sanctioned country in the world. the sanctions were imposed by a small group of countries who consider themselves as rulers of the world,’ said Semivolos, noting that to-date, ‘at least 30,000 sanctions’ have been slapped on his country.

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the US and EU have rolled out sweeping sanctions, including a July price cap on Russian oil, to weaken Moscow’s war effort.

The bloc has also banned 22 more Russian banks and over 100 non-EU shipping vessels that comprise a part of Russia’s ‘shadow fleet’, tankers that operate outside of standard international maritime regulations.

Background

The upcoming summit builds on an agreement signed by both countries on May 19, 2015, in Kampala, and a second commission held in Moscow on May 23, 2018.

Uganda has since pressed for a third session, an issue raised with President Museveni during his July 26, 2022, meeting at State House Entebbe with then Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Museveni directed that Uganda host the third session in the last quarter of 2024, but financial constraints stalled the plan.

The Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has launched a nationwide inspection of electricity infrastructure, with officials recently visiting the Entebbe substation as part of the exercise.

The inspections aim to assess the viability and challenges faced by Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), which took over operations from Umeme.

According to Julius Wandera, ERA’s Director of Consumer Affairs, the inspections will help understand UEDCL’s operational challenges on the ground.

“We are doing this to try to understand the extent to which our colleagues at UEDCL have moved from the time they took over the network not from a desk report point of view, but from a field point of view,” he explained.

Wandera noted that there were “teething problems” when UEDCL took over, partly because Umeme had reduced maintenance for about four months before the transition in April. “We expect that they should be handling the remedial challenges if there are any,” he added.

During the visit to Entebbe substation, Wandera observed that the substation has an unused capacity of 80 MVA, positioning it to accommodate additional electrical load in the areas it serves.

“This substation here has got the capacity to feed the areas it’s supposed to and it retains a capacity of 80 MVA to be precise right now. That means that it is not consumed totally at all,” he said.

He added that the available capacity implies the substation can support more infrastructure development and added load without strain. “So we can still add on load. We can have more infrastructure coming on board and the load is added and the substation will still handle it,” he noted.

Eng Judith Sengendo Nayiga, ERA’s Director of Technical Regulation, highlighted efforts toward smarter grids and systems for real-time monitoring and feedback.

“Through having systems that are intelligent, we’ll be able to get to where we want,” she said, noting progression from Umeme’s established base.

The ERA officials urged the public to report issues and refrain from celebrating network vandalism.

“Do not celebrate a vandal,” Wandera stressed, emphasizing citizens’ responsibility to curb such acts causing outages. Teams are distributed across Uganda, covering Kampala, West, East, and North, to ensure a comprehensive assessment of electricity infrastructure.

For the third time in a row, Robert Kasibante, the presidential candidate of the National Peasant Party (NPP), has failed to show up for his scheduled campaign rallies, leaving many of his supporters disappointed and questioning his seriousness in the race.

On Thursday, Kasibante was expected to hold rallies in Kyenjojo District before proceeding to Fort Portal City for an afternoon address, but was a no-show

In an interview later in the day, Kasibante admitted that while he had set off from Kampala intending to attend the events, he encountered “challenges” along the way that forced him to abandon the journey.

“I had reached Zigote [Mityana district] and got some challenges, so I canceled the journey. Let me see if I can make it tomorrow [Friday] for Kabarole District, where I am expected,” Kasibante explained.

This was not the first time Kasibante failed to appear for campaign events. On Wednesday, he was expected in Mubende and Kyegegwa districts but never showed up.

Similarly, on Monday, he missed planned rallies in Mityana and Kasanda districts. Since the official start of the campaign season, the NPP candidate has not conducted a single rally, despite a clear campaign program issued by the Electoral Commission.

Voters in Fort Portal expressed frustration after waiting in vain for the candidate. Some accused Kasibante of lacking an advance team to mobilize supporters, prepare venues, and communicate changes in his schedule.

“We were happily waiting for him so that we could share our demands, in case he got the mandate to lead. He was going to be the first presidential candidate to reach Fort Portal and Tooro sub-region, but now he has not come,” said Joshua Arinaitwe, a resident of Kisenyi in Fort Portal.

Arinaitwe added, “If he has financial challenges, he should declare them openly to Ugandans. The Electoral Commission needs to look into this issue. If he is not able to proceed with the campaign, his nomination should be canceled.”

Political analyst Dan Agaba suggested that Kasibante’s repeated absence could undermine the credibility of his campaign and discourage potential supporters.

“Without actively engaging citizens, experts warn, Kasibante risks being perceived as unserious and unprepared for national leadership,” he said.

Ms Sarah Opendi, a Member of Parliament for Tororo District, has raised concerns over the significant gap between budget release and utilisation in government programs aimed at promoting gender equity.

According to recent data, budget release stood at 97 percent, while utilisation was at 95 percent, sparking questions about the effectiveness of these initiatives.

“Did this money really trickle down to those activities that were meant for? When you look at the aspects of corruption, where does that leave us?” Ms Opendi questioned, emphasising the need for committees beyond the gender committee to address gender concerns in various sectors.

The concerns were raised during the launch of the CSOs 10-Year Assessment of Gender and Equity Budgeting in Uganda, themed ‘The Impact of Gender and Equity Budgeting in Uganda 2015-2025.’

The event brought together stakeholders from various sectors, including local governments, ministries, and civil society.

According to Mr Julius Mukunda, Executive Director of CSBAG, compliance with Gender Equity Budgeting requirements has increased from 53 percent to 67 percent over the last decade, surpassing the 60 percent benchmark minimum threshold set.

The education and health sectors have led in gender-responsive interventions, with targeted allocations increasing from Shs 4.1 trillion in FY 2016/7 to Shs 9.8 trillion in FY 2024/25.

Mukunda noted that local government compliance rose from 30% in FY 2015/16 to a peak of 64.2% in FY 2021/22, but worryingly dropped to 51% in FY 2024/25. Sheema district was the best performer on average at 64.5 percent, while Abim District, the lower performer, was at 37.9 percent.

The assessment also highlighted significant increases in targeted allocations for gender, youth, and vulnerable groups. Gender allocations rose by 112 percent, youth-related budgets 233 percent, Older Persons budget increased by 440 percent, and PWDs budget increased by 363 percent over the period.

Mr Moses Ssonko, Principal Economist at the Ministry of Finance, noted significant legal advancements since the Public Finance Management Act of 2015, which mandates the integration of gender and equity concerns in government budgeting. “Previously, under the 2001 Budget Act, there was no mention of gender and equity budgeting,” Ssonko said.

Honourable minister, it was reported that on February 13, 2025, on the floor of Parliament, that you withdrew the Forensic Evidence Bill, 2024. The reason you gave for taking this action was that after extensive consultations it had become obvious that some aspects of the Bill needed to be reviewed and refined. You are reported to have told the House that the Bill was not dead but had only been withdrawn to make improvements.

On May 16, 2025 your ministry published The Forensic and Scientific Analytical Services Bill, 2025 in the Uganda Gazette. This is understood to be the revised version of the Forensic Evidence Bill, 2024. The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs of the Parliament of Uganda has since then invited various stakeholders to present their reviews on the revised Bill. It was reported by the Parliamentary Watch that on September 24 2025, you asked Parliament, during a harmonisation meeting with the Committee, not to reject this Bill.

I have had time to scrutinise this Bill and these are some of my observations and comments: Forensic services are crucial in justice delivery and are provided by, among others, the Uganda Police Force, the Ministry of Health and the Government Analytical Laboratory. These sectors technically play distinct roles. No single law can harmonise their roles and responsibilities. The Forensic and Scientific Analytical Services Bill 2025 is basically about the services provided by the government analytical laboratory, to the exclusion of the services offered by other stakeholders. However, the Bill negatively impacts on the services provided by the Uganda Police Force, whose constitutional mandate it is to investigate crime and also the forensic services provided by the Ministry of Health.

The framers of the Forensic and Scientific Analytical Services Bill, 2025 did not improve on the Forensic Evidence Bill 2024; they did not address any of the major concerns that the stakeholders raised in regard to the preceding Bill. An important recommendation was the creation of an independent regulatory body, as is in other countries. Uganda’s most urgent need is of an independent body, by law established, to regulate and oversee the forensic services offered by the key stakeholders.

Such a body will provide regulatory oversight to the forensic services of the police, the Ministry of Health and the Government Analytical Laboratory. The major issues in forensic service delivery in Uganda today include credibility of our results, capacity building, logistical challenges and coordination of the services. The Forensic and Scientific Analytical Services Bill 2025 has not and will not address these endemic challenges. The root causes of these poor services have been interrogated even before such a Bill was drafted. Much as a hungry man needs food, poisoned food will drive him faster to his grave. The Bill will be a disservice to forensic services in the country. It is bound to be a redundant law if passed.

A growing borrowing crisis is exposing a darker truth. For many desperate borrowers, the search for quick cash often ends in financial ruin.

Legal loopholes, predatory lenders, and ignorance of loan agreements are trapping thousands into contracts that strip them of property and dignity.

Lawyer David Mpanga of Dentons Advocates describes how many borrowers unknowingly sign away their assets.

Instead of signing loan agreements, they are pressured into contracts that falsely indicate they have sold their property.

‘When someone wants money, they throw caution to the wind,’ he says, noting that many have signed documents that say they have sold the property when in reality they are only borrowing.

Mpanga says the real danger lies in desperation, which blinds borrowers to obvious risks.

‘Even if you have not gone to school, why are you signing that you have sold when you are borrowing? Worse still, some sign documents they don’t understand,’ he says.

This is made worse by a poor legal direction, which assumes that lawyers know everything.

‘Sometimes we do not, but we pretend we do, and end up misleading clients,’ he says.

A culture of signing blindly

Consumer advocates say ignorance is a key driver of the current ruin that many Ugandans have found themselves in.

Theopista Sekitto Byuma, the executive director of Nshuti, says, ‘a survey across the country showed that 68 percent of Ugandans never read the loan letters they signed’.

‘Out of every 100 borrowers, only 32 had actually understood their obligations,’ she notes.

This culture of signing blindly, Byuma says, throws away financial protection and exposes unsuspecting borrowers.

The regulatory view

Bank of Uganda acknowledges that a dangerous imbalance of knowledge between lenders and borrowers fuels the crisis.

Twinemanzi Tumubweine, the Bank of Uganda director for supervision, says this information gap leaves consumers exposed to exploitation.

‘One of the fundamental issues we have discovered is the significant knowledge gap between financial service providers and consumers. Borrowers often do not fully understand their rights and obligations,’ he says.

Tumubweine stresses that financial services are built on trust, and when ‘it comes to loans or insurance, providers are essentially selling trust’.

‘Consumers hope that service providers will stand with them on their journey to financial independence. That trust is broken when contracts are misleading or when borrowers sign without understanding,’ he says.

Therefore, Tumubweine says there is need to create channels that establish stakeholder partnerships to protect consumers, putting in context insights from consumer complaints and financial literacy initiatives.

Access versus protection

Uganda has made huge progress in financial access, with more than 35 million mobile money users by 2024, but experts warn that access without protection leaves consumers vulnerable.

‘Access alone is not enough,’ Byuma says: ‘Millions of Ugandans are using financial services, but many don’t know where to turn when something goes wrong.’

Mpanga agrees, adding that without protection and literacy, desperation will continue to drive harmful borrowing.

“Bankers may send charming faces to sell loans, but when it’s time to collect, they send the toughest, meanest people. That is how the game is played,’ he says.

A legal and structural problem

Together, the voices of Mpanga, Byuma, and Tumubweine paint a sobering picture.

Uganda’s borrowing crisis is not just financial. It is legal, cultural, and structural.

Desperate borrowers, predatory lenders, poorly trained lawyers, and a weak regulatory environment form a toxic mix that traps consumers in cycles of debt.

The way forward, therefore, lies in law reform, consumer education, and regulatory vigilance.

Borrowers must be empowered to question contracts, lawyers must guide responsibly, and regulators must close loopholes that allow exploitation.

Until then, the borrowing trap will continue to ensnare millions, turning dreams of financial independence into nightmares of lost property and broken trust.

Right now, Uganda is experiencing a digital revolution. As internet penetration steadily rises, so does the use of e-commerce, online government services, mobile banking and payment platforms. However all this progress is not without risk, and cyber crime is gradually increasing – especially in rural areas where awareness is low.

To address this issue, grassroot campaigns are stepping in with the goal of empowering rural communities and building stronger awareness among the population. Some have developed innovative solutions to bridge the digital divide and reach out to rural areas so even remote villagers are able to navigate the internet safely.

Cybersecurity Challenges in Rural Uganda

Rural Uganda faces significant barriers to effective cybersecurity education and awareness. It isn’t just that awareness about cyber threats, cybersecurity best practices, or tools like VPN providers is scarce – the problem is reaching people in rural regions that have underdeveloped digital infrastructure, limited electricity, and high data costs.

Many rural dwellers do not own their own devices, and rely on communal device sharing as well as intermediaries for charging. Not only does this increase the risk of unauthorized access, but it also means that information is often passed along second-hand instead of being accessed directly – which causes misinformation to flourish and leads to poor cybersecurity practices.

As things stand there is a rapid adoption of digital tools in rural areas, spurred by initiatives like the UN Capital Development Fund’s program for inclusive digital economies. However that in itself is a double-edged sword as it has outpaced education efforts – leaving rural communities vulnerable and targets for cybercriminals.

Grassroot Campaigns to Promote Cybersecurity

To reach rural communities more effectively, Uganda has turned to grassroot cybersecurity campaigns that meet people where they are, and use more accessible methods. Its National Cybersecurity Strategy 2022-26 got the ball rolling by emphasizing the need to embed cybersecurity in school curricula and build a solid foundation for long-term digital resilience.

The National Information Technology Authority-Uganda (NITA-U) has also stepped up with several campaigns that have a rural focus. One of them was its ‘Be Safe Online’ initiative that engaged schools and community leaders to deliver cybersecurity education to communities with low digital literacy.

Additionally, NITA-U has built community-based tech centers in rural areas under the Digital Uganda Vision to bridge the digital divide, and provide tailored programs on cybersecurity awareness. However its biggest push to enhance rural cybersecurity to date is the freshly launched Beera Ku Guard campaign.

As a collaboration between NITA-U and the Personal Data Protection Offer (PDPO), Beera Ku Guard is a six-month, nationwide public awareness campaign to promote cybersecurity. It intends to target rural communities by using local language messaging as well as rural-friendly communication channels such as radio, television, SMS, community forums and in-person workshops.

Complementing NITA-U’s work, the PDPO will focus on avoiding technical jargon, and translating rights and responsibilities into simple, relatable language. It intends to integrate storytelling, infographics, and interactive quizzes into the Beera KU Guard campaign to make complex concepts relatable and engaging for rural audiences.

Overall this campaign aims to reach at least 70% of Uganda’s population and is the largest grassroots cybersecurity education campaign so far. By instilling basic cybersecurity best practices among rural communities, it plans to educate them on how to safeguard mobile money PINs, avoid malicious links, identify suspicious emails, and secure personal data.

Other organizations have also been reaching out to rural communities. Some have partnered up in building mobile labs with solar-powered computers to reach areas that have low internet penetration and limited electricity supply. Others, such as Unwanted Witness and Civil Rights Defenders, train human rights defenders in rural areas on cybersecurity basics.

What’s Next?

Empowering rural Uganda isn’t something a one-off grassroots campaign can solve, but the Beera Ku Guard initiative is a good start and showcases the government’s commitment to delivering cybersecurity education to its most vulnerable, rural communities. By prioritizing accessibility, cultural relevance, and collaboration with local communities, it is not only lighting the way but laying a solid foundation that future campaigns can build on.

As new and disruptive technologies such as AI are set to enhance cyberthreats by enabling better deepfake videos, more convincing phishing emails, and automated cyber attacks – the need to empower rural Uganda and ensure they can protect themselves is greater than ever before. The grassroots campaigns that are being run are not only essential, but prove that with the right approach it is possible to empower rural communities with the knowledge and skills they need.