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Authorities in Nebbi Municipality have launched a joint enforcement operation with the police to clear heavy trucks and taxis parked along the Nebbi-Pakwach highway and major central business streets, citing severe traffic congestion, safety hazards, and infrastructure damage.

The operation, which commenced on Thursday and extended into Saturday morning, was led by the Nebbi Municipality Mayor, Ms Jackline Opar. The crackdown seeks to restore order in the urban center, where more than 30 heavy vehicles-including fuel tankers bound for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)-frequently park on both sides of the thoroughfare, restricting lanes meant for motorists and pedestrians.

Ms Opar explained on Saturday that while construction of the Shs 16.5 billion hybrid USMID Nebbi Taxi Park and Bus Terminal project is underway, municipal authorities established temporary parking facilities to ease street congestion and curb road accidents within the town center. She noted that law enforcement officers have already served roadside notices and distributed official circulars banning truck parking and loading along key commercial corridors.

The initiative follows a previously issued three-month ultimatum given to taxi operators and truck drivers to vacate public roads. That order had been temporarily suspended after the municipal council delayed in designating alternative parking grounds.

According to Nebbi Municipality Town Clerk Mr Samson Natsambwa, heavy vehicles-including Fuso trucks, Sino-trucks, and long-distance trailers-utilizing road shoulders and reserves must immediately relocate to the designated municipal parking space along Arua Road or to the private parking lot situated on Pakwach Road. He warned that enforcement teams working alongside police will impound any heavy vehicle found violating the directive.

The crackdown covers key transit arteries including Arua Road, Paidha Road, the Nebbi-Pakwach highway, and precincts around the central market, where upwards of 30 taxis and 50 heavy trucks park on road margins daily. Local councilors pushed for the eviction following mounting complaints from residents that heavy transit trucks were breaking newly installed drainage channels and causing severe road blockages, particularly at night.

Mr Alfred Okwairwoth, the councilor representing Nyarwodho Ward, noted that while the council currently collects local revenues from these vehicles, providing dedicated parking hubs remains essential to preventing accidents and managing traffic density.

However, the decision has drawn mixed reactions from affected stakeholders. Heavy truck drivers cautioned municipal leaders that pushing transit operators out of commercial zones could jeopardize local council collections. Mr Allan Mugenyi, a Fuso driver who transports produce from Mbale through Nebbi to Paidha and Arua City, argued that drivers pay a fee of Shs 10,000 per parking session, warning that a strict ban without adequate roadside facilities could force drivers to bypass the town entirely.

Similarly, local traders expressed concern over potential financial fallout. Ms Gloria Alifua, a representative from the Association of Food Handlers, remarked that while members support general urban planning efforts, moving the trucks away from main thoroughfares will significantly drop sales for roadside food vendors who rely directly on long-distance drivers for their daily livelihood.

Despite these concerns, municipal officials maintain that roadside parking will no longer be tolerated, urging all freight handlers and long-distance operators to utilize the newly gazetted temporary lorry parks as permanent infrastructure development continues.

Uganda’s finances are already under heavy strain. Interest payments now eat up nearly a third of all government revenue, leaving less for health and education. Public debt has passed the government’s own ceiling, reaching 52.3 percent of GDP, and unemployment stands at 12.2 percent, with nine in 10 workers in informal jobs that offer no security. Pearl Sweet Oil, long promised, still has not started flowing, and farmers still sell their coffee and maize cheaply at harvest just to get cash.

A growing line of thinking proposes a different path that could liberate us from our financial shenanigans, a concept I call social-capitalism: Keep the markets open for private business, but make every Ugandan a partial owner in the establishments they work for. This way, ordinary Ugandans get a real share of the country’s wealth.

How it would work

The country would set up one protected national fund. Money from oil, gold, minerals and hydropower would go in, and politicians could not dip into it. Part would back the Shilling, part would be saved for hard times, and part would be invested in roads, renewable energy and local business. Citizens would get a small yearly payout or have it added to their pensions.

Three more tools would help. Farmers could store their farm produce in certified food banks/warehouses and borrow against it, so they need not sell cheaply. Ugandans abroad could buy bonds that pay for roads and housing. Workers could receive company shares on top of their wages, so they become part-owners.

It would not be easy, because oil money would be locked away, so the government would have less to spend at first. Printing money to pay bills would be banned, because that is how prices spiralled out of control in the Weimar Republic of Germany in the 1920s. Payouts would be small in the early years, and shares can lose value if a company fails.

This would result in a stronger Shilling, cheaper loans, and farmers and workers who own assets that grow. About $1.4 billion more in safe savings would be needed to back the Shilling properly. Arguably a big sum, but not out of reach.

The catch

To implement a social-capitalist framework, everything depends on honest management anchored on the will of the people. If the fund falls into the wrong hands, it becomes another source of corruption.

The opportunity cost of social-capitalism is a few tight years now, or the same boom-and-bust cycle again.

Ultimately, the argument for social-capitalism is that buying insurance for Uganda’s economy is cheaper in the long run than repeatedly paying to rebuild after an economic disaster.

Businessman Frank Gashumba has challenged Ugandan apostles, prophets and generally Pentecostal pastors to walk into the Intensive Care Units of hospitals and heal the sick. Mr Gashumba promises to part with more than Shs200 million for any pastor who can pull off this miracle.

Gashumba, who frames the men and women of God as certified crooks, is questioning their contribution to national development. Many Ugandans have joined Gashumba’s taunting of pastors, demanding specific signs and wonders as proof of their relevance to society.

We, the Anglicans, Catholics, Muslims and atheists, seem excited to not only contribute to the sarcasm against the pastors but also scandalise the debate. Whereas Gashumba and his ilk chest thump as doing the Lord’s work in calling out pastors, they are only calling on the pastors to become magicians. It is the magicians who pull off stunts for entertainment and profit. We have, nonetheless, seen some pastors who have turned the ministry of evangelism into entertainment and trade. It is, therefore, unsurprising that pastors are being dragged to pull off stunts as though they were magicians.

Pastors find themselves in a similar place Jesus Christ found himself when he entered Galilee. The Sadducees and Pharisees approached Jesus demanding a miracle to prove his authority (Matthew 12: 38). Jesus’ response was that only an evil and adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign.

To the extent that Biblical theology imagines one’s relationship with God as a marriage covenant, Jesus’ response indicated that only men and women whose relationship with God was questionable could ask him for a miracle. Jesus refused to perform the miracle.

Several pastors have, however, responded to Gashumba’s challenge with fury. The fury, much like Gashumba’s frustration, is misguided. If Gashumba truly feels for the unbearably sick in Ugandan hospitals, the right question to ask should be whether, as a country, we are doing enough to guarantee quality health care services to our citizens.

Gashumba’s critique is punctuated with a political disingenuity which scapegoats pastors for the failures of our health system. Pastors are not a government. It is government that is expected to safeguard society from different afflictions of life. Gashumba is thus behaving like the Jewish Zealots who only imagined Jesus as a political messiah who would overthrow the Roman Empire for them.

The pastors are, however, also failing to realise that Gashumba’s challenge emerges from a deep-rooted theological waywardness.

Gashumba, who began his critique of pastors with a reaffirmation of his Christianity, is winding it up with a celebratory revelation of how prominent traditional spiritualists are in defence of him. If the major calling of any Christian worth the identity is to make disciples of all nations, Gashumba is making disrupters of all disciples and bragging about it. Gashumba ought to be reminded that when pastors perform miracles, the act is supposed to only be part of bringing glory to God, not to prove anything about the pastors.

Of course, some pastors perform miracles and take all the glory away from God. These pastors turn churchgoers into their own followers instead of followers of Christ. The pastors’ conscription of Christians into their own followers has generated an unhealthy competition among them as though they were not working for the same cause of winning souls for Jesus Christ.

During the time Jesus walked the earth, the temptation for His Apostles to compete among themselves was also alive. On one occasion in the village of Capernaum, Jesus overheard His disciples debating who among themselves was the greatest. Jesus assured them that the greatest among them was he who was willing to take the last place and be a servant of everyone else (Mark 9: 33 – 35). The pastors thus ought not only to shun Gashumba’s invitation to a performance of their pride but also to manifest the fruits of the Spirit of God.

KAMPALA – The government, through the Ministry of Works and Transport, has signed a Shs232 billion contract with Egyptian firm SAMCO National Construction Company Ltd to construct the passenger terminal at Kabalega International Airport in Hoima District, marking a major step toward expanding Uganda’s aviation capacity ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The agreement was signed at the Ministry’s headquarters in Kampala by the Minister of State for Transport, Mr Fred Byamukama, on behalf of Uganda, and Egyptian Ambassador to Uganda, H.E. Sherif Mohamed Abdellattif Elgammal, representing the contractor.

The project carries a strict completion timeline of eight months, underscoring the government’s urgency to prepare key transport infrastructure before Uganda co-hosts AFCON 2027 alongside Kenya and Tanzania. The facility is expected to handle international visitors, sports delegations, and officials, while expanding the airport’s capacity beyond its primary oil and gas cargo mandates.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Mr Byamukama urged the contractor to maintain high standards and fulfill its obligations without delay or financial impropriety. He emphasized that the project’s success would carry significant reputational weight for the Egyptian contractor.

He cautioned against corruption and administrative bureaucracy that could hinder progress, reassuring the firm that the government would fulfill its financial and operational obligations promptly to allow work to begin immediately.

The Egyptian Ambassador praised the government for conducting what he termed a transparent, merit-based procurement process. He noted that SAMCO brings extensive experience from executing major national infrastructure projects across Egypt, adding that the contract would further solidify bilateral ties between the two nations.

Kabalega International Airport was initially planned under the Ministry of Energy to transport heavy machinery and equipment for oil exploration in the Albertine region. While the primary runway and cargo logistics setups were completed, growing economic demands and strategic national priorities led the government to re-align the facility for commercial passenger traffic under the direct management of the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA).

Under the revised project framework, UCAA and technical consultants designed the new terminal specifications to align with civil aviation security and operational standards. With the eight-month deadline now active, multi-agency coordination between UCAA, the Ministry of Works, and the contractor will be critical to meeting the delivery schedule.

Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao has vowed to push the government to roll out a comprehensive national health insurance scheme to help millions of Ugandans struggling to pay medical bills at health facilities across the country.

Mr Mao made the statement while speaking as chief guest at the opening of the 6th ITC International Insurance Conference in Gulu City on Thursday. The conference was hosted by the Insurance Training College of Uganda.

According to him, many Ugandans cannot afford proper medical treatment because of poverty, and a government-backed health insurance scheme is the solution.

His remarks followed concerns raised by insurance sector players, who decried low insurance coverage and bureaucratic processes in processing bills.

‘I have promised to mobilise my colleagues, like the Minister of Health and other relevant officials (ministries), so that we can agree and set a timetable. Ghana has done it; Uganda can do it also,’ Mr Mao told the gathering.

He said not every Ugandan belonged to the insurance sector, adding that a government-backed scheme would enable citizens to access healthcare without shouldering the full cost of treatment.

‘So we need a government-backed scheme, so that any citizen can go to hospital and there is a limit, so that if the hospital requires you to pay Shs300,000, for instance here, I think a private place like C-Care (in Gulu City), they charge Shs60,000 per night, if you are admitted,’ he said.

The justice minister also pledged to address bureaucratic hurdles and delays insurers face in processing bills and agreements through government structures.

‘That two-week commitment is still alive and well; I think they are telling me politely to enforce it. So I promise to enforce the two-week rule,’ Mr Mao added.

At the conference, which brought together more than 200 insurance companies, sector players cited government delays in processing applications and agreements, affordability challenges and a severe lack of public awareness as factors hindering the sector’s growth.

Although the sector has accumulated premiums exceeding Shs2 trillion, Mr Saul Sseremba, the chief executive officer and principal of the Insurance Training College of Uganda, said insurance coverage remained as low as 1 per cent, leaving many Ugandans uninsured.

Mr Sseremba also urged the government to expedite sector reforms to ensure effective regulation.

‘We’ve asked the government to expedite the National Health Insurance Scheme because we believe that once it comes on board, then we have everyone insured. As the insurance sector, we have the capacity,’ Mr Sseremba said.

Ms Deborah Mwesigwa, the commercial business manager for Sanlam Allianz Insurance Ltd, said limited public awareness and affordability continued to discourage Ugandans from taking up insurance.

‘The other bit is the affordability that has made the majority of our population not appreciate the need for insurance,’ Ms Mwesigwa said, adding that the industry was developing cheaper products to address specific needs and make insurance more accessible to low-income earners.

According to the Insurance Regulatory Authority (IRA), more than 90 per cent of Ugandans rely on direct out-of-pocket expenditure to pay their medical bills.

Dr Protazio Sande, the acting chief executive officer of the Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda, said a universal healthcare coverage mechanism could ease the financial burden on the government and free up resources for other competing priorities.

‘We are advocating for universal health insurance coverage, so that every Ugandan can be assured at least of one of the basic needs,’ Dr Sande said.

The Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) has overhauled its nationwide mobilization machinery, ordering an immediate halt to paper-based signature drives and shifting all endorsement campaigns for its Chairman, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, strictly to online platforms.

The sudden strategic pivot comes against the backdrop of intense political debate surrounding President Museveni’s recent submission of a strategic paper on leadership qualities to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Central Executive Committee (CEC), which touched directly on his son, Gen Muhoozi’s suitability.

In a formal directive issued on Saturday, October 31, 2026, PLU General Secretary Twalla Fadil revealed that the decision to digitize the registration process originates directly from Gen Muhoozi who currently serves as Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) to streamline supporter tracking and professionalize cadre identification across the country.

“All endorsements in support of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba Museveni as the next President of Uganda shall henceforth be conducted strictly online through the PLU’s official website,” Fadil declared, confirming that physical collection of signatures has been suspended with immediate effect.

To accommodate supporters without smartphones or reliable internet connectivity, Fadil explained that the movement will establish dedicated regional and district operational hubs to assist local communities with digital onboarding and official identification.

“We are going to open offices at Regional and District level to facilitate the online registration, endorsements, and issuing Patriotic Cadre (PC) numbers,” Fadil added.

Field coordinators currently holding physical endorsement books have been given until November 30, 2026, to recall all materials from sub-counties and return them to the PLU Secretariat in Kampala for final audit and compilation.

Complementing the administrative overhaul, Gen Muhoozi took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify the movement’s identity and future stance within the ruling political structure, likening PLU to a distinct faction within the broader movement.

“PLU will start opening branch offices countrywide beginning on 1st December. PLU will approve all new RDCs in the country. We need serious cadres who are incorruptible,” Gen Muhoozi posted. “PLU is a sect, faction or pressure group within the NRM religion. We are a denomination that has zero tolerance for corruption. We are similar to the MAGA movement within the Republican Party of the USA.”

The aggressive restructuring of the PLU’s endorsement machinery directly mirrors heightened activity inside State House Entebbe, where President Museveni recently presented a paper to NRM’s top decision-making organ, the CEC, outlining essential attributes for future national leadership, including pan-Africanism, military discipline, and ideological clarity.

During the closed-door CEC meeting, President Museveni reportedly brought his son’s record directly into focus, acknowledging the growing conversation around leadership succession.

‘. . . As the father of Muhoozi, a resistance fighter and the one who encouraged him to join the army, I know him to excel on most of these considerations. Even his tweets, when I get time to read them, are always about Africa, Uganda, and their future,’ President Museveni told CEC members, according to sources. ‘You should, therefore, frankly discuss, in the right forum, Muhoozi’s suitability vis-à-vis these considerations. If you are satisfied with Muhoozi’s record on the ‘what’ and ‘why’, then you look at the ‘how’.’

While senior party figures, including Kasambya County MP Daudi Kabanda, publicly interpreted the President’s remarks as a direct endorsement of Gen Muhoozi for the presidency, other top officials, such as NRM Electoral Commission Chairman Dr. Tanga Odoi, pushed back, clarifying that the meeting merely sought conceptual guidance on PLU’s standing as a civic pressure group rather than a formal political party.

Addressing the flurry of political commentary triggered by the high-profile CEC deliberations, Gen Muhoozi explicitly ordered his supporters to cease public debates on his father’s presentation and remain locked on grassroots signature collection.

“I hereby order all PLU members to stop discussing Mzee’s paper delivered to the NRM CEC recently. Leave these matters to me and Mzee. Focus on the endorsements from the people,” Gen Muhoozi directed via X.

Civic society leaders and opposition figures have watched the escalating momentum of the PLU with concern over constitutional compliance. Section 16 of the Political Parties and Organisations Act, alongside Articles 208 and 209 of the 1995 Constitution, strictly forbids serving military officers-such as Gen Muhoozi, who serves as Chief of Defence Forces (CDF)-from participating in active partisan politics.

“It is dangerous to keep the country guessing; and it would instead help Ugandans if he spoke out his mind in one way or another,” noted Alice Alaso, National Coordinator for the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), calling for clarity on whether the country is undergoing a veiled political transition. Similarly, civil society activist Sarah Bireete insisted that President Museveni must formally retire Gen Muhoozi from the UPDF if he intends to pursue active presidential ambitions.

Despite the constitutional scrutiny, PLU leadership maintains that its countrywide rollout will proceed alongside public interest programs, insisting that the movement’s primary focus remains community engagement.

“PLU will continue conducting its community Barazas with a renewed focus on the anti-corruption campaign, medical camps, and the provision of legal guidance to members of the public,” Fadil emphasized, calling on all field officers to align immediately with the updated operational guidelines ahead of the December branch office rollout.

Motor vehicle experts have urged young people against wasteful spending on vehicles, saying that a car should not be a symbol of status and urging that one must understand their needs before purchase.

‘We all agree that a car is no longer a luxury but rather a necessity. We all need a car, but that doesn’t mean that we need an expensive car,’ said Arthur Kisenyi, the founder and host of For the Love of Cars Uganda.

He explained that with luxurious mindsets, many people end up buying expensive cars that they do not need, which in turn translates into financial burdens.

”Because the majority of people, especially youths, look at the car as a status symbol. Most people, when buying a car, the first thing that crosses their mind is wanting to buy a car that they do not need. You need safety from fumes, accidents, and also understanding where you are going.’

Mr Kisenyi who is also an automotive educator and motoring broadcaster further said that every person intending to buy their first car should first understand the daily distance they intend to travel daily which will inform the decision on the choice of the car.

‘For example, there is a gentleman who is buying a car to take his children to school, which is 2km away. It means he can safely drive a 1.0-cc vehicle. There is a person who wants to drive 100km which means he will need a car which is at least 2.5-cc and in terms of fuel money he will invest more,’ he said.

Mr Kisenyi was speaking at the NSSF Financial Literacy Program dubbed Move with confidence: Smart transport choices.

‘If you understand your needs, it will help you balance the position and end up not making financial mistakes. A car is both an asset and a liability, and all this starts with the choices you make. For example, if you are driving Kampala to Masaka daily and use a Toyota Passo, that’s automatically a liability since you expect regular breakdowns, etc so if you buy according to your needs, it will save you a lot and become an asset since the car eases life,’ Mr Kisenyi said.

Christian Muwambe, the Country Director of Safe Boda, said that people who are not yet financially ready to own cars should not force it because the real repercussions are felt afterwards.

‘Everyone should spend in a 5:3:2 method where 50 percent of your money should go to what you need, 30 percent to what you want and 20 percent to savings or investments. So, if I unpack the 50 percent, transportation alone should be at least 15 percent which is tough means it should be tending towards the bottom needs,’ he said.

”There are scenarios where owning a car is the best option, where you live outside the city, where even when you come to me, Safe Boda, I will charge you for being out of the city, and for that situation you will need a car. But if you live near the city in places like Bukoto, Kyanja, Kisasi, and you have a car, the fuel consumption is high, and thus you may need services from firms like Safe Boda more.’

With skyrocketing fuel prices, motor vehicle experts warn that Ugandans must be deliberate while making decisions about owning cars, emphasising that knowing one’s needs rather than wants is very important before the decision is made.

President Museveni has reportedly ordered a formal investigation into the unexplained withdrawal of the security detail assigned to Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs and Manager of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC), while simultaneously directing the immediate restoration of her protection.

Sources close to State House indicate that the President expressed complete unawareness regarding the initial decision to strip Namyalo of her security apparatus. In response, he instructed relevant security authorities to identify who authorized the command and under what statutory or administrative parameters the directive was issued.

The security detail, originally composed of officers from the elite Police Presidential Guard (PPG), was abruptly recalled on September 29. The sudden decision triggered intense public and political scrutiny over the command structure within the security forces and highlighted widening rifts within the ruling establishment.

The withdrawal coincided with escalating friction between traditional National Resistance Movement (NRM) mobilization organs and the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) over the 2031 presidential succession agenda. Tensions erupted after Namyalo’s mobilization team in Bugisu publicly endorsed President Museveni for an extended term beyond 2031.

That endorsement drew immediate pushback from senior PLU figures, including General Secretary Twalla Fadil and Daudi Kabanda, head of the PLU Chairman’s Office, who have been building grassroots momentum for Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s prospective 2031 presidential bid.

Reports further reveal that during a high-level NRM Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting at State House Entebbe, President Museveni floated Gen Muhoozi as a potential successor. Ms. Namyalo reportedly voiced opposition to the proposition and raised concerns about her personal safety following the recall of her guards. Although the President initially treated the complaint as a minor operational issue, he subsequently intervened with the firm directive to investigate and restore her security.

As head of the ONC-the primary administrative and political engine for President Museveni in his capacity as NRM National Chairman-Namyalo oversees key nationwide youth empowerment and grassroots mobilization programs.

Following the presidential directive, Counter Terrorism officers have been deployed to replace the previous PPG unit, allowing Namyalo to resume her official duties without further disruption while investigators trace the procedural breach that led to her guards’ recall.

Built with the needs of families in mind, Caramel Café and Lounge Naalya, is one of the few high-end eateries in Kampala, that is the ideal weekend family retreat. A place where children can eat, play and have fun, while adults unwind and enjoy a leisurely meal, or a football game over drinks with friends, in a modern sports bar.

Ambiance and décor

Located on the Naalya-Kyaliwajjala Road, below Quality Shopping Mall, the restaurant comprises of three floors. On the ground floor is a large outdoor eating area, adorned with palm, cypress and bamboo foliage, that leads to the main restaurant. My friend and I were welcomed by a number of servers who ushered us to our table. The restaurant which is surrounded by clear, glass windows, is spacious, well-lit and tastefully decorated with potted plants, modern paintings and contemporary art pieces.

The music which is soft and low, creates an atmosphere that is tranquil and relaxing. There is a spacious sports bar with large flat screens upstairs, and another eating place on the floor above it.

Child-friendly facilities

One side of the restaurant leads to a children’s playground, which was full of children squealing with delight, as they played on the trampoline, swings and rocking horses.

These child-friendly facilities extend to providing high-chairs for serving meals to toddlers and a diaper changing station in the ladies’ washrooms.

The menu

The menu is quite pricey – pasta, burgers and sandwiches range from Shs35,000 to Shs42,000. Fish, steaks and chicken dishes cost Shs43,000 to Shs69,000. Soups and salads go for Shs20,000 to Shs35,000. Habesha or Ethiopia/Eritrean dishes range from Shs44,000 to Shs52,000. Meanwhile, children’s meals go for Shs24,000 to Shs29,000.

On the drinks menu are fresh fruit juices, milkshakes, smoothies, mojitos and mocktails which range from Shs14,000 to Shs22,000. Teas and coffee cost Shs8,000 to Shs26,000 while desserts go for Shs8,000 to Shs21,000.

The food

It was years since we last tasted Habesha cuisine so we ordered the Bayenet Meat Special, a mixture of different meat dishes served on a platter with injera, an Ethiopian and Eritrean staple. Injera, is a slightly sour, soft and spongy, pancake-like flatbread, made from fermented teff flour. Traditionally, it is served flat on a communal platter, topped with piles of vegetable or meat stews and served with rolls or stacks of folded injera. A small piece of injera is pinched off the main piece and used to scoop up the meat, vegetables and sauces. After the toppings have been eaten, the bottom layer of injera, which has soaked up all the sauces during the meal, is eaten last.

The meal that was served to us on a platter comprising a flat piece of injera piled with minced beef, chicken and beef strips, collard greens and a heap of caramelised onions and garlic, beneath which was a chicken drumstick and a boiled egg, as well as a fresh vegetable salad. On the side of the platter were folded pieces of injera for scooping up the food. The waiter warned us that the food was hot and spicy, after serving it, instead of mentioning this when we placed the order. The food indeed was hot, but since I love spicy food, I enjoyed it. My friend, however, found it a bit too spicy and had to chase down each bite with gulps of water. We rounded off our meal with a large bowl of fruit salad, which, after the spicy dish, served as a palate cleanser.

The verdict

It was quite a culinary adventure, eating injera with its spicy sauces after many years. However, it is always advisable to adjust the spice levels of hot dishes, so that customers can select the level of heat they can comfortably tolerate. Caramel Café Naalya, is the perfect place for family outings and definitely worth a visit.

Transporters in the Lango sub-region have increased fares to Kampala effective November 1, citing high fuel costs.

The United Bus Owners Association’s Friday announcement indicates that transport costs on routes to Kampala City have risen by at least Shs 10,000.

According to the new cost, travellers using executive buses will pay Shs 60,000 from Apac District to Kampala Shs50,000, while ordinary buses will charge Shs 50,000 up from Shs40,000.

From Lira City to Kampala, passengers will pay Shs 40,000 up from Shs 30,000; those travelling from Aduku Town Council in Kwania District will pay Shs 45,000 up from Shs 35,000.

Mr Geoffrey Anok, the executive director of Comfort Travellers Bus Company, told this publication on Saturday that the new rates will keep them in the business amid the spiralling cost of fuel and servicing buses.

“Currently, the cost of servicing the buses has almost doubled, and the cost of the fuel has also skyrocketed. The money we used to pay for fuel for the return journey now is paying for only a single trip.” He said.

The news has caused anxiety among the business community, especially small-scale traders who depend on daily travel to Kampala, Lira and other markets outside Lango Sub-region.

Ms Susan Akello, a produce dealer in Apac Main Market, said the hike will force them to increase commodity prices.

“When transport goes up, everything goes up. I buy beans from Lira. If I pay an extra 10,000 for transport, I must add it to the price of beans. In the end, the final consumer suffers. Customers are already complaining that things are expensive,” Akello said.

Another trader, Mr Jacob Ogwang, who deals in second-hand clothes, warned of low sales during the festive season.

“Customers have no money. If we increase prices of commodities because of transport, they will not buy. We are stuck. Government should intervene on fuel prices,” Mr Ogwang said.

Mr Joseph Ebong, 17, a resident of Apac Sub-county who travels to Kampala for medical treatment at Mulago National Referral Hospital, called upon the government to regulate fuel prices and have dialogue with transport operators.

“I always travel to Kampala for medical check-ups, but the fare is now too high. I may not be able to afford this fare. This fuel price is killing us,” he lamented.

Fuel prices have been steadily rising in the past weeks, with some pump stations currently charging up to Shs7,200 for a litre of diesel, up from Shs4,700 in April this year.