Category: Daily Monitor

Social media has become the most all-embracing media platform in the world, with millions scrolling through various apps at any one moment of the day – sharing or consuming content. Ugandans are part and parcel of this social media craze. According to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) social media usage report (2024), at least 9.2 million (31 percent) Ugandans subscribe to TikTok, 9.3 million (31 percent) to WhatsApp, 6.4 million (22 percent) to YouTube, 2 million (7 percent) to Snapchat, 1.3 million (4 percent) to X/Twitter, 1.6 million (5 percent) to Instagram, and 0.2 million (1 percent) to Netflix.

In terms of engagement measured through data usage, TitkTok which is at par with WhatsApp in terms of subscription accounts for 56 percent of traffic volume. WhatsApp does not make even half of that, accounting for 24 percent of traffic volume, and YouTube further down the scale at 13 percent traffic volume. The rest of social media accounts for between 1 percent and 2 percent of social media usage traffic volume. The famed elitist X/Twitter accounts for a measly 1 percent.

TikTok’s mojo has been in its structure as a short video app. Short video, as elsewhere in the world, is now the currency of social media in Uganda. Where in the past short videos were mostly social banter – music, relationships, travel, etc, politics is now fully on the menu.

Thus today, hundreds – if not thousands – of aspiring candidates for various political offices in the 2026 Uganda general election are running social media accounts, particularly short videos on TikTok where they are sharing electrifying moments of their campaign rallies, or denigrating opponents. This in part, is because it doesn’t cost much! Just a smartphone with camera, a minute of steady recording hand, data, and a click of the share button. Perhaps one of the most memorable short videos of this political season will be the ‘Tanga Odoi Moment’ – the short video of NRM electoral head, Tanga Odoi, captured by an unknown citizen counting ‘votes’ backwards, forwards, and sideways during the NRM party primaries.

Whichever way we look at it, in that algebraic moment, the history professor etched himself into Uganda’s election history. Where in 1980 it was about gerrymandering, detention of aspirants ahead of nomination, and denial of nomination to candidates on flippant reasons like they can’t prove their proficiency in the English language, in 2026, it will be about how to count votes like Tanga Odoi.

So, as the political races near the wire on January 15, 2026, there may be many such ‘Tanga moments’ at polling stations around the country, and when they happen, citizens will be there to capture and spread them on social media. Thus, almost everyone in Uganda with a smartphone of whatever sophistication and pricing will have the opportunity to record a ‘Tanga Odoi Moment’ as votes are counted at the polling stations, giving citizens the opportunity to juxtapose ‘official’ results with the raw results recorded at polling centres.

But it may be too early to celebrate. As Chinua Achebe wrote in his book of Eneke the bird that said ‘since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching’, the ‘Tanga Odoi moment’ has given lessons to not just the citizens that wish to see votes counted logically, but also to those that wish to count votes like the good old history professor. So while citizens hope that mobile phones and social media will spread electoral transparency, many equally fear that it may end up as a useless piece of technology that can be suffocated.

Tanzania just proved this recently when the entire internet was shut down on polling day. Behind this internet blackout, amidst the violence and bloodbath, the votes were counted forwards, backwards and sideways, thus giving the incumbent President Samia Hassan Suluhu a landslide of almost 100 percent of votes cast (counted?) – 97.6 percent to be precise! Here, the ‘Suluhu moment’ was behind the curtains. Come polling day, January 15, 2026, many media watchers in Uganda and elsewhere will be watching, hoping to see neither of these moments – ‘Tanga moment’ or ‘Suluhu moment’ or deep fakes.

The burden of diabetes in the country has nearly doubled over the past decade, with prevalence rising from 1.4 percent in 2014 to 2.6 percent in 2023, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Health.

Diabetes, a largely preventable condition, often triggers life-threatening complications, inflicts profound suffering, and results in loss of livelihood due to sickness.

The chronic disease is also very expensive to treat, with the country spending upwards of Shs2.2 trillion annually to treat the condition, according to a 2023 Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) report. Mr David Kimuli, 62, is one of the people living with diabetes.

When the first symptoms appeared, Mr Kimuli didn’t suspect diabetes. He often felt unusually cold during the day and weak, assuming it was malaria.

After a year of misdiagnosis and getting the wrong treatment, Mr Kimuli finally went to Mulago Hospital for a full medical check-up. There, he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and immediately started insulin treatment in 1997.

‘When I started taking insulin, it wasn’t easy. I had symptoms of ringworm on my skin, my vision became blurry, and learning to inject myself was very hard,’ he adds.

Adjusting to life with diabetes came with major lifestyle and dietary changes. ‘It is very expensive to maintain a proper diet,’ he observes.

‘Back then, Mulago services were free, but I had to stop taking honey, soda, normal bread, pineapples, and sugarcane, resorting to salt bread and other food types depending on your blood sugar level and the type of diabetes you have.’

In the early years of treatment, insulin reactions were a major challenge to him. Mr Kimuli adds that beyond the medical struggles, social and workplace stigma made the journey even harder.

‘I would sweat so much and had to move everywhere with a glucometer. The body takes time to adjust, where you can get insulin reactions. Some workplaces see you as a burden and do not give you space once they realise you are diabetic,’ he says.

Despite the challenges, Mr Kimuli has learned to live positively with diabetes. After 28 years of daily injections and strict dietary monitoring, he has mastered his condition and continues to manage it with discipline.

Mr Kimuli’s story is not isolated. His story mirrors Uganda’s escalating diabetes crisis. From 2014 to 2023, prevalence nearly doubled from 1.4 percent to 2.6 percent, according to data from the WHO and the Ministry of Health.

But statistics also show strong variation of the prevalence of high blood glucose (a pointer to diabetes) across regions.

In the central region, it rose from 2.1 percent to 5.2 percent, eastern from 1.1 to 3 percent, northern (1.3 percent to 2.2 percent), and western (1.5 percent to 2.7 percent). This means northern and western Uganda had some of the slowest rates of increase in high blood sugar prevalence.

Prevalence of high blood sugar in urban areas rose from 2.3 percent to 3.6 percent, while in rural areas it spiralled from 1.3 percent to 3.2 percent. This indicates that the gap in the prevalence of high blood sugar is narrowing between the two settings as urbanisation increases in the country.

Dr Fressera Bunjo Muyinga of Aga Khan University Hospital, Nakawa Specialty Centre, explains the biology. ‘Diabetes is a condition where the body can’t produce enough insulin or can’t use the insulin effectively, causing a rise in blood sugar,’ she says.

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, which shuttles glucose into cells for energy.

‘Type 1 diabetes stems from autoimmune destruction of our pancreas, leading to low production of insulin. This is purely genetic, purely autoimmune, and is not something you can acquire because of lifestyle changes,’ Dr Muyinga explained.

Dr Kenneth Luzinda, a physician at Nakasero Hospital, delves deeper. ‘Diabetes is a disease in which there is a change in the way the body manages its nutrients. For most of us, we tend to think of it as only sugar, but generally, lots of other nutrients get affected,’ he adds. He says type 1 diabetes can affect children as young as one year old, and these patients are started on insulin injection immediately.

But the commonest is Type 2 diabetes. Dr Muyinga says Type 2 diabetes, the dominant form of diabetes, arises from ‘insulin resistance… the things that you do every day, the food you eat, lack of exercise… but also genetics.’

Dr Luzinda sheds more light. ‘Usually, it (Type 2 diabetes) happens in people who become big (fat). The actual process that happens here is that the pancreas is producing enough insulin, but because the body is too big and there’s a lot of fat, the insulin does not do its job,’ he explains.

‘So, the underlying problem is that the body fails to respond. But there is also gestational diabetes, which afflicts some pregnant women, some persisting post-delivery,’ he adds.

Dr Luzinda explains that in gestational diabetes, the pregnant woman manifests symptoms of diabetes.

‘The pregnancy puts a strain on the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas, and they fail to be sufficient or the pregnancy results in the body producing antibodies that prevent the insulin from working,’ he explains.

Signs, symptoms, and treatment

Dr Muyinga says symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, thirst, hunger, and numbness.

‘Type 2 diabetes only presents with minor symptoms. Sometimes people find out by going for a general check-up and the doctor finds they have diabetes,’ she explains, emphasising the importance of routine check-ups.

She reveals that her 89-year-old grandmother is still thriving after 20 years of diagnosis with diabetes by adhering strictly to guideline. The adherence includes taking the medication as prescribed and avoiding diets she is restricted from.

‘You have to take your medication every day unless a doctor tells you otherwise. If you don’t take action, you can experience kidney failure, get visual impairment, delayed healing, amputation, frequent infection, heart disease, among others,’ she adds.

The economic loss

A 2023 analysis report by Ms Madina Guloba and other researchers from the EPRC indicates that in 2022, up to Shs2.2 trillion was spent on medication, treatment, and management of complications of diabetes. Households bear the largest financial burden (Shs1.7 trillion).

The researchers further note that the government expenditure of Shs435b on diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes patients accounted for 13 percent of the Ministry of Health budget.

Why is it rising

The doctors believe urbanisation and globalisation, which led to the import of Western habits, are largely to blame.

Dr Diana Ssewanyana, operations manager at Aga Khan University Hospital Nakawa Specialty Centre, laments: ‘We used to say non-communicable diseases like diabetes are diseases of the rich. This is because the rich used to sit in the cars, they don’t walk because they are rich, they go to supermarkets and they go for fast foods, they buy the sodas every day,’ she observes.

‘At lunch time, you have a soda, dinner, and you have another soda with the meal. That is what increases the risk of developing these conditions, like diabetes. These processed foods, some of which are expired,’ she adds.

Dr Ssewanyana says processed foods have eclipsed traditional diets to our disadvantage. She narrates her experience in Dubai, UAE where a passion fruit costs Shs10,000, but it is cheap in Uganda, yet some Ugandans dismiss the fruits or their juice as ‘for the poor’ and instead go for soda or other processed foods.

Dr Ssewanya also emphasises the demonisation of walking. She says many people have shunned walking, fearing poverty perceptions, while leaders are also failing to model change.

‘Just imagine if you’re told that for you not to have to pay the millions of shillings that you expect to pay when you suffer from a disease, it’s just a walk. How cheap is walking!’ she wonders.

Dr Luzinda says excess calories from staple foods like matooke, posho, and processed foods like sodas accumulate as fat, causing insulin resistance.

Solutions

The experts say solutions demand multifaceted action. First, promote prevention through education and lifestyle shifts. Dr Ssewanyana urges leadership by example.

‘Just imagine if one day you took the initiative and said to all of us, the celebrities, we are going to walk, we are walking, but we are not broke. We park our cars and walk,’ she says.

‘Sometimes leadership is about living by example. If they can do this, they can cause a lot of influence. If you go to developed countries, I have seen the President of France, for example, going on the street, riding a bike. He is the President,’ she adds.

The doctors say schools should emphasise balanced diets for learners and discourage processed foods (junk food), integrate physical education, and do campaigns to increase awareness of the general population about these conditions.

Dr Luzinda calls for workplace reforms.

‘Can we provide healthy foods at our cafeterias? Can we have the education from that workplace that targets the risk factors for diabetes so that people are aware?’ he suggests.

‘And when we are eating, can we know that the workplace might provide at least one or two periods of time where people can get up and do something physical. Messengers can be put away so that people walk around and take some stairs.

‘People can avoid using the lift. But also, some places can actually create time for group sessions, such as aerobics and gyms, and even provide those facilities or subscriptions. Can we have periodic screens that are initiated at work, where people can be screened? Then, if found, people are treated,’ he adds.

He says workplaces should put in place a support system for people with diabetes.

‘The support for such diseases or risk factors is not just drugs and doctors. It also involves other psychological things and social things that can be put in place,’ he explains.

‘Because these diseases not only affect the physical body, but they also affect how you are perceived in society. How you perceive your environment. You have to swallow pills, sometimes at work. And sometimes you might have to take days off when you are unwell,’ he adds.

The government’s decision to merge and streamline several agencies has left the multi-billion-shilling Pajule Ginnery project in Pader District in uncertainty.

In February 2021, the government embarked on a sweeping rationalisation of its agencies, a reform meant to improve efficiency and eliminate duplication of roles.

The restructuring, however, has had unintended consequences for several projects, including the Pajule Ginnery, which was under the Cotton Development Organisation (CDO).

The reform transferred CDO’s functions to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (Maaif). Since then, work at the facility has slowed dramatically.

In June 2015, the Monitor established that CDO had signed agreements with a contractor to undertake a four-year construction of a seed processing plant worth Shs20 billion.

By mid-2024, however, Shs5.96 billion, about 35 percent of the project funds, had not been released, halting progress following CDO’s restructuring.

Major pending works include the construction of a multipurpose hall and offices (Shs1 billion), a dining hall and fuelwood kitchen (Shs750 million), the main store and external works such as driveways, landscaping and drainage (Shs4 billion), and a mini fuel station (Shs200 million).

To cushion operations, CDO has resorted to makeshift stores to handle seed cotton during peak seasons. The management also partnered with Rwenzori Cotton Ginners Co Ltd, a private company, to buy seed cotton from multiplication areas, transport it to Pajule Ginnery, gin it, and return the fuzzy seed to CDO while retaining the cotton lint.

Under the arrangement, the machinery and equipment are operated by CDO’s technical staff, while Rwenzori Cotton Ginners covers the costs of consumables such as spare parts, lubricants, electricity, and diesel used in the ginning process.

By mid-2023, according to the Ministry of Finance’s Vote Performance Report for the 2023/24 financial year, CDO produced 64,147 bales of lint, of which 5,156 were consumed locally.

It also produced 2,107 metric tonnes of fuzzy seed delivered to Pajule and Kasese stations for processing into planting seed for 2024. Of thismetric tonnes were delinted, graded, and packed., 1,110

While 64,147 bales of cotton were purchased from farmers, 54,832 bales were ginned, with 39,238 exported and 15,594 remaining in stock.

However, the Auditor General, Mr Edward Akol, in his December 2024 report, revealed that the private ginner processed and packaged the seed into 3kg packs and sold them to farmers at Shs3,000 per pack, in violation of the memorandum of understanding.

‘This contravened the MoU, which required that the seed be handed over to CDO for distribution to farmers. This implies that the ginner is using a government facility without any returns to the state, despite the heavy investment,’ Mr Akol stated

He further added that work at the Pajule Ginnery stalled after the Ministry of Finance exited the project from the Public Investment Programme (PIP), blocking access to funds needed for completion.

Mr Akol recommended that Maaif, which is now taking over CDO’s functions, review this arrangement to ensure government benefits from its investment.

By June 2024, CDO’s buffer fund stood at Shs28.1 billion, comprising physical stocks of cotton lint bales and work in progress.

But the Auditor General warned that ginners may no longer access the buffer facility due to the ongoing transition, potentially disrupting production within the textile sector.

‘There is a risk that the RAPEX process will not be smoothly managed as responsibilities move to the Ministry of Agriculture,’ Mr Akol cautioned. Locally, the Pajule Town Council leadership has expressed concern over the ginnery’s state.

Brilliant Okello, the town council chairperson, said the project’s mismanagement has demoralised farmers and affected productivity.

‘We visited the ginnery and found machines lying idle. Workers were not being paid. When we invited officials to explain the challenges in our council meeting, they never showed up. We were only told that the factory would pay local taxes as they look for funds to resume work. It’s a total mess,’ he said.

When contacted, Ms Connie Acayo, the Commissioner for Communications at the Ministry of Agriculture, said fixing the problems at the ginnery is ongoing.

‘I have not come across any recent funding release to complete the works, but it is a work in progress. There are procedures for releasing government funds, and this will be done at the appropriate time,’ she said.

ccording to CDO, although Parliament passed the RAPEX Bill affecting the organisation in October 2024, by early 2025, it had not yet received transition guidelines from Maaif or the Ministry of Public Service specifying when the Act would take effect and formally dissolve CDO.

Over the recent past, Senegal and Morocco have become reference points for the rest of Africa as many admire their football distinction.

You could argue that the pair are the two dominant national teams of the past five years. Their teams have performed well across most of the competitions.

They have also cracked the code in youth competitions. Morocco won the 2023 under-23 and 2025 under 17 Africa Cup of Nations.

The Senegalese under-20 and under-17 teams won their respective age groups at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2023.

More importantly, both countries are regulars at all continental and global tournaments in senior and age group classifications. Most of that recent success is down to investment.

The pair surely provide the blueprint for countries like Uganda that aspire to reach the top. The national U17 team, the Cubs, will, get a close look at Senegal’s secrets on Saturday at the Fifa U17 World Cup.

The Cubs clash with the Young Lions of Teranga in a round of 32 hoping to make a mark on their debut in Doha, Qatar.

That this is only Senegal’s third appearance at the U17 World Cup shows that they may not be too far ahead of Uganda.

However, on their two previous appearances in 2019 and 2023, they reached the round of 16 in what were 24-team tournaments in Brazil and Indonesia respectively.

Doubled

The teams were doubled for the ongoing edition with the Cubs finishing third in group K on four points, a tally managed by all four teams – France, Canada and Chile.

The 1-0 victory over 2001 champions France, thanks to striker James Bogere’s goal, will forever be imprinted on this edition with coach Brian Ssenyondo now facing a side that finished top of group C.

While there are 10 African countries in the Gulf, only Senegal topped their group. The way the group stage opponents have complimented Uganda should be a warning sign for the West Africans.

‘We were under pressure from start to finish’, said French head coach Lionel Rouxel. After narrowly overcoming the African side, Canadian manager Mike Vitulano also praised Uganda’s performances: ‘They have been incredible. It was an honour to play them.’

After losing to Canada in the final moments of their group stage clash and having been held to a 1-1 draw against Chile, Uganda secured their first victory at the World Cup on Tuesday against Les Bleuets.

The triumph also marked their first victory at any FIFA competition. After all, this is a country that had never previously appeared at a World Cup, at any level or in any category.

Emotions

‘Football is all about emotions,’ the striker Bogere, who has scored five goals in seven appearances, said with a smile.

‘I was really disappointed after the defeat to Canada in the final minutes. But football gives you other opportunities, and I’m delighted with this goal (against France), this (player of the match) trophy and for qualifying!”

The progress marks a monumental achievement for Uganda’s U17 program, highlighting the progress and potential of the nation’s youth football – beating Senegal would be the cherry on top.

2025 Fifa U17 World Cup

Saturday at 3.30pm

Senegal vs. Uganda

Police in Rukiga District are searching for a man suspected of killing his 11-month-old daughter in a shocking domestic incident.

On Friday, Kigezi region police spokesperson Elly Maate identified the deceased as Obvious Ainomigisha and said the incident occurred on November 13 at around 4:00 p.m. at Nyakasa Cell, Bucyundura Parish in Kashambya Sub-County.

‘It’s alleged that the suspect had spent three months away from home and returned on 13/11/2025. He found his wife taking a cow for grazing at around 1600hrs. He followed her with a stick and started beating her on the back, and yet she had a baby tied on the back. The baby was hit on the face with a stick and died instantly,’ Maate told reporters.

He added that the mother, weeping, removed the child from her back while the suspect took the baby to a nearby clinic for medical attention, where it was confirmed the child had already died. The suspect then fled the scene.

Police were notified immediately and visited the scene to record statements from witnesses. The body of the deceased has been taken for postmortem examination.

‘Efforts to have the suspect apprehended are being made so that he is charged accordingly. Inquiries are at hand to establish the reason for which the wife and her daughter were being beaten,’ Maate said.

The incident has sparked shock and fear in the community, with authorities urging residents to report any information that could lead to the suspect’s arrest.

The investigation is ongoing, and police emphasized that anyone found harboring or assisting the suspect will be dealt with under the law.

A travel company has dragged a non-government organization to court, seeking to recover over Shs43 million for unpaid travel services.

In a suit lodged before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on Friday, Gallivanter Agency Limited claims that on May 9, 2025, it provided air travel services to Global Election Observation Mission Limited staff. Services included processing and re-issuance of air tickets.

On May 13, 2025, the defendant allegedly acknowledged in writing its indebtedness of USD 6,806 (about Shs 26 million) to the plaintiff.

The plaint further states that the agency issued another invoice on May 14, 2025, bringing the total debt owed to USD 11,393, equivalent to Shs 43,293,400million.

‘The plaintiff provided travel services of processing air tickets to the defendant’s staff, which were duly acknowledged and received. The defendant, however, failed to make full payment for the services rendered,’ the court documents read in part.

Gallivanter Agency accuses the NGO of issuing three cheques on May 19, 2025, toward payment of the debt, all of which were dishonoured by the bank.

‘The defendant only issued three cheques towards payment of the plaintiff’s debt, but they all bounced and were dishonoured,’ the plaint adds.

The travel agency states that on June 2, 2025, the defendant’s Chief Executive Officer committed in writing to pay the debt in four instalments of Shs10 million each, to be completed by July 30, 2025. However, the plaintiff claims the agreed payment plan was not honoured.

Gallivanter Agency asserts that the NGO made only one partial payment of USD 638 (about Shs2,424,400), leaving a balance of $11,393.

The company also notes that the defendant acknowledged the outstanding debt in its reply to a demand notice, which was attached to the plaint as evidence.

In the said letter dated August 25, 2025, and written through Stabit Advocates, Global Election Observation Mission admitted entering into an arrangement with Gallivanter Agency and confirmed owing the claimed amount.

‘Our client acknowledges that she entered into an arrangement with your client for the said respective services and further acknowledges that she made promises to clear the monies involved therein as claimed,’ reads the letter signed by Stabit Advocates on behalf of the NGO.

The NGO, however, attributed the delayed payment to the late arrival of donor funds.

‘Our client is a non-governmental organization that solely derives its income from donors and funders. The funds were delayed due to unforeseen circumstances,’ the letter adds.

The defendant requested additional time to settle the debt. ‘Our client has been in talks with her funders, and the funds are expected to be available within sixty (60) days. We pray for further time within which to clear the outstanding debt,’ the NGO’s lawyers wrote.

Gallivanter Agency is asking court to enter judgment in its favour and order the defendant to pay Shs 43,293,400 with interest at the court rate until payment in full, as well as the costs of the suit.

The case has been allocated to the Chief Magistrate’s Ronald Kayizzi for hearing.

President Museveni is set to commission a Shs349 billion ($100 million) cassava processing plant in Kamuli District, aiming to transform the economic landscape of the Busoga sub-region ahead of the January 15, 2026, general elections.

On November 15, 2025, Museveni will launch his campaign trail in Busoga, which will conclude on November 21 in Jinja City.

During the tour, he is also scheduled to inaugurate the Kamuli starch processing facility, spearheaded by Dr Matthias Magoola of Dei BioPharma Ltd, which will provide a profitable market for local cassava farmers and create over 30,000 jobs.

The starch processing facility will require 500 metric tons of cassava daily, equivalent to 50 trucks, and is expected to directly create 40,000 high-paying jobs, officials said.

“We’re creating 40,000 high-paying jobs directly, especially in Busoga where poverty is high, not because people are lazy, but because they lack a market for their produce,” Dr Magoola said.

He added: “This factory is value addition, empowering locals and bridging the market gap.”

The facility will produce glucose, maltose, and fructose, marking the first large-scale production of these products in East Africa, and positioning Uganda to compete in global markets, including Europe, the United States, and China.

Dr Magoola said the initiative also aligns with President Museveni’s vision of empowering local manufacturers and generating tax revenue for the government.

“The biggest problem in Africa is that we lack technology. We grow cassava for food only, and we aren’t producing anything out of it. That’s why many farmers don’t have a market for cassava,” he said, noting plans to expand production to over 100 cassava-based products in the future.

Dr Michael Mugabira, Site Manager of the Busambu Village facility, urged farmers to focus on productivity and quality by adopting certified seeds and best agronomic practices.

“Our focus is now on productivity, as the market is secured,” he said.

Local residents welcomed the development. Mary Nabende, a Kamuli resident, said, “We’re happy to see this factory targeting cassava, our main crop. We’ve lacked a market, but this is an opportunity for us.”

Youth councillor Promise Viola Aliyinza said the plant would engage young people, channeling them into productive ventures.

“The youth were redundant, exploited, and into bad practices, but now they’ll be reconstructed, engaged, and earning,” she said.

Earlier this year, the Greater Busoga Sugarcane Growers Union (GBSGU) signed a memorandum of understanding with Dei BioPharma Ltd to supply cassava for pharmaceutical production.

Chairperson Godfrey Biriwali said cassava is faster-maturing and more profitable than sugarcane.

“An acre of cassava can yield Shs2.5m in 8 months, compared to sugarcane’s Shs3m in 18 months,” he said.

Kamuli district LCV Vice Chairperson, Sarah Sambya, called for farmers to embrace cassava as a sustainable commercial crop. ‘Cassava is more than just a crop – it’s a sustainable solution for food security and economic growth. Let’s shift from sugarcane, which has depleted our resources, to cassava, which offers a ready market and a greener future,’ she said.

Dei BioPharma’s products have received certification from the USA Food Department for global use, further assuring farmers of a stable market and competitive prices.

For Uganda Cranes budding goalkeeper Denis Kiggundu, life between the sticks has become a delicate balancing act – a classic catch-22 moment.

Once hailed as Vipers’ emerging guardian angel after inspiring their Uganda Cup triumph, the young custodian now finds himself watching from the sidelines at Kitende, even as he remains firmly within national coach Paul Put’s plans.

Last season, Kiggundu was the toast of Vipers’ Uganda Cup campaign. In his mid twenties, kiggundu started every match, producing commanding performances that culminated in a nerveless display in the final against KCCA, helping the Venoms clinch the silverware.

His agility and composure under pressure earned him widespread praise, making him a key figure in Uganda’s Chan 2024 preparations – where he even featured in a pre-tournament friendly against Senegal.

Briefly shot at power

However, the winds have since shifted. When Belgian coach Ivan Minnaert took charge at Vipers, he shocked many by elevating Kiggundu above established first-choice Alfred Macumu Mudekereza – the Congolese shot-stopper who had joined from Bukavu Dawa (DR Congo) in 2022 and dethroned Burundian Fabien Mutombora to become Vipers’ number one.

Under Minnaert’s early plans, Kiggundu started all four Caf Champions League qualifiers against African Stars (Namibia) and Power Dynamos (Zambia), a sign of faith that the young goalkeeper had truly come of age.

But football is cruel. Costly blunders against Dynamos – mistakes that saw Vipers miss out on the lucrative group stages – proved fatal to Kiggundu’s rise.

Mudekereza reclaimed the gloves, and in the first two league matches of the season against Entebbe UPPC and KCCA, he reminded everyone why he is regarded among the region’s best.

Against Entebbe at Bugonga, Mudekereza delivered a vintage display: producing a superb one-handed save from Isa Bugembe’s curling free-kick and an instinctive close-range block to deny Samuel Kawawa.

He was deservedly named Man of the Match as Vipers won 1-0. The message was clear – the Congolese wasn’t surrendering his spot easily.

For Kiggundu, the timing couldn’t be worse. As Paul Put fine-tunes his Afcon 2025 squad ahead of Group C clashes with Tunisia, Tanzania, and Nigeria, the young keeper remains in the extended pool – alongside veterans Denis Onyango and Ismail Watenga Jamal (both South Africa-based) and Bul’s Tom Ikara.

Put, known for conservatism approach, has faith in Kiggundu’s potential, but even he knows that match fitness and regular football are non-negotiable for a place on the Morocco-bound plane.

Chan miss

Kiggundu’s Chan journey mid this year hinted at his potential, but reality bit hard there too. Despite making the final squad, he watched from the bench as Joel Mutakubwa started all four matches, with Crispus Kusiima as backup.

Now, the task ahead is steep. If Kiggundu is to be part of Uganda’s goalkeeping future – especially in the post-Onyango, post-Jamal era – he must reclaim his Vipers spot soon.

His aerial command, game reading, and communication still need sharpening, and only consistent game time will bring that maturity.

For now, he stands at a crossroads – admired by the national coach but overshadowed at club level by a resurgent Mudekereza.

The season is still young, and if form and fate align, Kiggundu could yet script his redemption. But until then, Uganda’s wannabe custodian remains trapped in the cruel paradox of needing to play to be picked – but unable to play because he is not picked.

The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has raised alarm over the poor state of research in Uganda’s universities, warning that many institutions risk being reduced to “glorified high schools” due to their overreliance on tuition fees and limited research output.

Speaking during the launch of the fourth Consortium of Uganda University Libraries (CUUL) journal in Kampala, Prof. Mary Okwakol, Executive Director of NCHE, said the council’s latest annual survey paints a worrying picture of the country’s higher education sector.

“The survey indicators show that our research is not progressing as it should. Many institutions, the majority in fact, do not conduct meaningful research. Most universities are focused mainly on tuition, which is why people say they could be glorified high schools,” Prof Okwakol said.

She emphasised that NCHE assesses universities’ research capacity through indicators such as library resources, innovation output, and publication standards.

“Research is a very important aspect of the higher education mandate. Libraries are a cornerstone of any university, supporting both learning and innovation,” she noted.

Prof Okwakol commended CUUL for reviving academic publishing after a two-decade hiatus, describing the initiative as a platform to consolidate research from member institutions and promote innovation and commercialization.

“We are very happy with CUUL for launching the first journal after 21 years, which will collect publications from member institutions. Through this collaboration, we are not only publishing research but also identifying innovative ideas and advancing them,” she said.

Mr Andrew Ojulong, CUUL Executive Director, raised concerns over the low enrollment of students in Library and Information Science (LIS) courses. He cited public perception, limited awareness, and inadequate ICT infrastructure as key barriers.

“Ugandan publishers are very few; we have only a handful of journals. The launch of the Uganda University Journal is a timely addition that can boost academic publishing and encourage more local scholars to participate,” Mr Ojulong said.

The CUUL journal launch was attended by Vice Chancellors, librarians, and academics from Ugandan universities, who pledged to support the initiative and promote research and innovation in their institutions.

A Ugandan comedian recently said, ‘In Uganda, they tell you to trust the process, naye does the process know that you are trusting it?’ Munange good people, that is how I also trusted the process and got a glimpse of the new Uganda, aka Uganda empya. Do not ask me to explain how I saw it, after all, you do not question your mehn of Gaad when they keep making trips to heaven. Just trust the way the animals trusted the pigs on Animal Farm, the same way everyone believed Molly’s sugar Candy Mountain. So what saw I?

Digital money

In Uganda empya, things of cash will be things of the past. Your money will move with you. Okay, this also means your poverty will move with you. Those things of ‘let me see what I can do’ will be lies of the past. Kubanga, what will you be doing when all your wallets are digital? Mbu you will just put someone’s NIN in a search bar, and it will display their financial health. Whether they are in red, amber or green. Of course, my Mulawa, Bulindo and Najjera people, you just know these ones will be in Magenta.

Now, not only that. Mbu going forward, your Pastor or Prophet or Bishop will be collecting offertory from the source. You will just get a notification; ‘Apostle Busulwa collected this month’s tithe.’ Anti money will be flying in the air, and everything will be connected to source.

The oil and gas people

These ones you should watch closely. Soonest, there will be a new term in people, the people who work in Oil and Gas (O and G). Of course, not to be confused with your Ogs. Once the oil starts to flow bulungi, these will be the chaps shutting down the whole Bandali street. Mbu they will be to Uganda what the telecom guys were in the early 2000s, displaying their IDs for all to see. The new rizz will be the chaps associated with O and G people. The current O and G people are camouflaging, they are quasi. But when the real dons arrive, they will enter a bar and say, ‘whoever has no bottle on their table, I have bought out the table.’

No more heartbreaks

People are wondering, will the relationships last longer in the new Uganda? No, good people. Everything just gets shorter. You think Ye is making those shoes for who? It is to make up for the coming crisis of the imps. Mbu there is no way you can expect your relationship to last long when the inhabitants of that relationship cannot sum up to six feet in height. What more signs do you need? The only beauty in the new Uganda is that again, you will be able to do a better background check. You will put in someone’s NIN and see that currently; the person you are dating is being claimed by these six people. You will get details that Sam is being claimed by an HR manager in Lubowa and a trader next to the Nakivubo channel.

In the new Uganda, you will enter with eyes open. You will see the abyss and fall in willingly. You will cry tears in advance. But perhaps, in the new Uganda, there will even be no hearts. Because as we speak, does the person reading this have one? No! In new Uganda, we shall have paper hearts. Just for just.

Corruption for all

When I got to this one, things got fuzzy and foggy. I could not see clearly. This chap had matured into a proper adult. Mbu in old Uganda, if you paid after the deal, in new Uganda, you would pay to even be considered for the deal. You will pay so that you can be paid. Mbu apparently in the new Uganda, people pleaded with the gods and said – ‘tokuba nyo.’ Mbu when you throw a stone in Uganda, before it even lands, it will hit about five corrupt chaps. Mbu kids these days start specialising from primary school. They learn from mummy and daddy who keep promising people with the same line – ‘first wait, let me call you back.’ Naye what do people mean by that line. As in, I wait on the call, then you call back. How does that work?

As usual in the new Uganda, people will keep their real sources of income a ka-secret. We shall have formal jobs, but our bu-real sources will be a mystery. We shall work in boutiques, keep them closed for most of the time, but we shall not miss flights. We shall move from Doha to Kuala Lumpur. You chaps can hate on our hustles, and keep yearning – ‘involve me, involve me.’

Agriculture = Aura farming

The only serious agricultural activity I saw in the new Uganda was aura-farming. Mbu every day, people will wake up to farm aura. If you need an explanation, it is clear you are not the target generation. You should just be confirming your NSSF details and whether you qualify for early access. Mu Uganda empya, there will be one job only, farming aura, and maxxing out on aura. You will only visit places that give you an opportunity to increase your aura. You will only make friends that increase aura. Everything will be based on the aura currency. If you are rich but you have no aura, your money will mean nothing to us. It is aura or nothing. Mbu restaurants will even add meals on their menu just for aura purposes. That is why instead of mukene or silver fish, some chaps now call them ‘baby sharks’, again, it is all about aura.

Instead of boyfriend or girlfriend (very imperialistic terms), you talk of your person oba your partner. Mbu then the boundaries can be stretched just in case you need to add another person on the team. Again, blame it on aura.

Potholes and boda bodas

Pause here. Swallow some water, sip something. When you close your eyes, can you really imagine a Uganda without potholes? Let us repeat this exercise. Breathe in, breathe out, again, can you imagine a Uganda without boda bodas? You see the other gender cannot live without their boda guy. Nga boda guys deliver all sorts of things, even emergency whatever.

The only reason we shall keep the boda bodas is because the other gender is as loyal to them, the way men are loyal to their barbers and premier league clubs. And now, also, don’t you think we shall maintain something that reminds us of the old Uganda. What shall a new Uganda mean if we do not have a historical context? Our Nakivubo channel is now a storeyed complex. No, the gods decided in new Uganda, we shall keep at least a pothole per Ugandan citizen. Because who will feed the families of those that keep filling the potholes?

And besides, the potholes and boda bodas go together. You know when the boda guy is jazzing some incoherent kibozi, and their wind is whistling through your eyes, and ears, and then he hits a pothole or hump, and the next thing you hear is just you saying – ‘iyeee, mmmmh.’ Mbu usually that is the moment that signifies the end of one episode, as he embarks on a new episode.

President hangs in Bulwadda

This one is more interesting. Although the President has been getting harder to reach in old Uganda. In the new Uganda, the president will be accessible. Every month, State House will be sharing the president’s party schedule. You know how they share the current election campaign schedule, same way they will be sharing all the places where the president will be aura farming.

You will just get a notification; ‘this week, the president will be in Bulwadda Estate, Kyanja.’ What is with that excuse of an estate? Do those people even cook? Mbu everything there is just delivered. Even the residents of those apartments are just delivered. Mbu the ka-estate does not really have permanent owners, everyone there is either dealing in something or dealing out something. Mbu if you get pregnant for a guy in Bulwadda Estate, it is on you. But… I digress! In the new Uganda, our Prezzo will have days when he chills in Bulwadda, he will even tell us about the new flavours, you know of what? Stop acting proper.

Then, there will be a public holiday for content creators. In fact, it will be mandated that every bar, restaurant, lounge have a place for content creators. Parents should embrace for the new age when their kids are proper streaming as a career.

Back then, when we told people digital will be a department in the workplace, they argued. In the new Uganda, streaming will be a proper career option. Even the President will be a streamer. Of course, your wild mind is wondering; ‘even on OF?’ Clearly, you are not the target audience of this newspaper.

Elections… for what?

I thought UEDC.whatever the name, had improved its services mu Uganda empya, because why is it that when I got to serious topics, it was just blacking out. Mbu in the new Uganda, we shall have leadership on a daily bundle. There will be many presidents, many mayors, you will just subscribe to your own mayor. For example, if you want Sarah is Tall for the month of August, you get that one. Then your friends will tell you; ‘gwe, Kampala yetaaga engineer’ and boom, you subscribe to yinginiya. Will there be elections? I said, when I got to this topic, things were confusing. The only words I remember were ‘as if.’ Whatever you do with that information, it is up to you.

#BanKikomando

The biggest change in the new Uganda was that you will not have that option of ‘meere yonna’ going forward. Is it your father’s farm where you get all foods? Mbu even kikomando will exist no more. Rolex will remain, but Kikomando has lost aura. Mbu there is not a single way of eating kikomando without reducing aura points.

The good thing in the new Uganda, millennials will be the grandparents, Gen-Zs will be the parents, and Gen-Alphas, the children, then you will experience a melange en melange. In the new Uganda, the children will parent their parents. Isn’t it already happening? Luckily, I woke up just in time, just in time when Engineer Na-debts was insisting they add a culvert.