Category: Daily Monitor

A 20-month-old baby girl from southwestern Uganda is fighting for her life after doctors diagnosed her with an enlarged heart that requires urgent open-heart surgery costing Shs18 million.

Malaika Ainamani, the only child of Ms Jane Mbabazi, a peasant from Kigongi Cell in Kabale Town, was born healthy but later developed persistent breathing difficulties that have worsened over time.

‘Daughter was born normal but shortly after, she developed breathing complications and would cry all the time,’ Ms Mbabazi told Monitor.

‘In August this year I took her to Kabale Regional Referral Hospital where I spent about two weeks before laboratory tests showed that she had an enlarged heart and they referred me to Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital for further tests that indicated that she had holes in the heart and they referred me to the Uganda Heart Institute where a cardiac echo report was obtained recommending for heart surgery,’ she explained on Tuesday.

Doctors at the Uganda Heart Institute in Kampala confirmed that Ainamani’s condition can only be corrected through open-heart surgery – a procedure her mother cannot afford.

‘The experts at the Heart Institute asked me to pay Shs18 million for the heart operation which I could not raise,’ Ms Mbabazi said.

She added: ‘I returned to Kabale to seek financial support from well-wishers, but up to now I have not raised the required amount.’

The single mother said she has been overwhelmed by hospital bills and transport costs incurred during the months-long journey between Kabale District, Mbarara City, and Kampala.

Health workers familiar with the case said congenital heart defects are increasingly being detected among infants in Uganda, but most families struggle to meet the high cost of surgery.

A single operation at the Uganda Heart Institute can cost between Shs15 million and Shs25 million, depending on complexity, forcing many low-income parents to appeal publicly for help.

For Ms Mbabazi, the financial hurdle has been devastating.

‘I appeal to the members of the public and well-wishers to help me to raise the required amount of money so as to save the life of her daughter,’ she said.

Her mobile contact, registered in the name of Ruth Orishaba, is 0747600327 for those willing to assist.

According to health experts, untreated heart defects in infants can lead to severe complications including heart failure and delayed growth.

While Uganda has improved capacity for cardiac surgery in recent years, the services remain largely unaffordable for rural families.

As Ms Mbabazi continues to seek help, Ainamani’s condition remains critical.

The toddler’s frail frame and constant shortness of breath have confined her to her mother’s arms as they await a miracle, and the generosity of strangers.

The electrical wiring within a home represents far more than a simple utility; it is the fundamental circulatory system that powers daily life, safety, and comfort. While the aesthetic elements of a home such as paint, flooring, and fixtures are immediately visible, the quality of the electrical installation remains hidden within the walls, yet it is arguably the most critical component of the entire structure.

Proper wiring is not merely a matter of convenience but a vital investment in protecting one’s family and property from the severe dangers posed by electrical faults, including devastating fires and lethal shocks.

The process demands careful attention from the initial planning stages through to long-term maintenance, and cutting corners can have catastrophic consequences.

The legal framework

In Uganda, the electrical installation process is governed by a clear and strict regulatory framework designed to enforce national safety standards. Understanding the distinct roles of the governing bodies is the first and most crucial step for any homeowner. The Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) acts as the primary certifier and standards-setter. Mandated by the Electricity Act, the ERA is responsible for licensing and certifying electricians, ensuring they possess the necessary training and knowledge of the national wiring codes.

As emphasised by ERA spokesperson Julius Wandera, performing electrical work without an ERA permit is a criminal offense.

The role of the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL) is often misunderstood. It is essential to recognise that UEDCL staff are explicitly prohibited from carrying out private wiring work.

As spokesperson Jonan Kizza clarifies, their function is one of inspection and compliance. After an ERA-certified electrician has completed the installation, UEDCL conducts a thorough inspection to verify that all work aligns with ERA’s technical guidelines. Only after this inspection is passed and the relevant fees are paid will UEDCL proceed to connect the property to the main power grid.

‘Therefore, the home owner’s journey involves a clear sequence; first, hire an ERA-certified electrician; second, submit the necessary documentation (such as a National ID) to UEDCL for inspection; and finally, receive the official connection after approval. This process ensures a system of checks and balances that prioritises safety above all else,’ Kizza says.

Planning and design

A successful and safe electrical installation is the product of meticulous, forward-thinking planning. The collaboration between home owner and electrician during this phase determines the long-term functionality, efficiency, and safety of the entire system.

Material selection: Copper vs. Aluminum

The choice of wiring material has profound implications. Copper wiring is universally regarded as the premium standard for internal branch circuits, the networks that power your lights, sockets, and appliances. Its superior electrical conductivity allows for more efficient current flow with less resistance, which minimises heat generation. Copper is also more malleable and forms more stable, corrosion-resistant connections at terminals, drastically reducing the risk of loose connections, a primary cause of electrical fires.

Conversely, aluminum wiring, while less expensive and lighter, is a less efficient conductor and expands and contracts more with heat cycles. This can lead to connections loosening over time if not installed with extreme care, including the use of special connectors and anti-oxidant paste. Its use is generally confined to specific applications such as the thick service entrance conductors that deliver power from the utility line to the main electrical panel, and it is not recommended for general circuit wiring in modern homes.

Strategic placement of outlets and switches

Outlet and switch placement should be guided by a detailed analysis of daily life and future needs. In the kitchen, this means planning for dedicated, high-amperage outlets for major appliances such as cookers and refrigerators, alongside numerous easily accessible countertop outlets for small appliances. Incorporating Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets near sinks is crucial, as they instantly cut power upon detecting a fault, preventing lethal shocks.

In living areas and bedrooms, planning involves positioning outlets in relation to furniture layout, behind entertainment centres, beside beds, and near desks.

Modern living also demands provisions for technology such as USB -equipped outlets or conduits for data cables. Outdoor lighting and power outlets, also GFCI-protected, are essential for security, convenience, and entertainment. This level of detailed planning, often called “future-proofing,” prevents reliance on dangerous and unsightly extension cords later on.

Integrating energy efficiency and smart technology

A modern electrical system should be designed with energy conservation as a core principle. This goes beyond simply using efficient appliances. It involves designing dedicated circuits for high-consumption devices like air conditioners and water heaters to prevent circuit overloads. Wiring circuits to be optimised for LED lighting throughout the house provides significant long-term savings. Furthermore, homeowners should discuss the integration of smart home systems with their electrician.

This can include programmable thermostats, motion-activated lighting in hallways and bathrooms, and smart switches that allow for remote control and scheduling, eliminating “phantom loads” from electronics in standby mode. These features not only reduce electricity bills but also enhance convenience and minimise environmental impact.

Ensuring safety

Safety is not a single step in the process but a continuous priority that must be ingrained from the initial installation through the entire lifespan of the home. Electrician Jonah Bayiga’s emphasis on prioritising safety cannot be overstated.

The dangers of amateur “Do-It-Yourself” electrical work are extreme. The complexities of calculating electrical loads, sizing circuit breakers correctly, and establishing a proper earthling system require professional training.

‘A mistake can easily lead to a smoldering fault within a wall, creating a fire hazard that may not be discovered until it is too late,’ he warns.

The earthing system is a particularly critical safety feature; it provides a deliberate, low-resistance path for fault current to flow safely into the ground, which prevents the metal casings of appliances from becoming electrified and causing a lethal shock. The quality of materials used is equally vital. Substandard, counterfeit wires often have inferior insulation that can degrade, crack, or melt under normal loads, leading to short circuits and fires. Investing in certified, high-quality wiring, sockets, and circuit breakers from reputable suppliers is a non-negotiable aspect of a safe installation. Even a perfectly installed system can develop issues over time due to vibration, gradual wear, or the addition of new appliances.

Control systems

The functionality of a home’s lighting can be greatly enhanced with specialised switches. Dimmer switches allow for the adjustment of light intensity to create the desired ambiance in living and dining rooms while also saving energy.

Multi-location switching enables control of a single light fixture from two or more different points, a necessity for stairways, long hallways, and large bedrooms. These considerations move the electrical system from being merely functional to being a key contributor to the home’s comfort and usability. Having a certified electrician conduct a periodic inspection every few years can identify and rectify potential problems such as loose connections or deteriorated insulation, ensuring the system remains safe for decades to come.

Ugandan lawyer Ivan Okuda is among the 41 lawyers worldwide picked to represent fellow young counsels on the global young lawyers’ forum.

Established in 1997, the Young International Arbitration Group (YIAG) is an association for practitioners, students and younger members of the arbitration community.

Sponsored by the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), YIAG aims to promote the understanding and use of international arbitration law and practice by providing opportunities for its members to exchange views on topical issues in international commercial arbitration.

Currently, there are over 12,200 members from more than 146 countries.

Membership is open to students, practitioners and younger members of the arbitration community. The upper age limit for membership, for which there is no subscription, is 40 years.

Who is Ivan Okuda?

Born in 1993 in Uganda, Ivan Okuda is an Advocate currently working as a Legal Associate with the leading Ugandan law firm, Anguria and Co. Advocates, where he specializes in Construction Law, Energy Law, and Arbitration. In 2024, Okuda was inducted as a Fellow of the UK’s Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb). He is also a member of Uganda’s Construction Law Institute (CLI), the Uganda Law Society, and the East Africa Law Society.

He has represented and continues to represent clients in arbitration matters, including at the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), where he has acted as Lead Counsel in international construction disputes involving infrastructure and energy projects in Africa. He has also acted as Lead Counsel for clients with construction and energy disputes under Uganda’s International Center for Arbitration and Mediation in Kampala (ICAMEK), as well as the courts of law in Uganda.

Ivan is also regularly nominated and appointed as an Arbitrator by parties in East Africa and is considered in the industry as a rising star in the areas of construction law, energy and arbitration.

He obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from Makerere University, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Center (LDC) in Uganda, a Master of Arts in Journalism and Media Studies (specializing in Media Law and Investigative Journalism) from South Africa’s University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, where he was a Konrad Adenaeur Stiftung (KAS) Media Africa Scholar in 2019.

In 2025, he graduated with a Master of Laws in Construction Law and Arbitration from Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland. He is an alumnus of the United States of America’s Department of State’s professional exchange program, the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

He is passionate about arbitration, regularly writes thought-leadership articles on the subject and has been published by the Kluwer Arbitration blog.

Other appointed young lawyers are;

Mitchell Aghatise from Nigeria

Mitchell Aghatise is a Senior Associate and Team Lead at Olaniwun Ajayi LP, where he has built nearly a decade of experience at the intersection of international arbitration, litigation, complex commercial transactions, and public policy reform. A graduate of the University of Leicester (LL.B) and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LL.M, International Business Law)-where he earned a distinction in Advanced Issues in International Commercial Arbitration-Mitchell combines academic excellence with practical experience advising sovereigns, multinational corporations, and financial institutions on cross-border disputes and investments.

His arbitration practice spans institutional and ad-hoc proceedings, as well as investor-state investment treaty disputes. In this wise, he has advised in bilateral investment treaty arbitrations on issues of expropriation and fair and equitable treatment; acted as counsel to a sovereign wealth fund in a multimillion-dollar investment arbitration; represented an international institution in an ad-hoc arbitration under European Development Fund procedural rules; and handled several routine commercial arbitrations including energy-related disputes arising from gas supply and take-or-pay agreements.

Mitchell has also led teams in enforcement and set-aside proceedings across South Africa, Germany, and Lithuania, engaging complex questions under the Cape Town Convention and cross-border enforcement regimes.

In 2023, Mitchell was seconded to Trinity International LLP in London, where he worked on cross-border energy and infrastructure mandates, further refining his ability to bridge international best practices with the realities of emerging markets. He also completed the 2025 cohort of the flagship Africa Arbitration Academy, an intensive program that deepens expertise in international arbitration practice and advocacy, across the continent.

Beyond practice, Mitchell serves as Vice Chair of the International Trade Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association – Section on Business Law (NBA-SBL), where he contributes to dialogue on trade, investment, and legal reform in Africa. He grounds his work in the values of integrity, excellence, and service-advancing both the commercial interests of his clients and the broader development of fair, transparent, and sustainable legal systems.

Beyeeman Akyea – Ghana

Beyeeman Ofori-Atta Akyea is a Director and Senior Associate at Zoe, Akyea and Co., a long-established and highly regarded law firm based in Ghana. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a licensed insolvency practitioner, principally trained and admitted to practise in England and Wales, Ghana, and the State of New York.

Beyeeman offers exceptional, fearless, and first-class representation and regularly acts in complex, contentious, and multi-jurisdictional disputes, often involving investment and commercial arbitration under the major institutional arbitration rules.

His pre-eminent areas of expertise include Construction and Energy, Banking and Finance, White-Collar Crime, and Private Client Wealth Management for enterprising and established multinational companies, banks and financial institutions, state entities, regulators, non-profit organisations, foreign law firms, and high-profile individuals across a broad spectrum of industries.

He is a destrier in arbitration and litigation.

Dipna Gunnoo – Mauritius

Dipna Gunnoo is a fully bilingual (English and French) and dual-qualified lawyer specialized in international business law, international dispute resolution (international arbitration, mediation, negotiation) and commercial law.

She is also a certified (civil/commercial) mediator accredited by ADR ODR International. Dipna has worked on a wide range of high-profile cross-border matters, often relating to or within the African and European continents, in various sectors and areas.She also teaches international arbitration at the Mauritian campus of the Université Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas in its LL.M and LL. B programs.

She was appointed as the Regional Coordinator for Africa of Young ICCA in January 2022, and she has been a member of the LCIA African Users’ Council since 2024. In 2024, Dipna was selected by the Selection Committee of the Africa Arbitration Academy to participate in its three-week flagship training programme in London and has been a member of this organisation since then.

Mercy Okiro – Kenya

Mercy Okiro, FCIArb, brings over a decade of post-admission experience to her practice. She has represented and advised local and international clients, particularly in alternative dispute resolution, election disputes, corporate and ESG governance, legislative and policy reform, construction law and sports law. She has served as the sole arbitrator, mediator, and construction adjudicator in disputes across various industries. Mercy is a member of the panels of neutrals for several local and regional institutions. Mercy is an active member of the arbitration community, serving as an Advisory Board member of the Lagos Court of Arbitration (Young Arbitrators Network), as well as a Steering Committee Member of Equality for Representation in Arbitration, Africa.

Mercy is the current Chairperson of the board of the National Construction Authority in Kenya. She is the Convenor of the Law Society of Kenya’s Sports Disputes Tribunal Bar-Bench Committee and an adjunct faculty member of the Kenya School of Law and Strathmore University.

Mercy’s academic background includes a Master of Arts in International Studies and Diplomacy from the University of Nairobi, a Master of Laws degree in International Commercial and Investment Arbitration from Queen Mary University of London, and an Oxford Diploma in International Commercial Arbitration. She also has professional certifications in corporate governance, trade law and policy, ESG governance, legal audits, arbitration, mediation, and sports dispute resolution.

In 2019, she was honoured as ‘The Young African Arbitration Practitioner of the Year 2019’; she was also listed as one of Africa’s Most Promising Young Arbitrators in 2020, 2021, and 2022 by the Association of Young Arbitrators. Additionally, she was named second runner-up as ADR Practitioner of the Year in 2021 by the Law Society of Kenya, Nairobi Branch. In 2023, she received the Jury’s Award for her contributions to ADR from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Kenya. The Women on Boards Network also feted her as the first runner-up in the category ‘Woman on Board Award’ in 2023. She has been named as one of Kenya’s top 100 arbitration practitioners in 2022, 2023, and 2024 by Lawyer Africa.

Herman Omiti – Kenya

Herman Omiti is an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya and Partner, Finance and Strategy and Head of the Dispute Resolution Department at the Firm of Ngeri, Omiti and Bush Advocates LLP. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) Degree from Moi University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law.

With keen interest in Dispute Resolution matters where he does mostly litigation, arbitration and mediation, Herman has extensive experience in handling disputes before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the High Court as well as other specialized Tribunals. As a way of giving back to society, Herman is from time to time engaged in pro bono briefs in partnership with Kituo Cha Sheria and the Court of Appeal Legal Aid Program.

His expertise extends beyond dispute resolution and has acted and advised various clients in different areas of law including Intellectual Property Law, Information, Communication and Technology Law, Real Estate Development and Construction Law; Electoral Law and Election related disputes; Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution, Media and Technology Law, Constitutional and Administrative Law; Comparative Law and Governance; Environmental and Land Law; Health Law; Tax Law; Procurement Law; Company Law; Insolvency Law; and Employment Law.

Adeleresimi Philips-Adeleye – Nigeria

Adeleresimi is a Senior Associate at Aluko and Oyebode, a leading full-service Nigerian law firm, where she is a core member of the Dispute Resolution Practice. She also plays an active role in the firm’s Construction and Infrastructure, and Energy and Natural Resources Practice Groups. Her practice focuses on arbitration, litigation, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution, representing both international and domestic clients in complex and high-value disputes across diverse sectors including oil and gas, infrastructure, construction, banking, fintech, employment, and human rights.

In addition to her disputes work, Adeleresimi advises on a wide range of construction and engineering contracts, including FIDIC, JCT, and bespoke EPC/EPCM agreements. Her experience spans multiple industries such as oil and gas, power, hospitality, and large-scale infrastructure. She supports corporates, contractors, and public institutions on contract drafting and negotiation, project execution, risk management, and dispute avoidance, providing end-to-end legal support across the project lifecycle.

She brings international experience through a secondment with the International Arbitration team at Hogan Lovells LLP, London, and has undertaken specialist training with the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), Delos, and the Nigerian Institute of Chartered Arbitrators. Adeleresimi contributes to thought leadership in the field of Construction Law and International Arbitration, including published contributions to the International Bar Association (IBA) and Lexology. In 2025, she was nominated as one of Nigeria’s 40 Under 40 Rising Stars by the ESQ Legal Awards.

In addition to serving as a YIAG Regional Representative for Africa, she currently volunteers as Senior Counsel at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce International Arbitration Centre (LACIAC), where she supports initiatives promoting arbitration and ADR across the continent.

Asia Pacific

Sunita Advani – Singapore

Ms Sunita P. Advani is an arbitral assistant to Mr Michael Lee, an experienced English arbitrator member of Twenty Essex. She assists Mr Lee as tribunal secretary in his high-value and multi-jurisdictional commercial arbitrations across a wide variety of industries (e.g. energy, construction, M and A, joint ventures, etc.) and administered by the major arbitral institutions globally (such as the LCIA, ICC, SIAC and HKIAC).

Prior to this, Ms Advani practised international arbitration as an Associate at a leading international law firm in Singapore, and also worked as a Research Assistant at the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment at Columbia Law School in New York City.

Ms Advani holds an LL.B. from the University of Nottingham, and an LL.M. from the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, where she was the Executive Editor of Berkeley Business Law Journal. She is admitted to practise in England and Wales, New York, Singapore and Ireland.

Ms Advani is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) and a Member of the Singapore Institute of Arbitrators (SIArb). She is also the Founder and Chair of Singapore Very Young Arbitration Practitioners (SG VYAP).

Others

Others are; Ian Cheng from Hong Kong, Joyce Fong from Singapore, Gayatri Gogoi from Japan, Shreya Gupta from India, Eden Jardine from Australia, Jingjing Li from China, Raunaq Mathur from India, Shreya Aren from UK, Sergejs Dilevka from UAE, Robert Garden from France, Karolina Latasz from UK, Lorenzo Poggi from Italy, Edward Rensmann from Germany, José Ángel Sánchez Villegas from Spain, Anton Zakharov from Belarus, Orlando Jose Guterres Costa Junior from Brazil, Rodrigo Macin from Mexico, Salma ElNashar from Egypt Fulya Kurar from Turkey, Paige Burnham from Canada, and Elena Rizzo from USA.

The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party leader, Mr Jimmy Akena Obote, is facing a major hurdle in his presidential bid after being blocked by the Electoral Commission due to constitutional breaches and binding court orders.

Despite this setback, the son of two-time Uganda’s President, Dr Apollo Milton Obote, remains defiant, stating that he is still fighting to appear on the ballot, citing plenty of time before the January 2026 general election.

Mr Akena’s team has filed a legal challenge against the Electoral Commission, asserting his right to contest.

However, the High Court has already ruled against him, upholding the EC’s decision. With nominations closed, Akena’s options are dwindling, but he’s exploring alternatives, including holding dialogues with concerned authorities in Kampala.

‘I am still fighting for the ballot, but we are going to be having this conversation. There is plenty of time before the voting, and we’ll be able to communicate and be able to put things across. So, I will articulate as things move ahead, any development, I’ll let people know,’ he told this newspaper in an interview at his home in Akokoro Town Council, Apac District, on Tuesday, November 12, 2025.

According to the incumbent Member of Parliament of Lira City East Division, his life turned upside down soon after he started his mobilisation tour at the beginning of 2025.

‘I’ve been very open in my message. I know the implication of my message. I know what I’m trying to bring. And yes, it will affect those whom the message hits and those who find themselves on the wrong side of the message. But I have no apologies because my message is for the people of Uganda,’ said the legislator.

‘I’m speaking to the people of Uganda. They are to make their decision. And as far as I’m concerned, their decision is final and should be respected.’

The UPC leader’s determination is palpable, but the road ahead is uncertain, according to political commentators. If unsuccessful, Mr Akena may need to reassess his strategy, potentially focusing on party rebuilding and grooming future leaders. For now, he is committed to fighting for his place on the ballot, refusing to give up on his presidential dreams.

‘No more interest in parliamentary seat’

Already, Mr Akena Obote, has bid farewell to Parliament, where he has served since 2006, to pursue a bigger prize: the presidency. Interestingly, he has made no secret of his aspirations for the country’s top office, and his decision to quit Parliament marks a new chapter in his quest for State House. Despite being blocked by the Electoral Commission from running against President Yoweri Museveni in the past-approaching presidential election, he is not seeking re-election as a Member of Parliament.

‘I’ve been preparing for the presidential election. Last time, because of Covid-19, I didn’t find it convenient and we didn’t have the time to prepare under Covid. But for 2026, we were all set for the presidential election,’ he explained.

‘And despite the machinations and all that was done to make sure I’m not on the ballot, it did not mean I should change the focus. The focus of where I am now and what I feel I can bring to the table are things which can affect Uganda as a whole. I think I’ve done my part as a Member of Parliament.’

While his members of UPC and many Ugandans see his decision to leave Parliament as a bold move, Mr Akena Obote is convinced it is a necessary step towards realising his dreams.

‘I’ve attained enough experience and knowledge of how the functioning of government, Parliament, and all the institutions function. So, I had put my effort towards a presidential election and that remains where my effort is,’ he added.

‘So, the issue of parliament or any other position? No. I’ve not made any preparation for anything other than to run for president for 2026.’

The UPC party leader said if he was cleared for the contest, he could shake off Museveni’s grip on power. President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for close to 40 years, is running again for another term as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party flag bearer. Mr Museveni is contesting under the slogan ‘Protecting the gains’.

‘The 50 plus 1 equation’

The UPC leader claims he was not nominated because of an obvious reason.

‘I had created a pathway which was going to upset or put the 50 plus 1 equation into jeopardy. And that would have changed the whole dynamics of politics and also changed the dynamics of the interactions which we’re going to have,’ he said.

He said those who are fearing and concerned about what they are trying to create as a transition, they are fearing that if other players are able to establish themselves amongst the electorate, it will upset their plans in the future.

Mr Akena Obote added: ‘So, mine is for the people. Whatever happens, if the people benefit, I have no problem. If it costs me everything and the people benefit, I’m okay. At the end of the day, the people must benefit. That is my politics, that’s what I’m engaged in.’

Earlier, he urged his party’s flag bearers to mobilise support and not give their votes to President Museveni in the 2026 elections. Addressing parliamentary, LC5, and mayoral candidates on the UPC ticket at his home in Lira City on November 8, 2025, Mr Akena Obote emphasised the importance of staying united and focused on the party’s vision for transformative leadership. He urged them to work hard to convince voters to support the party’s endorsed candidates, ensuring they don’t inadvertently propel Museveni’s re-election.

Addressing a rally at Acaba Sub-county headquarters in Oyam District on October 23, 2025, Mr Akena also urged President Yoweri Museveni to step aside, warning that if he continued to stand in the way of change, the people of Uganda would go through him.

‘My politics is not about attacking people. I rarely speak about politicians’ names. But Mr President, please get out of my way. I am not interested in you, I am interested in the people of Uganda. But if you stand in the way of the people of Uganda, we have to go through you,’ he warned.

Also, he made it pretty clear that his dream cannot be killed or locked away, and he is committed to improving the health and welfare of Ugandans.

While campaigning for nominated UPC parliamentary candidates in Lira City on October 22, 2025, Mr Akena decided to start with a gospel song. And the key of the song was that ‘my tomorrow must be greater than today. And it doesn’t matter what they do to me, what they say, whatever they do, I am moving ahead for a better tomorrow.’

Mr Akena said he is in politics for a better tomorrow.

‘That is what we do. And us as politicians, we use words to sell our message. Now, there are people who are saying Akena has been defeated. There are those who are saying Akena has been locked up, forget about him. For me, as Akena, I have not given up. Whether you knock me down, I will get up again and I will continue until the end because I am not finished. UPC is not finished, and the [presidential] election of 2026 is not finished,’ he said.

Nonetheless, President Museveni is expected to return to Lango for his campaign rallies in Lira City, Lira and Kole districts. His team on ground said the head of state will address all pertinent issues being raised by the UPC leader.

Akena’s vision for ‘new Uganda’

In his vision for a ‘new Uganda”, Akena comes from the angle of UPC, whose policies are geared towards the improvement of people’s livelihoods.

‘So, the test is not the statistics, it is the output. If we talk about what we’re going to do with education, the resultant issue of education must be a qualitative and quantitative improvement in the output. Ugandans must be able to see the output. If it is agriculture, we must be able to see the output,’ he explained, adding that in the health services, people must be able to see the output.

‘The economy must serve the interests of the people of Uganda. It’s the people of Uganda who should be the ones to say, yes, the economy is working for me. Not to say the economy is working because of these statistics, and yet on the ground, people are suffering. And that is why you need an election, an open and free election, where we can discuss these issues and decide upon them, which is not happening in my case, as far as 2026 is concerned.’

About Akena Obote

He was born on September 25, 1967, at Mulago Hospital to former Ugandan President and Uganda People’s Congress founder Obote and his wife Maria Kalule. Following Idi Amin’s coup d’état in 1971, the young Akena fled to Tanzania with his father where he spent nine years in exile, from 1971 to 1980. He returned to Uganda in 1980 after Obote overthrew Idi Amin.

However, following Museveni’s rise to power in 1986, he went back into exile, this time in Zambia. He lived there with his father until 2005, when the Father of the Nation died and was brought back to be buried in Akokoro in northern Uganda’s Apac District, his birthplace.

Moved by sympathy, the people of Lira City elected Akena as their Member of Parliament in 2006, a position he has held ever since.

Where in the world would Uganda dream of beating France at a competitive football tournament? Nowhere, but it just happened.

The Uganda Cubs pulled off one of the biggest surprises in youth football by defeating three-time champions and last year’s finalists France 1-0 at the Aspire Zone in Qatar to qualify for the round of 32 at the 2025 Fifa U-17 World Cup.

Coach Brian Ssenyondo’s boys went into the final Group K encounter needing nothing short of a victory to keep their World Cup dream alive.

After squandering a lead in their opening match against Canada and trailing Chile for 90 minutes before Bogere grabbed a point, Uganda entered this decisive fixture determined to correct their defensive lapses particularly from set pieces that had cost them dearly.

Ssenyondo made just one change from the side that drew 1-1 with Chile by slotting in Arafat Nkoola for the injured John Asiimwe. The adjustment injected energy and balance into Uganda’s set-up as the Cubs launched into the match with intensity and belief.

James Bogere, already Uganda’s top scorer, won an early free kick but Uganda couldn’t make it count. France soon threatened through winger Himbert whose floated delivery was headed home by Abdoulaye Camara but video reviews ruled the goal out for offside.

Uganda immediately turned defense into attack. In the 18th minute, Elvis Torach switched with a long ball to Hamuza Sengooba who broke free on the right flank, beat his marker and cut in a low pass into the box.

Bogere was waiting. With a sumptuous first touch, he curled the ball past the sprawling French keeper to spark wild celebrations among the Ugandan contingent. The French bench demanded another video check on Isma Magala’s positioning during the build-up but the review showed no interference.

From then, France pressed harder but Uganda held firm. Nkoola nearly doubled the lead midway through the second half after slaloming through a thicket of blue shirts, only to see his strike deflected for a corner.

Late on, hearts were in mouths when Jovan Mukisa was suspected of handling inside the area, but video replays cleared him relieving the tension that had gripped Ssenyondo and his bench.

Meanwhile, chaos unfolded in the parallel fixture, where Chile came from behind to beat Canada 2-1 leaving all four Group K teams tied on four points with head to head records going into a merry-go-round.

Uganda’s superior goal record, however, saw them sneak through ahead of Chile as one of the best third-placed teams to the knockout stages. Uganda will await all group games to conclude to determine their final ranking and opponent for the round of 32 set for Friday and Saturday.

Reading Uganda’s media and Ugandans on social media can break one’s heart. It is a country where corruption has become both an industry and an ideology. The 2024 Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index ranked Uganda 141 out of 180 countries, far below Kenya, Rwanda, or Tanzania. Estimates suggest that Uganda loses nearly Sh10 trillion a year to graft, about 10 percent of its GDP.

The larger cost lies in how it distorts merit and corrodes institutions, creating a quiet acceptance that “eating” is part of governance. President Museveni has long argued that corruption is not necessarily bad if the thieves invest their loot in the country. His logic is simple and even persuasive: if a corrupt official steals and, instead of hiding the money in a secret account in the Cayman Islands, invests it in rental houses, buys land, or starts a poultry farm, the money stays in Uganda and generates jobs.

To some, this argument exposes the moral exhaustion of a regime that has run out of ideas. However, for the sake of argument, let us accept Museveni’s thesis for now. If corruption can fuel growth, then it must also be inclusive. A system where every region gets a seat at the corruption table would at least spread the loot. Services would reach different corners of the country not because the government works, but because everyone is stealing with equal enthusiasm. That is what could be called “smart corruption,” where plunder at least produces something that appears to be development. Uganda, however, practises “dumb corruption.” It is a closed circuit of theft and kinship.

By conservative counts, at least 15 members of the Museveni family hold key government or military positions. Cousins and in-laws fill advisory roles and diplomatic posts. Uganda’s top leadership is dominated by officials from a few areas within the President’s home region. Reports by the Great Lakes Institute for Strategic Studies confirm this persistent ethnic imbalance in senior appointments. Meanwhile, many of the poorest districts, especially in Karamoja, West Nile, the north, and the east, remain largely excluded from the high table. Not surprisingly, data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics show that poverty in parts of the north and east remains above 60 percent, compared to less than 10 percent in the south-west. Dumb corruption, therefore, reinforces Uganda’s regional economic inequality.

The farther you are from the seat of power, the less you benefit from the theft. This imbalance may explain why the National Unity Platform’s presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi (better known as Bobi Wine), continues to attract large crowds, despite some analysts expecting the novelty of his 2021 presidential bid to have faded. His campaign speaks to communities and groups that are left out of the sharing. Museveni’s “productive corruption” argument recalls the early industrialisation of South Korea in the 1960s and 1970s. There, cronyism between politicians and family-run conglomerates, the chaebols, was rampant. Yet the government demanded results: exports, jobs, and technological progress. Corruption bought performance. Over time, as accountability grew, South Korea evolved from a poor autocracy into a prosperous democracy.

Uganda’s corruption, by contrast, supports political survival rather than economic transformation. Its effects on public services are devastating. In her book Another Fine Mess: America, Uganda, and the War on Terror, author Helen Epstein argues that Uganda’s health outcomes are now worse than during Idi Amin’s rule. Despite billions in donor and government funding, maternal mortality and child deaths remain high. Health workers steal drugs because their supervisors steal budgets. Corruption in healthcare no longer fuels productivity; it accelerates collapse. The Inspectorate of Government reported in 2023 that fewer than five percent of corruption cases involving senior officials resulted in conviction.

All this as the President continues to defend loyal culprits as “our people who made mistakes.” And so we arrive at a strange place. In a functional democracy, representation matters less because services work for everyone. Citizens do not need “their person” in government to get a school or a health centre. In a patronage State, the opposite is true. People demand representation not for policy, but for access to loot. Every tribe and religion wants a place in the Cabinet so that their region can “eat”. When corruption becomes the primary tool of distribution, exclusion becomes a political bomb. Uganda’s problem is, therefore, not corruption itself but its narrow ownership.

A truly smartly corrupt State, if such a thing can exist, would at least steal inclusively and build accidentally. Because Uganda does not, decades of looting have not created prosperity but resentment. If the idea of “good corruption” had any merit, Uganda would already be a South Korea of the Nile. It is not. Instead, it is a country where theft has ceased to be a means of enrichment and has become a way of governing, and eventually, of undoing itself.

Common Man’s Party presidential candidate Mubarak Munyagwa has de-campaigned state minister for water Aisha Sekindi and senior presidential advisor Vincent Ssempijja, arguing that both politicians have failed to improve living standards in Kalungu District.

Sekindi is seeking a third term as Kalungu District Woman MP, while Ssempijja aims to return as Kalungu East MP after a five-year hiatus.

Speaking during a campaign rally in Kalungu Town on Wednesday, Munyagwa told the crowd that the veteran leaders had nothing to show despite holding key government positions.

‘I have seen campaign posters of Minister Sekindi and Mzee Ssempijja. Both want votes to go to Parliament, but with these bad roads I have seen in Kalungu and households which don’t have electricity, don’t waste your votes on such people. They are in the ruling National Resistance Movement which has been in power for 40 years and have failed to deliver basic services to you,’ he said amid applause.

Data from the Kalungu District headquarters indicates that an electrification project started in March 2019 left 5,800 households unconnected.

Out of 41,405 households, only 8,188 (19.8 percent) have electricity, while 25,765 (62.2 percent) rely on tin lamps for lighting.

During an August 31 rally organised by NRM legislators under the Buganda for Museveni pressure group, Sekindi admitted the district faces land disputes, with some residents threatened with eviction.

She said the Ministry of Lands is compensating landlords to allow tenants to settle peacefully on untitled plots.

In a phone interview, Sekindi dismissed Munyagwa’s remarks, calling him a ‘political failure’ with no authority to comment on local politics.

‘That is his opinion and he has a right to think like that, though people of Kalungu think otherwise. They know what we have done for them, and that is why they voted us in power, when he was chased out of Kawempe South Constituency it was a vote of no confidence in him as a leader,’ she told Monitor.

Sekindi is contesting against Aisha Waliggo (Democratic Front), Zzinga Shakirah (National Unity Platform), and Hellen Nakeeya (NRM), while Ssempijja faces incumbent Francis Katabaazi (Independent), Yusuf Kiruruta (NUP), Deo Katongole (Independent), Irene Nanyanzi (Independent), Mathias Kintu (DF), and Asuman Kabonge (DP).

Munyagwa also criticized the government’s universal primary and secondary education scheme, citing poor implementation and lack of a feeding programme.

‘The universal primary and secondary education programme which lacks a clear feeding programme cannot deliver good products. That is the reason why beneficiaries drop out of school and those who complete are not competitive in the job market,’ he said.

He pledged that, if elected president, his administration would introduce a feeding programme in all public schools and increase teacher salaries.

During the January 2021 presidential elections, Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, defeated President Museveni in the Buganda region. In Kalungu District, Kyagulanyi garnered 38,352 votes against Museveni’s 16,377.

First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga has cautioned Busoga residents against pretending to support politicians during campaigns only to deny them votes on election day.

She noted that she often receives a warm reception during campaigns, but performs poorly in elections.

“I am disturbed when I see you happy during my address but your support is not maintained as polling goes on,” Ms Kadaga said.

She made the remarks while campaigning for President Yoweri Museveni and NRM flag bearers in Bugweri District. Ms Kadaga advised voters to vote for all NRM flag bearers to protect party interests.

She promised to compel the government to set up industries in Bugweri if land is provided for the industrial park.

“Last week, we were in the cabinet discussing industrial allocations and I asked those people to find slots for Busoga,” Ms. Kadaga said.

The Bugweri District woman seat NRM flag bearer, Amina Nalugoda, petitioned the government to upgrade Busesa health centre IV to a hospital to improve healthcare services.

She disclosed that male and female patients currently share a ward due to the facility’s small size.

“Hon Prime Minister, the district is not doing well in the health sector because the health IV is small, I request that the government look into this matter for upgrades to enable people to enjoy services in it,” Ms Nalugoda said.

She also requested the construction of a Tamarac road, especially the one from Nandwe to Busembatya, and a building to commemorate the late Kirunda Kivejinja, a former Minister in the NRM government.

The Bugweri county NRM flag bearer, Sadara Wandera, said education is a priority, and he will ensure schools in the constituency receive attention.

An LC1 Chairperson, Yusuf Sonko, asked Ms. Kadaga to help advocate for the creation of another constituency, citing Bugweri’s large population.

The LC5 NRM flag bearer, Swaliki Lukaba, decried high corruption in the area, promising to fight it if elected.

The proliferation of gleaming, newly-constructed buildings that stand conspicuously empty is a puzzle that challenges both casual observers and real estate professionals alike. These architectural marvels, equipped with modern glass facades and impressive amenities, paradoxically serve as monuments to commercial inactivity rather than hubs of economic vitality.

The most striking example can be found in downtown Kampala near Communications House, directly behind Christ the King Church. This substantial seven-storey structure boasts a spacious forecourt and sophisticated glass exterior, yet it remains what industry insiders describe as “a gap in the dental formula of the city.”

Since its completion nearly a decade ago, the building has maintained an eerie vacancy, broken only by a brief, few-month occupancy. Allegedly, the building’s continued emptiness stems from the owner’s unusual insistence that a single tenant must occupy all seven floors simultaneously.

The public secret

One government official recently expressed concerns about this trend. He wondered: ‘The hills of Kampala are expanding with buildings, but schools, health centres are shrinking. So, where do these people get this money from?”

He went on to answer part of his question identifying the owners as “commissioners, directors, ministers and permanent secretaries.”

The economic irrationality of these vacant buildings becomes clear when examining standard investment behaviour.

As Kenneth Kaijuka, the chief executive officer of National Housing and Construction Company Limited (NHCC) explains: “If the banks were on your case, and you have made a business case that when I build 10 floors, I will be collecting Shs1m per month, and, therefore, in 12 months, I will have Shs12m, and I will pay you back in 12 years, the moment you do not have that cash flow, it threatens the building. You would have foreclosures running every day.”

The absence of such foreclosures indicates what Kaijuka terms “patient capital”, money not subject to conventional banking pressures.

“People could have easy and quick money that is supporting that kind of idle capital,” he asserts, adding that “the fact that some developers are able to sustain empty buildings speaks a lot about the source of funding.”

The half-empty tower syndrome

The vacancy issue extends beyond completely empty buildings to include what industry professionals call “half-empty towers.” Throughout Kampala, numerous commercial and office buildings show vibrant activity on their ground and first few floors, but demonstrate progressively lower occupancy rates on higher levels. From an economic perspective, this indicates that these buildings are not generating projected returns, raising questions about why developers constructed floors they knew would remain unprofitable. Michael Mwizerwa, the head of research and development at Broll Uganda, suggests that one explanation for the anomaly is that we have a lot of money that is put into real estate.

‘The investor’s goal is to just build. What comes after is not a concern. Business is not their first goal, but rather, investing in something.”

Systemic planning failures

Kaijuka identifies poor planning as a key factor driving tenants away from city centres.

“Poor planning is pushing prospective tenants out of town into former residential areas such as Ministers’ Village in Ntinda because of parking problems in the city centre. Someone cannot rotate around the building looking for parking every day. They will go out of town where they can find parking without a hustle.”

This exodus explains why many former residential areas are transforming into office spaces, leaving central business district buildings increasingly vacant. Property expert Cissy Namaganda emphasises the stark contrast between market needs and developer priorities.

“The fact that we still build 10-floor buildings that end up half empty in a town that has a massive parking problem says a lot. Any expert would tell you that having a parking space in the upper most floors would be a better deal with little to no maintenance,” she notes.

The “me-search” phenomenon

Mwizerwa identifies a critical methodological flaw in Uganda’s property investment culture, which he labels “me-search” versus legitimate market research.

“They do a thing that I like to call me-search. They have seen how much money is made from commercial buildings in town and that is enough information for them. And so they resolve ‘since I have the money to build seven storeys in the heart of the city, that is what I will do.'”

This approach completely bypasses essential research into “what kind of spot is the best for what, what are the current needs of the prospective tenants, how high shoppers are willing to climb to get to a shop, among others. It is all about what the individual wants, not what the industry wants. That is me-search,” Mwizerwa explains.

Cultural barriers and market opportunities

The resistance to incorporating apartments in commercial buildings represents another significant market oversight, rooted in cultural perceptions. Mwizerwa points to Capital Shoppers’ successful integration of apartments above their supermarkets in Nakawa and Ntinda as evidence of this missed potential.

“There are very few properties downtown that have apartments upstairs, yet they have a tenancy problem. I was shocked when I found out that Capital Shoppers has apartments at the top. Both the one of Nakawa and the one of Ntinda. You would not even know it looking from outside. And they are full. And they are affordable. They will never lack tenants.”

This innovation challenges what Mwizerwa identifies as deeply ingrained cultural attitudes: “There is this Ugandan thing where living in the city centre has been frowned upon for decades. Living in the city centre has been relegated to foreigners. It is elitist. They want to drive you to town rather than live in it.”

He suggests practical benefits could overcome these cultural barriers: “Fuel is not cheap in this town and living in town would eliminate the high transport fares, at least for unmarried young Ugandans.”

Systemic ignorance

The industry suffers from a fundamental disregard for professional expertise. Mwizerwa contrasts Ugandan investors with their international counterparts.

“Investors, typically, non-Ugandan investors, will seek out experts to do research for them before they invest. Because they are coming from a point of total ignorance, they do not know the country well and they rightly seek out experts to guide them. The challenge is marketing to Ugandan investors because we all think we know what we are doing. We think we know Kampala. Ugandans do not want to do research because they do not think they need it. Yet they are ignorant.”

This professional neglect manifests in multiple ways, including disregard for basic space planning according to asset class requirements.

“The other sign that many investors do not do research is the disregard of space requirements in the different asset classes. An arcade has different space requirements from an office block. How big the rooms are and how they are laid out all comes down to data. What is the size of the corridor in which people walk around between different shops? Where are you positioning your bathrooms? What is the expected number of users of the building? If you get any of this wrong, chances are you will not get tenants at the price you set. The result, possible foreclosure.”

Legal complications

The foreclosure process itself reveals another layer of industry misunderstanding. Mwizerwa clarifies a critical legal nuance.

“The bank or the creditor has no right to sell your property. It may be in their hands temporarily, but you remain the owner by law.”

He attributes unnecessary property losses to investor ignorance and poor advisory.

“But people are ignorant. Combine ignorance and refusal to consult, and you have all these problems. Because if a bank comes to you and says, ‘I am going to take your property,’ you have the right to say ‘no’. You have the right to negotiate new payment terms. And if those fail, then you have to go to court and the court decides the final move. But this business where you just wake up one morning, credit officer calls you and says ‘we are taking the building’, that is not proper.”

This knowledge gap, Mwizerwa suggests, benefits legal professionals disproportionately.

“Again, this is because people don’t want to consult with professionals. They talk to the wrong people. I have no beef with lawyers as a profession, but many don’t know property law. But the client trusts the lawyer to sort out a problem that would not be there with the right professional. This loophole is the reason property is such a lucrative business for a certain group.”

The cumulative impact

The ghost towers of Kampala thus represent more than mere commercial failures; they symbolize a market fundamentally distorted by illicit financial flows. As Mwizerwa, says, the repercussions of normal market circumstances would lead to “very low to no return on investment, or worse, failure to pay a bank loan. Foreclosures would come crashing in like a tsunami which happens a lot too.”

Yet the continued construction of increasingly tall buildings in an industry known to struggle with filling existing space remains the ultimate anomaly.

Global rating agency Standard and Poor’s (S and P) has cautioned that while Uganda’s banking sector remains well-capitalised, its growing exposure to government securities continues to limit lending to the private sector.

In its latest assessment, S and P said commercial banks’ exposure to government debt had risen to 31 percent of total system assets by June 2025, reflecting banks’ preference for high-yielding government paper.

‘This has crowded out private-sector lending and slowed capital market development, resulting in a slowdown in credit extension to 8.2 percent in June 2025,’ the agency said.

However, it noted that banks remain well-capitalised, with a combined core capital ratio of 25.8 percent, well above the 10 percent statutory minimum.

S and P also noted that banks are maintaining low levels of nonperforming loans, at 3.7 percent of total loans by June 2025.

Bank of Uganda’s September State of the Economy report shows that yields on government securities continued to rise, mainly due to higher government borrowing toward the end of the 2024/25 financial year and frontloaded issuances in the early 2025/26 financial year.

In the three months to August 2025, yields on Treasury bills rose to 11.5 percent (91-day), 13.2 percent (182-day), and 15.4 percent (364-day).

For Treasury bonds, yields on the two-year, 15-year, and 20-year maturities rose slightly, while those on the three-year, five-year, and 10-year dropped modestly.

Interbank rates declined in the three months to August 2025 as liquidity improved, supported by Bank of Uganda’s foreign currency purchases and increased government spending.

Overnight rate dropped to an average of 9.5 percent from 10.5 percent, while the seven-day rate fell to 10.3 percent from 11.2 percent.

The use of the standing lending facility fell sharply to Shs2.5 trillion from Shs9.4 trillion, indicating that banks relied less on central bank funding.

Despite improved liquidity, private-sector credit growth remained modest. In the three months to July 2025, annualised private sector credit growth rose slightly to 9.7 percent from 9 percent in April. Shilling-denominated loans grew 11.2 percent, while foreign currency loans increased 5.5 percent, up from 3.6 percent.

Credit demand rose to Shs8.0 trillion in July 2025, while net credit supply climbed to Shs5.6 trillion, reflecting reduced risk aversion as non-performing loans declined. The rate of credit approval improved to 70.1 percent from 59.2 percent.

However, overall net credit extensions fell to Shs1.1 trillion from Shs1.4 trillion, mainly due to a sharp drop in foreign currency loan disbursements, which recorded net recoveries of Shs261b.