UNICEF Targets Over 11m Kano Children For Measles-Rubella, Polio Vaccination

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in collaboration with the Kano State Government, has announced the launch of Nigeria’s most ambitious integrated vaccination campaign targeting measles-rubella and polio.

The campaign, which kicks off on October 6, 2025, aims to vaccinate over 11.7 million children in Kano State alone.

Speaking during a media orientation in Kano on Monday, UNICEF’s Chief of Field Office in Kano, Rahama Farah, emphasised the critical role of journalists in mobilising public awareness and ensuring the success of the campaign.

‘This integrated campaign is a collaborative effort involving the Federal Ministry of Health, NPHCDA, WHO, GAVI, the Gates Foundation, civil society, and the Kano State Government. ‘We are targeting 3.9 million children under five for polio and 7.8 million children aged 9 months to 14 years for measles-rubella vaccination,’ Farah said.

He noted that Kano State had already conducted two successful ‘in-between rounds’ of immunisation earlier this year, reaching over 300,000 children across 3,000 settlements.

Farah called on local government chairpersons to personally oversee campaign phases and urged the state to deploy UNICEF-provided Bluetooth speakers for grassroots mobilisation.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of the Kano State Primary Health Care Management Board, Dr Ahmed Tijjani Rabiu, Director of Disease Control and Immunisation, described the campaign as the largest of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa.

‘Nigeria is targeting 106 million children nationwide. In Kano alone, over 7 million children will be vaccinated.

‘This campaign integrates measles-rubella, routine immunisation, hepatitis, HPV, polio, and Onkosaka, a neglected tropical disease,’ Rabiu said.

Daily Trust reports that the 10-day campaign will deploy over 3,300 trained health workers and thousands of community mobilisers, religious leaders and influencers to support the effort.

Tinubu Directs Security Agencies To Fish Out Killers Of ARISE Journalist

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu have condemned the tragic passing of Ms Somtochukwu ‘Sommie’ Maduagwu, a news anchor with ARISE News Television.

Daily Trust reports that she was killed during an attack by robbers at her residence in Katampe, Abuja, on Monday.

President Tinubu in a statement by Bayo Onanuga his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, charged security and law enforcement agencies to ‘conduct a quick and thorough investigation into the incident and ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice’.

The President also assured Nigerians that his administration remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of citizens, and will continue to strengthen measures aimed at combating crime in all its forms.

The President who said he received the news with deep sorrow, also extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of Ms Maduagwu, the management and staff of Arise News Television, and the entire Nigerian media fraternity over this painful loss. Tinubu said, ‘Ms Maduagwu was a promising professional journalist whose life was cut short in a cruel and condemnable manner.

‘Security and law enforcement agencies should conduct a quick and thorough investigation into the incident and ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended and brought to justice without delay.’

In the same vein, the First Lady said she woke up to the sad news of the ‘unfortunate and untimely death of one of our young and brilliant minds in the journalism profession, Somtochukwu Maduagwu’.

Senator Tinubu who described her death as ‘painful and unfortunate’, noted that she has been cut down in her prime.

‘I condole with the chairman arise news media, Chief Nduka Obaigbena, her family, friends colleagues, and loved ones. It is my hope and prayer that the perpetrators will be apprehended as soon as possible and brought to book,’ Senator Oluremi Tinubu said.

Court Halts Action As Dangote-PENGASSAN Meeting Drags

A National Industrial Court in Abuja has issued a restraining order against the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over its planned industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.

Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim, while ruling on an ex-parte application by Dangote Refinery on Monday, specifically restrained the defendants, which included Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd, (NNPCL), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), from cutting crude and gas supply to Dangote Refinery.

The application was filed by George Ibrahim from Ogwu James Onoja law firm in Abuja seeking ‘an interim injunction.

Ibrahim, in the motion, sought an order of interim injunction restraining the 1st Defendant (NNPCL), its members, agents, servants, privies, representatives, assigns or howsoever described, from directing or effecting a halt in the supply of crude oil and gas to the Claimant. He further prayed the Court to restrain them from embarking on any industrial action against the Claimant with the intention of crippling operations, blocking access roads, obstructing vehicular movement, or otherwise disrupting the operations of the Claimant or the licensees of the 2nd to 4th Defendants, as contained in the directives issued by the 1st Defendant on September 26, 2025, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

Ibrahim argued that the Applicant is a duly licensed petroleum production and distribution company, engaged in refining and producing petroleum and petrochemical products for general public consumption in Nigeria. He stressed that the company provides essential services critical to the Nigerian economy and the well-being of the public.

He further contended that in recent times, incidents of sabotage by some employees at the Claimant’s plant had raised grave health and safety concerns, necessitating a re-organisation exercise which led to the disengagement of some staff. This, he noted, was communicated to all employees through a memo dated September 25, 2025.

In his brief ruling on the ex parte application, Justice Subilim held that the balance of convenience was in favour of the Applicant, as the continuation of the threatened industrial action would irreparably damage its business and undermine the provision of essential services to the Nigerian public.

The judge ruled that it was in the interest of justice to restrain the Respondents in order to preserve industrial peace and safeguard the continuous provision of essential services pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

Justice Subilim accordingly granted the restraining order and directed that same be served on the defendants forthwith, together with the motion on notice.

The Court held that the order shall subsist for seven days only.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to October 13 for the hearing of the motion on notice.

Reconciliatory meeting drags

The fresh peace meeting convened by the Federal Government to resolve the rift between PENGASSAN and the Dangote Refinery was still ongoing as of the time of filing this report last night.

The meeting, which had the leadership of the PENSASSAN led by its President, Festus Osifo and the representatives of Dangote Refinery in attendance, was convened with a view to ending dispute

While the union leaders were led by the General-Secretary of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nuhu Toro, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Maigari Dingyadi, led other government officials.

Daily Trust reports that the federal government had on Sunday summoned the leadership of PENSASSAN and the management of Dangote Refinery to an emergency meeting over the ongoing rift between the duo.

However, the meeting, which was earlier scheduled for 2:00pm, started at about 3:50pm owing to the late arrival of critical stakeholders involved in the matter, before it later went into a close-door session.

Speaking, Dingyadi said, ‘What’s happening today is very dear to our economy and to the security of the country. We have been informed that PENGASSAN is on strike.’

Hours after the meeting started behind closed doors, a shouting match could be heard from the Conference room where the meeting was being held.

A source, who was part of the meeting, confided in our correspondent that representatives of Dangote Refinery stuck to their guns, insisting that it would be hard to bring those who have been eased out back to the company.

The source said the sacked workers were described as saboteurs by the Dangote Refinery representative – the statement, he said, angered the labour leaders at the meeting.

‘The meeting started smoothly after you people went out of the venue. That is when both the ministers of labour and finance had spoken to the two parties, to let them know the implications of their actions.

‘So, the two parties were allowed to make their presentations and laid out their demands, but they all stuck to their guns. Nobody between the two parties was ready to shift ground,’ the source confided in Daily Trust last night.

NLC places other unions on red alert

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress has commenced mobilisation of its affiliate unions, stressing that it would join forces to fight the company for violating labour laws.

The Congress, in an internal memo signed by the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero and obtained by our correspondent, specifically said the company violated Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution, vILO Conventions 87 and 98, arguing that it was treating national labour laws with contempt.

It read, ‘This letter serves as a formal and urgent request in response to the protracted and deliberate anti-worker crusade being waged by the Dangote Group against the Nigerian working class.

‘The ongoing battle with PENGASSAN and NUPENG is merely a symptom of a deeper sickness; a capitalist pathology of union-busting, worker enslavement, and gross impunity that defines the Group’s industrial relations strategy.

‘The Dangote Group has operated for too long as a state within a state, flouting Section 40 of our Constitution, violating ILO Conventions 87 and 98, and treating our national labour laws with contempt. Their facilities are not workplaces but plantations of exploitation, where the dignity of the worker is systematically crushed to maximise profit for the few.

‘The time for pleading and endless, fruitless dialogue is over. The moment for decisive, collective action is now.

‘Consequently, we have resolved as follows: 1. Request for total mobilization of all Unions and workers. All aforementioned affiliate unions are hereby placed on IMMEDIATE AND FULL ALERT.

‘You are requested to commence, with immediate effect, preparation for a vigorous and comprehensive unionisation of all workers within every Dangote Group facility falling under your jurisdiction. This is a strategic priority.

‘To start full preparation for an engagement with Dangote across the nation. You are requested to immediately begin mobilising your members and resources for a full-scale, decisive engagement against the Dangote Group’s anti-labour stance. This action aims to compel the conglomerate to:

‘Unconditionally respect the right of every worker to freely join a union of their choice. Cease all forms of intimidation, victimisation, and union-busting activities. Submit to the authority of our nation’s labour laws and institutions.

‘Each union is to set up an Action Mobilisation Committee and liaise directly with the NLC National Secretariat within the next 72 hours to coordinate strategy, logistics, and communication. Unity of purpose and action is non-negotiable.

‘The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with the resistance of organised labour. No amount of media verbiage and paid hirelings will stop us from fighting for our liberty in the face of apparent Regulatory capture, where the state seems to have abdicated its responsibility to hold this behemoth accountable for its breaches of our laws.

‘The blood and sweat of Nigerian workers built this conglomerate; we will not let it become a monument to their oppression. Together, we stand! Together, we will overcome.’

Coalition Filled With Expired Politicians, No Match For Tinubu – Presidential Aide

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Print Media, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, has dismissed political coalitions being championed by some opposition figures, describing their promoters as ‘politically expired, bitter individuals driven by personal vendetta.’

Abdulaziz spoke during an interactive session with journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Kano on Tuesday.

Reacting to questions on whether the presidency was worried about the coalition moves ahead of 2027, he said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained ‘completely unperturbed.’

‘The president, I can tell you, is unperturbed. He is completely not disturbed. He is not in any way jittery about whether it is coalition or any political formation. Because, one, is that the people that are championing these things, most of them are politically expired. There are people with no political weight or relevance that would jitter the government or the president. We have had serial contesters who had, you know, thrown their hearts into the ring on many occasions. And they were fully lost. And nothing much has changed. In fact, their star is dimming,’ he said.

He argued that the so-called coalition leaders were only concerned with their exclusion from power rather than the welfare of Nigerians.

‘Then secondly, you should also know that these are a group of bitter individuals. People driven by personal vendetta and a sense of personal loss. And their concern is not the people, is not the ordinary Nigerians. Their concern is that they are not on the table. And Nigerians have sufficiently understood this. And that is why the coalition is not catching fire as they thought it would,’ he added.

Abdulaziz maintained that Tinubu’s leadership style was focused on tough but necessary reforms rather than political expediency.

‘There is a difference between leadership and politics. Politics is a game of popularity. Leadership is a game of nation building. And that is what President Tinubu is doing. To really take hard-hitting decisions, even if they affect him personally. But those decisions that he feels are for the good of the country,’ he said, citing infrastructure projects, the student loan scheme, and subsidy reforms as examples.

On concerns that the administration was concentrating major projects in the South, Abdulaziz said such claims were ‘largely political,’ stressing that the president has continued with multi-billion naira projects in the North, including the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano gas pipeline, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano highway, and the Kano-Katsina-Maradi rail line.

‘If this man is wicked or doesn’t like the North, he could leave these projects to be abandoned. He can withhold financing. If there is no financing, these projects will stagnate or will even naturally die. But none of these projects that he inherited, which are massive, are actually stopped,’ he said.

Abdulaziz added that the Tinubu administration was also embarking on new projects such as the Sokoto-Badagry highway, stressing that development under the president was ‘holistic and not fragmented.’

Vipers plot to deflate unpredictable Power Dynamos

Vipers coach Ivan Minnaert has turned his full focus to the upcoming Caf Champions League second preliminary round showdown against Zambia’s Power Dynamos, a tie that promises to be a real litmus test for the Ugandan side’s continental ambitions.

The Venoms will host the Zambian giants at St. Mary’s Stadium in Kitende between October 17-18, before travelling to Kitwe for the decisive return leg a week later. The aggregate winner will progress to the lucrative group stages of Africa’s premier club competition.

Minnaert is under no illusions about the challenge ahead, especially after Dynamos showed resilience in ejecting Ivorian powerhouse ASEC Mimosas.

The Zambian side edged through on penalties after a 1-1 aggregate draw-Dynamos winning 1-0 at home before losing by the same scoreline in Abidjan, where ASEC were reduced to 10 men after Seydou Sacko’s 64th-minute dismissal. Dynamos kept their nerve in the shootout, converting all five of their penalties while ASEC faltered once.

Vipers, on the other hand, advanced after a composed 2-0 aggregate win over Namibia’s African Stars. A goal in each leg was enough to ensure safe passage, and while the performance wasn’t entirely fluent, Minnaert believes it was a justified result.

‘If you see the two games, you see that we deserved to win and go to the second round,’ he said. ‘Karisa (Milton) was disappointed not to start, but I told him he would come in and make an impact – and he did. This is what I expect from my players,’ Minnaert revealed.

League distraction

Despite their progress on the continent, the club’s domestic situation remains unsettled. Vipers, alongside SC Villa and Nec, are yet to confirm their participation in the newly proposed Uganda Premier League format, citing its vagueness and lack of clarity.

The duo notably boycotted Saturday’s joint press conference meant to rally support for a league double-header featuring Vipers vs Kitara and KCCA vs SC Villa at Namboole on Saturday.

Nonetheless, Minnaert remains focused. ‘We have no league games, so we will use the time to prepare. The Fifa break will take some players, but we will continue to train. The most important thing is that we qualified,’ he stated.

Vipers are eyeing a return to the group stages for the first time since 2023, when under then-coach Roberto Oliveira ‘Robertinho’, they knocked out Real de Bangui (Central African Republic) and five-time African champions TP Mazembe of DR Congo – a feat they are eager to replicate.

With a burning ambition, and Minnaert’s steady hand on the tiller, Vipers are quietly plotting to tame the unpredictable Aba Yellow of Kitwe.

Caf Champions League

Second preliminary round

Vipers vs. Power Dynamos

Theft of government medicines at health facilities should be everyone’s concern

President Yoweri Museveni in a tweet on September 23, reassured Ugandans, ‘We are going to fight the theft of drugs at health centres [..] if immunisation has been successful, then all efforts can be effective as well’. The President’s remark mirrored the continued cries from the populace about theft of medicines at health facilities. The President’s concern, and that of the ordinary Ugandan, comes at a time the Government of Uganda has steadily increased the annual budget for National Medical Stores (NMS), a government agency mandated to buy, store, and distribute medicines and medical supplies to government health facilities at no cost.

These medicines, whether for malaria, HIV, maternal care, or childhood immunisation, are purchased and delivered by NMS to public health facilities free of charge, and should in turn be given out to patients at no cost. And yet, despite this huge investment, cries abound of shortage of medicines in health facilities occasioned by theft, patients asked to pay for health supplies provided free of charge by the government through NMS, or medicines being diverted at health centres to private clinics. This is theft. This is economic sabotage. It is not only a crime against government; it is a crime against every Ugandan whose life depends on those medicines. Every vial, every tablet, every kit that goes missing represents a life put at risk.

It is no longer about government not providing medicines, but more about unscrupulous actors robbing families of hope as soon as medicines are delivered at various health facilities across the country. To enhance transparency, all NMS delivery trucks are fitted with GPS trackers to monitor delivery of medicines up to the gates of health facilities in every corner of Uganda. Once dispatched from National Medical stores, an SMS alert is sent to MPs of the respective area, DHOs, RDCs, DISOs, the State House Health Monitoring Unit, plus all officers in charge of health facilities. This message includes a contact of the person receiving and verifying the consignment at the health facility.

The purpose is to ensure visibility and transparency from dispatch up to the delivery point and for stakeholders to verify deliveries real-time. After NMS delivers medicines to health facilities, the responsibility shifts to facility managers and local authorities to ensure that the medicines and health supplies delivered are efficiently utilised. Furthermore, the government has intensified the roll out of the Electronic Medical Records (EMR), a system that will create a traceable link between what NMS delivered and what was given out to patients. This is where the vigilance and participation of all Ugandans comes in because systems alone are not enough.

Beyond the government’s initiatives, the fight against theft of government medicines requires citizens, patients, parents, teachers, religious leaders, youth to stand up against theft and report any suspicious behaviour to the nearest police station or to the State House Health Monitoring Unit on 0800-200-447. To the extent possible, government medicines are now clearly labelled and easy to identify with a ‘Government of Uganda, not for sale’ or ‘UG’ label on every tablet.

National and district leaders, when you receive a dispatch and delivery SMS alert from NMS about medicines and health supplies, please, demand accountability from health workers; ask questions when you are told there are no drugs; demand delivery notes which show quantities and type of medicines and health supplies received. To the citizenry, refuse to buy government-labelled medicines. Report suspicious activity to authorities. Silence and indifference only embolden thieves. Lasting change will only come when every Ugandan understands that safeguarding government medicines is not the duty of a few. It is the responsibility of all of us.

NUP drags govt to court over party funding exclusion

High Court in Kampala has been asked to intervene in a dispute between the National Unity Platform (NUP) and the government after the opposition party was excluded from receiving statutory political party funding.

NUP, through its Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, filed an application for judicial review challenging a directive by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs dated August 25, 2025.

The directive instructed the Electoral Commission to disburse funds to six political parties, excluding NUP, on grounds that they were not recognised members of the Inter-Party Organisation for Dialogue (IPOD).

In its motion, NUP seeks several remedies, including declarations that ‘the minister’s directive was illegal, ultra vires, irrational, unlawful, procedurally improper, and null and void.’

The party also wants the court to compel the Electoral Commission to release funds to it and issue an injunction restraining authorities from enforcing the directive.

Rubongoya, in a sworn affidavit, told court that NUP has been receiving quarterly statutory funding since the 2021/2022 financial year under Section 14 of the Political Parties and Organisations Act.

He argued that as the second-largest political party in Parliament and an active member of the National Consultative Forum, NUP has a legitimate expectation to continue receiving the funds.

‘The Applicant has been unlawfully, unfairly and unjustifiably excluded by the respondents from all consultations regarding the operationalisation of the Amendment, as well as from the list of political parties entitled to statutory funds,’ Rubongoya stated.

He further said the exclusion has significantly affected the party’s day-to-day operations and preparations for the 2026 elections, including activities leading to the nomination of its presidential flagbearer Robert Kyagulanyi on September 23, 2025.

The Attorney General, representing government, appeared before Justice Collins Accellam on Monday and requested for two days to file a reply to the application.

NUP will then file a rejoinder on Friday, after which the case will return to court on October 10, 2025 for mention.

Meanwhile, lawyers for the Electoral Commission, led by Eric Sabiiti, the Commission’s head of litigation, and Hamidu Lugolobi, asked the court to dismiss the case with costs.

They argued that the application is fundamentally flawed and an abuse of court process citing incompetence, lack of merit, and a frivolous nature.

Sabiiti submitted that the applications were futile and have no chance of success adding that the relief sought was unconstitutional and beyond the High Court’s powers.

He further explained that decisions on political party funding are choices of the political parties themselves and that the balance of convenience favors implementing the statutory provision.

‘The court should dismiss the application,’ Sabiiti said, describing it as an unnecessary strain on the judicial process.

The controversy follows the Political Parties and Organisations (Amendment) Act, 2025, which introduced a requirement that only political parties belonging to IPOD are eligible for government funding.

NUP insists it has never been consulted about the statutory instrument to operationalise the law and has not been availed a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding that other parties are said to have signed to join IPOD.

On September 18, 2025, IPOD held a summit at Kololo Independence Grounds attended by the Democratic Party, Forum for Democratic Change, Uganda People’s Congress, Justice Forum (JEEMA), and the ruling National Resistance Movement.

At the meeting, President Museveni, who had served as IPOD Council chairperson, handed over leadership to Justice Minister Norbert Mao, the opposition Democratic Party president.

According to Rubongoya, NUP was neither invited to the summit nor involved in discussions on the sharing of statutory funds, despite its parliamentary strength.

Justice Accellam has set October 10, 2025 for mention of the case to determine whether the parties have complied with his directions.

Bobi makes a point with Busoga’s poverty rating

‘Jinja makes yet another statement this early! Yes, this is not just any other election, it is a revolution,’ read a post by Mr Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, alias Bobi Wine, on his X social media handle shortly after launching his campaign rallies for the 2026 General Election from Jinja City, Busoga Sub-region, yesterday.

The National Unity Platform (NUP) party presidential candidate drew multitudes of crowds, paralysing Jinja City for the better part of the day. Speaking at Kagoma Town Council in Jinja District, Mr Kyagulanyi told thousands of enthusiastic supporters that a NUP-led government would prioritise the economic empowerment of ordinary citizens, especially those in historically marginalised regions like Busoga. He said the area had suffered decades of exploitation and government neglect.

He noted that Busoga is one of the country’s leading regions in sugarcane farming, yet farmers are consistently paid low prices for their produce, leaving them trapped in poverty. He accused the government of letting sugar millers exploit farmers by offering them low prices for their produce. ‘I will help you get out of economic slavery when we take power,’ Mr Kyagulanyi declared. ‘You have resources, you work hard, but you remain poor. That must change. We can work this out together,’ he said. Mr Kyagulanyi’s manifesto centred around 11 key priorities. He promised to create 10 million jobs, end corruption and establish constitutionalism and the rule of law. The jobs, he said, would leverage tourism at 25.3 percent, manufacturing at 60 percent, as well as sports and creative economy at 14.7 percent.

The other areas included reducing government expenditure by cutting down the number of administrative units, consolidating national unity and rehabilitating war-torn areas. Mr Kyagulanyi also talked about creating equal access to health, education, water, energy, and public infrastructure. On education, he promised to establish school feeding programmes as well as boost agriculture to ensure food security. He also condemned the government’s aggressive deployment of security forces on water bodies, saying fishermen have been pushed off the lakes-robbing communities of their primary source of income. ‘This region has fertile land and abundant water bodies, but people are starving. It’s not a lack of resources, it’s poor leadership and exploitation,’ he said.

Mr Kyagulanyi also raised concerns over the state of political freedoms in parts of Busoga, specifically where he claimed residents face intimidation for supporting Opposition parties. Mr Kyagulanyi promised that if elected, his government would restore the political and civil rights of all Ugandans, regardless of their affiliations. ‘You deserve a government that listens, not one that silences you,’ he said. Mr Kyagulanyi added that Waiswa Mufumbiro, a ‘son of the soil’ who should have welcomed them to Busoga, is currently in prison. Mr Waiswa, who plans to contest for a parliamentary seat in Nakawa Division, Kampala, was arrested alongside more than a dozen other NUP supporters. They are accused of taking part in an unauthorised meeting, which authorities say was meant to train participants in ‘military exercises, movements and evolutions,’ an offence under Section 45(1)

(b) of the Penal Code Act.

Throughout his address, Mr Kyagulanyi called on the people of Busoga to rise above fear and vote for leadership that prioritises their dignity, rights, and economic wellbeing. He emphasised that under NUP, development would not be reserved for a select few but distributed fairly across all regions. The musician-cum politician also promised to stop land grabbing and guarantee land rights. On governance, Mr Kyagulanyi focused on empowering regional and local governments, while strengthening international ties and positioning the diaspora as a strategic asset to his government. The launch in Kagoma marks the beginning of a nationwide campaign trail that Kyagulanyi says will focus on grassroots communities and building a new Uganda from the bottom up.

Bobi paralyses Jinja

Excitement and anticipation gripped parts of eastern Uganda as hundreds of enthusiastic supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) gathered along the Jinja-Kamuli highway to welcome party president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. The crowd, largely made up of youth, women, and boda boda riders, braved the scorching sun and lined the roadside hours before Kyagulanyi’s expected arrival, waving party flags and chanting slogans of change. The crowds started swelling along Kayunga Road, the route that Mr Kyagulanyi used to access Jinja from Kampala. Many wore red berets and NUP-branded attire as a show of solidarity and unwavering loyalty to the Opposition leader.

The atmosphere was electric, with drums, vuvuzelas, and music adding to the growing anticipation. During the last election cycle, which was a virtual one due to movement restrictions associated with Covid-19, over 50 people were killed in shootings and suffocation. This was after spontaneous riots engulfed Kampala City and major urban centres, following the violent arrest of Mr Kyagulanyi in Luuka, one of the districts in the Busoga region, during his campaigns there. Yesterday, the heavily deployed security personnel remained unobtrusive, though they diverted some of the supporters when they reached Jinja Bridge, with some opting to use murram roads to access the campaign rally venue, leaving them covered in dust.

Govt may block Internet during 2026 elections – minister Kabbyanga

The State Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Mr Godfrey Kabbyanga Baluku, has said the government may interrupt Internet connectivity during the 2026 General Election if intelligence reports point to attempts to use it to incite violence.

Mr Kabbyanga made the remarks at the weekend in Gulu City during a meeting organised by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to sensitise broadcasters from Acholi, Lango, West Nile and Bunyoro sub-regions on new electoral guidelines ahead of the polls. ‘The moment intelligence detects that the Internet will be used to cause violence during the election, we will interrupt connections. Our actions will be guided by intelligence agencies,’ Mr Kabbyanga said.

‘We will not allow anyone to disrupt peace. Do you know that Uganda is the most stable country in East and Central Africa?’ he added.

The minister further said that his ministry and the UCC have the gadgets and authority to restrict access.

‘We have the capacity to interrupt the Internet. You can have your data, but you cannot send any message using your device,’ he said, adding that the government will not sit back as the internet is used to fuel unrest. Mr Kabbyanga also cautioned media houses against violating broadcasting laws.

‘Any radio station or broadcaster that breaches the minimum standards risks being switched off or losing its licence,’ he warned. Uganda has a precedent. On the eve of the 2021 General Election, the government imposed a nationwide internet blackout that lasted about 100 hours, affecting more than 10.6 million users. Maj Gen Felix Kulayigye, the director of public information in the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs, also addressed the meeting, warning broadcasters against using airwaves to destabilise the country.

Journalists urged

‘We are in a politically charged season. In the next five months, we will see politicians campaigning. We will ensure the country remains peaceful,’ he said, urging the media to promote harmony. Meanwhile, UCC officials reminded journalists that only those accredited by the Electoral Commission will be permitted to cover the elections. ‘Any journalist who is not accredited will not be allowed access to electoral areas. This is to ensure accurate reporting,’ said Mr Medi Kagwa, the UCC manager for social media.

He added that foreign journalists must also obtain accreditation.

‘Those who fail to do so will be handed to security agencies for processing and possible deportation,’ he warned.

In the January 2021 General Election, the government imposed a nationwide blackout that lasted about 100 hours. The shutdown, which began with restrictions on social media platforms before escalating into a full internet cut, affected more than 10.6 million users across the country.

While authorities defended the move as a necessary security measure to prevent unrest, critics said it was a deliberate attempt to stifle dissent and silence Opposition voices during a sensitive political period.