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As the 2026 General Election draws closer, media practitioners have been urged to be more innovative and responsible in their use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) if they are to earn public trust and effectively guide their audiences. Media managers and academics observed that social media platforms such as TikTok, WhatsApp, and X (formerly Twitter) are increasingly becoming the go-to sources for news and entertainment, even though they often serve as breeding grounds for misinformation.

This call dominated discussions at the 25th Annual Media Convention held yesterday at Makerere University under the theme ‘Responsible Media Reporting and Communication During Elections.’ Ms Rachael Akidi, the founder and senior strategic advisor of Reebo Consults, who presented the keynote address, said the rise of digital and social media platforms has greatly diminished the dominance of traditional media.

She called on journalists to embrace innovation while maintaining ethical standards in the use of AI. ‘Trust is what sets us apart from influencers, bloggers, propagandists, and content creators,’ Ms Akidi said. ‘We have a role in helping audiences understand information and make informed choices.’ She added that much of the content produced by unverified individuals is unfiltered ‘noise,’ often amplified through AI to distract audiences from the truth. Addressing the issue of media houses being restricted from covering certain campaign trails, Mr Julius Mucunguzi, the spokesperson for the Electoral Commission, reminded journalists that all media outlets must adhere to election laws and regulations or risk being denied access.

‘Elections are about choices, opinions, and manifestos that guide citizens in selecting their preferred candidates,’ he said. ‘An election can make or break a journalist. Some media houses show bias by supporting one party while reporting negatively on another, and they end up being chased from campaign trails. That should be a point of reflection.’ Dr Aisha Nakiwala Sembatya, the head of the Department of Journalism and Communication at Makerere University, said this year’s convention theme aligns perfectly with the upcoming general election.

‘This year’s theme resonates with the need to shape standards and values that guide responsible journalism, especially as we head toward the 2026 elections, which are central to the democratic process,’ she said.

Mr Allan Chekwech, the managing editor of Nation Media Group-Uganda (NMG-U), encouraged young journalists to use technology to remain competitive in the evolving media landscape, but remain factual and constantly seek knowledge to add value to journalism. ‘At NMG, we are introducing AI policies in our newsrooms, and we have conducted training sessions across the country to prepare our teams for the upcoming 2026 elections using the mobile-first journalism approach,’ he said. During the convention, NMG-U also presented the Terebe-Mudini Award for the best journalism student, which went to Ms Elizabeth Turi. Mr Chekwech, who presented the award, said the NMG-U puts excellence at the heart of its operations across departments and was happy to award the best journalism student from the January 2025 graduation.

In her remarks, Ms Turi reflected on the hard work and encouragement from her department that drove her to excel. ‘When I attended such events [past media conventions], I was inspired to come up [platform] here and get an award. Today, I am up here. ‘I might not have graduated with a first-class degree, but I got the award. I thank my parents and lecturers for their support,’ she said.

The Terebe-Mudini Award, sponsored by the Daily Monitor, honours the overall best journalism and communication student. It commemorates former editors Richard Terebe and Rashid Mudini, who died in a motor rally accident in Karamoja in 1998.

Uganda is set to host the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Ministerial Midterm Review summit next week.

This high-profile event, which brings together Foreign Affairs Ministers from NAM member states, observer countries, and international organisations to discuss and review progress on pressing global issues, will take place from October 13 to 16 at Speke Resort in Munyonyo, Kampala.

The meeting, themed ‘Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence,’ aims to strengthen cooperation among member states and tackle pressing challenges, including poverty eradication, industrial development, trade, investment, and job creation.

Key agenda items will include the Palestine question, with NAM expected to uphold international humanitarian law and advocate for full compliance with UN resolutions.

Mr Vincent Bagiire Waiswa, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring a successful event.

‘The Government, through its various ministries, Departments, and Agencies, is in advanced stages of preparation to ensure a successful conference, we shall host delegations room the member states, observer countries, and observer organisations of the Non-Aligned Movement,’ he said.

Key issues on the agenda include the relevance of NAM amid rising global tensions, the centrality of the Palestine question, and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The ministers are expected to call for the full implementation of UN General Assembly Resolution ES-10/27, adopted in June 2025, which urges an end to the blockade of Gaza and the facilitation of humanitarian assistance.

‘The movement will continue to defend its longstanding position on Palestine and reaffirm its calls for peace, justice, and respect for international humanitarian law,’ said Bagiire.

The midterm review will also emphasize the need for a revitalized global partnership for sustainable development, focusing on implementing the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, various commitments, and Sustainable Development Goal 17.

‘Poverty eradication remains at the heart of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. The discussions will also focus on how NAM countries can work together to promote industrialisation, trade, investment, and technology transfer as engines of inclusive growth,’ said Mr Bagiire.

NAM comprises 120 countries that are not aligned to any of the rival eastern and western power blocs, and it was founded during the Asian-Africa meeting in Bandung, Indonesia, in 1955.

Only five African countries, Uganda, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Algeria and Egypt have organised the summit before. The Uganda summit was first held in January last year after Uganda was endorsed for chairmanship of NAM-2025.

Out of 120 member states, around 90 participated in the summit, including 30 heads of state.

Uganda’s coffee exports has increased in the last couple of years, fetching over US$2.25 billion, as innovators look at reducing export of raw beans to roasted and packaged products, targeting markets such as the UAE and Serbia. The global coffee market is valued at approximately US $465 billion, making it the second largest revenue earner worldwide after oil. Locally, coffee generated US $2 billion (UGX 8 trillion) from the export of 7.8 million 60kg bags in the FY2024/25, an increase from 6.1 million bags valued at US $1.1 billion (UGX 4 trillion) in the previous year (FY2023/24). This demonstrates that coffee significantly contributes to Uganda’s economy, accounting for 20.8% of total exports in FY 2024/25 and 15% of total exports in the last 10 years. Uganda is ranked as the sixth largest coffee producer globally and the second largest in Africa.

Additionally, projects are underway exploring commercial use of coffee flowers, long considered waste, in high-value supply chains, turning coffee flowers into oils. From beans to blooms, Uganda’s coffee story is being rewritten, one flower, one farmer, and one innovation at a time. As the world takes notice, farmers are proving that even the smallest blossom can spark big change. In the rolling hills of Kyegegwa District, Western Uganda, Ms Hazra Okem, Manager of Kyegegwa Coffee Uganda Ltd and a proud Robusta coffee farmer, is quietly leading a transformation that is redefining how value is created in Uganda’s most prized crop, and who gets to share in it. For generations, men have dominated coffee income, while women provided most of the farm labour. Now, the emergence of a new trade in coffee flowers is rewriting that story, offering women their first direct stake in the coffee economy. Okem says this new venture is shifting mindsets, giving women both income and visibility in a business they have long sustained from the shadows.

Turning waste into wealth

It all began when researchers and private partners explored how to turn what was once discarded into something of value. Coffee flowers, delicate, fragrant, and fleeting, were previously left to rot after blooming. Today, they are being collected, dried, and processed into ingredients for perfumes, teas, and natural extracts.

What started as a small experiment soon bloomed into a viable business. Okem recalls her first sale brought in Shs1.2 million at Shs15,000 per kilogram of dried coffee flowers, a sum that changed how she, and her community, viewed the coffee plant.

She quickly realised that women could earn more from what had long been overlooked.

Science meets the soil

Behind this innovation is a unique partnership between Ugandan farmers and researchers from the University of Aalborg in Denmark. Associate Professor Helene Balslev Clausen leads the research component of the project, combining scientific insight with farmer experience. ‘We have been working with over 10,000 farmers, mostly women and youth, to understand their challenges and develop solutions together,’ she explains. ‘It is not top-down training; it is co-creation.’ Her team has run field experiments and lab analyses to improve flower harvesting, storage, and plant health. Through this work, pest infestations like the coffee borer beetle have dropped from 40 percent to about 10 percent in some communities. One major breakthrough has been identifying the precise timing for picking flowers, within a two- to three-day window, after they have fed the coffee beans but before they wilt. Training women to identify this ‘sweet spot’ ensures both flower and bean quality. ‘The farmers have gone beyond our expectations,’ Clausen says. ‘They even devised smarter, more efficient ways to harvest than we initially thought possible.’

A women- centered enterprise

Kyegegwa Coffee Uganda Ltd now operates as a shareholding company, bringing together women farmers who collect and deliver flowers to a central facility. There, the blooms are dried using solar technology and sold in bulk to local and international buyers. Because coffee flowers fade fast, collaboration and timing are key. The women coordinate their harvesting schedules and share labour to ensure no blossom goes to waste. The cooperative spirit, Okem says, has been just as transformative as the income itself. Clausen adds that the model was carefully designed so flower picking could be easily integrated into women’s daily routines, a source of extra income, not extra burden.

Sylvia Bideri did not begin her entrepreneurial story with capital injections or high-profile backers. She began with resolve and a boot full of beauty products. After earning her Business Administration degree and later a postgraduate diploma in Entrepreneurship Management, Bideri took the logical step and entered the workforce. It was a steady job with a steady pay check. But the deeper she got into the corporate routine, the louder the internal nudge became that this was not it.

‘I was working, earning, ticking boxes,’ she recalls.

‘But I was not building anything that truly lit me up.’ On weekends and after work, she transformed the boot of her car into a mobile beauty store. She sold beauty and makeup products such as lotions, oils, hair treatments, palettes, powders and anything she believed could help women feel better about themselves.

But what she sold was not the point. It was what she heard. ‘It was not just about products,’ she says.

‘It was about connection. Women were tired. Overwhelmed. They did not just need styling, they needed restoration.’ From those traffic-laced exchanges, a realisation emerged; women were not just chasing beauty; they were chasing grounding. That planted the seed for something bigger than product sales.

The leap

So, she leapt. She quit her job and began building what she felt was missing; a sanctuary. Wisteria Salon and Spa was born from that intention. A space not just for grooming, but for exhaling. For softening. For remembering self-worth. Today, Wisteria blooms in two serene Kampala locations; Bugolobi and Le Petit Village. And with every branch, Bideri brings her deeper mission to life; to help women feel held, whole, and heard. ‘I did not want to create a salon,’ she explains.

‘I wanted to create a soft place to land.’ Wisteria does not scream luxury. It whispers comfort. Its curated scents, ambient lighting, textured fabrics, and herbal teas tell a story of sensory healing. It is not transactional, it is transformational.

The name Wisteria was chosen deliberately. As the flower, the brand is built on elegant strength and patient bloom. ‘That is the energy I wanted,’ Bideri says.

‘Subtle but powerful.’ Behind that softness lies immense structure, something her business education prepared her for. Building Wisteria meant drawing on what she had learned in her BBA classes: marketing, operations, and finance. It also meant leaning on the entrepreneurial mindset honed during her postgraduate studies at Bocconi University in Italy, seeing risk as possibility, and structure as freedom.

Growing the business

‘Discipline is freedom,’ she shares. ‘Budget. Track. Grow. Every shilling must have a purpose.’ It is the language of an entrepreneur who knows that dreams are sustained by systems. She leads her team with empathy, a skill sharpened both by personal conviction and her training in management.

‘I hire for heart,’ she says. ‘Skills can be taught. But presence, kindness, curiosity, those are gold.’ Her staff are trained not just to style but to serve, to create experiences where clients feel truly seen.

‘It is not enough to do a good job. It is about how you make someone feel while you do it,’ she explains. ‘That is the real beauty.’

Bideri is also fiercely focused on growth, of the business and herself. The discipline of her studies made her a lifelong learner; she reads voraciously, seeks mentorship and attends trainings. ‘You do not just build a brand. You build a person. And that person is you.’ Her greatest compass? Her faith. ‘God did not bring me this far to leave me,’ she says.

In times of stress or self-doubt, she turns inward-journaling, praying, reconnecting with her purpose.

Inspiration

She draws inspiration not from the usual global icons, but from African women rewriting the narrative quietly but powerfully.

‘I admire women who started with little but refused to shrink their vision,’ she says.

She points to Ugandan women who built businesses from modest beginnings; those who mixed shea butter in home kitchens or stitched garments in verandas and turned them into national brands. ‘That reminds me I am not alone. I am part of something bigger.’

Away from work, travel feeds her soul, and her ideas. Her favourite place in Uganda? ‘Lemala Wildwaters Lodge,’ she says. ‘There is something healing about being surrounded by the Nile. It slows you down.’ She has been to Murchison Falls many times.

‘The roar of the falls reminds me that power doesn’t have to ask for permission. It just is.’ Beyond Uganda, she has trekked gorillas in Rwanda, wandered the Masai Mara in Kenya, and soaked in South Africa’s bold culture.

‘I travel not to escape, but to return. To myself. My essence.’

She draws notes from every trip-always with an entrepreneur’s eye. ‘What scents do they use in that spa? How do they welcome guests? What music is playing?’ she laughs. ‘It is all research.’ Her most unforgettable destination? Puerto Rico on the Caribbean island. ‘The joy, the colours, the rhythm, I danced under the stars and thought, this is the feeling I want Wisteria to offer. A moment of full aliveness.’ She still dreams of Bali, Morocco, and Japan, not for glamour, but for design and spiritual inspiration.

Future

Wisteria is evolving. A third location is in the works. And she is preparing to launch Wisteria Well Bar; a wellness beverage concept offering herbal teas, smoothies, and tonics. It is her entrepreneurial management training manifest in real time; diversification, brand extension, and scaling with intention.

‘It is still Wisteria,’ she says. ‘Just in a cup.’ Through it all, she remains grounded in her north star; care. Deep, intentional care. For clients. For her team. For herself.

The best feedback she has ever received? ‘Your presence changes a room.’ To the young woman selling braids or beauty oils from her living room, she offers simple advice: ‘Start. Even if it is messy. Learn. Adjust. But never lose your heart. Your authenticity is your edge.’ She does not believe success is measured in social media likes or income reports.

‘Success is freedom,’ she says.

‘To create. To rest. To love. And to give.’ In a world that often values loudness, Bideri is a reminder that quiet power still matters. That beauty, when paired with care and entrepreneurial discipline, becomes more than a service. It becomes a revolution of the soul. And sometimes, all it takes to spark that revolution is a boot full of product, a dream, and the courage to listen.

Role models

I admire women who started with little but refused to shrink their vision. Those Ugandan women who built a businesses from modest beginnings; those who mixed shea butter in home kitchens or stitched garments in verandas and turned them into national brands. That reminds me I am not alone. I am part of something bigger.’

When Denis Onyango was once again named in Uganda Cranes’ 26-man squad for the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Botswana and Algeria, headlines wrote themselves. A legend was back.

The shock was not just that he had returned – four years after hanging up his gloves internationally – but that he had not started in either of the matches against Mozambique and Somalia at Namboole last month.

In his place, Jamal Salim – who had also been exiled from Cranes’ duty for a while under unclear circumstances – reclaimed the No.1 shirt and delivered two assured performances.

Two clean sheets against Somalia and Mozambique. Composure, command, and crucial saves. So where does that leave Onyango – the iconic, commanding figure who once carried Uganda to the 2017 Afcon after a 39-year absence?

Experience vs. form

It’s a conundrum with no easy answer. Onyango, now 40 and serving as a backup goalkeeper at Mamelodi Sundowns, returned to the national setup reportedly at the behest of coach Paul Put, who valued his leadership, big-game experience, and presence in camp.

Put has since defended the decision to bench Onyango, stating that the veteran remains ‘important off the pitch’.

But many fans and pundits view this as almost sacrilegious. For a man who captained Uganda through some of its most defining football moments, being consigned to the bench feels like an anticlimax – or worse, a misstep.

The silence from Onyango himself only deepens the mystery. He hasn’t spoken publicly about the decision, nor much about his return. Not even after he wasn’t reinstated as captain, a role now held by Khalid Aucho.

Has Onyango accepted a mentor’s role quietly? Or is he biding his time for a fair shot? Yet, Salim’s return complicates the plot. His performances haven’t just been solid – they’ve arguably been career-resurrecting.

His club form at Richards Bay (South Africa) and his display in Kampala justify his selection.

Rookies closed out

And then there’s Nafian Alionzi, who once rivaled Ismail Watenga and got valuable minutes when both Onyango and Jamal were unavailable. Now, he’s slipped to third choice – a harsh reality for a keeper who seemed on the cusp of being Uganda’s long-term No.1.

This raises a strategic question: Is summoning Onyango now slowing the transition process? While his mentorship is invaluable, does his presence block the path for rising talent – especially with Afcon 2025 around the corner and heavyweights Tunisia, Nigeria, and Tanzania looming?

Some insiders even suggest Onyango played a role in convincing Jamal to return, proving the healthy rapport the two share. For Put, this might be the ideal balance: keep a trusted lieutenant in camp, have a trusted starter in goal, and groom depth.

But the million-dollar questions remain: How long will Onyango stay without playing?, did he need to come back – or is this a farewell tour in disguise?, will we ever see him in Cranes’ colours on the pitch again?

As Uganda marks 63 years of independence, legal experts and rights advocates reflect on the nation’s unfinished journey toward freedom, one where human rights remain the truest test of sovereignty.

When Uganda raised its flag on October 9, 1962, jubilation swept across the nation. The Union Jack was lowered, and the anthem of freedom filled the air, a young country declaring its sovereignty and its right to self-determination.

Six decades on, many Ugandans are asking: what has independence truly delivered? Beyond the symbolism of self-rule, what does freedom mean when human rights remain fragile? It’s a question that continues to frame Uganda’s post-independence journey, and one that legal minds still wrestle with today.

‘Independence gave us a flag,’ says Crispin Kaheru, a member of the Uganda Human Rights Commission. ‘But the right to development is what will ultimately give that flag meaning in people’s daily lives.’

Uganda’s human rights record since independence reads like a book with both inspiring chapters and difficult pages – marked by both achievements and setbacks.

The promise unfulfilled

Kaheru sees independence not as an event of 1962, but as a continuing promise, one that can only be fulfilled when every Ugandan enjoys dignity, equality, and opportunity.

He credits Uganda’s progress in the post-independence era, a strong constitutional framework, the establishment of oversight bodies such as the Uganda Human Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission, and greater civic awareness.

However, he candidly acknowledges the inequities that persist.

‘The benefits of development are unevenly distributed. We still have marginalized and rural communities,’ Kaheru notes.

‘Episodes of radical politics and political intolerance continue to undermine the broader human rights environment.’

The paradox is clear: Uganda has the laws and institutions to protect rights, yet the lived reality often betrays equality. Youth unemployment, rural poverty, and environmental degradation remain stubborn challenges. Rights are guaranteed on paper, but not always in practice.

This tension between promise and practice also runs through Uganda’s constitutional evolution.

The constitution and institutional independence

If Uganda’s independence was the birth of a nation, the 1995 Constitution was meant to be its anchor , a modern charter enshrining civil, political, and socio-economic rights.

For Alex Martin Musiime, a constitutional lawyer and human rights advocate, it remains one of the most progressive documents on the continent.

‘Our Constitution was the strongest document to protect human rights,’ Musiime says. ‘The challenge only came in when it started being changed for political expedience.’

He applauds Parliament and the courts for progressive decisions – from outlawing the automatic death penalty to defending freedom of expression.

However, he is critical of constitutional amendments that scrapped presidential term limits and the age cap, as well as legislation that has eroded civil liberties.

‘Parliament has, in many ways, legislated backwards,’ he says. ‘The UPDF Amendment Act of 2025 extended military jurisdiction over civilians – a step that militarizes justice and undermines the civilian judiciary.’

Musiime also criticizes the Anti-Homosexuality Act, describing it as ‘a dangerous precedent that turns popular sentiment into persecution.’

Janice Nkajja, an international law student and anti-corruption advocate, argues that the country’s formal independence has not translated into personal or institutional independence.

‘State independence in itself is independent of citizen independence,’ she says. ‘At this point, we need protection from our own state.’

She points to the harassment of anti-corruption activists and the paralysis of oversight bodies like the Human Rights Commission, which, she says, has become ‘a state of limbo.’

For her, independence celebrations mean little when free expression is still criminalized and dissenting voices are silenced.

These contradictions reveal a deeper malaise, the urgent need to realize true separation of powers to ensure institutional efficiency and protection of citizens’ rights.

Achievements and the missing link

Still, amid disillusionment, Uganda’s human rights journey has not been without gains. Education and healthcare access have improved. Civil society, though often constrained, remains vibrant. Courts occasionally assert their independence, as seen in rulings protecting journalists or striking down unconstitutional provisions.

However, these moments of light often flicker against a backdrop of impunity. Arbitrary arrests, land evictions, and the use of security laws to stifle protests remain common. The very institutions meant to safeguard citizens are too often the sources of abuse.

For Musiime, true independence requires not just better laws but stronger enforcement. ‘Judges, police, and rights bodies must act as protectors, not partners, of the powerful,’ he says.

Concurring with Musiime, Ivan Katureebe, a lawyer at the Federation of Uganda Employers, emphasizes the need for intentional implementation and enforcement.

‘Uganda has no shortage of good laws,’ Katureebe says. ‘What we lack is the consistent will and capacity to enforce them. Human rights protection will only be real when enforcement stops depending on who is involved.’

He also argues that human rights discourse in Uganda is incomplete without public education.

‘There is need for sensitisation of the public, not just about their rights but also their obligations,’ he adds. ‘Respect for rights is mutual. Citizens, employers, and the State must each play their part if human dignity is to be truly upheld.’

Uganda’s independence story is still being written. And for Kaheru, its next chapter must translate freedom into shared prosperity.

‘Human rights without development are decorative. Development without human rights is dangerous. The right to development is the bridge between the two,’ says Kaheru.

As Uganda marks 63 years of independence, reflections from across the country paint a mixed picture; pride in peace and development tempered by frustration over poverty, corruption, and a sense that true independence remains elusive.

In Kampala, Ms Beatrice Nyangoma remembered how her parents once marked the day with joy and food. ‘Previously, people went to the market to buy rice and meat. Now few people even feel bothered – maybe because of how we’re being governed,’ she lamented. In Rakai District, Gragam Wasajja believes Uganda’s independence remains incomplete as long as citizens remain poor.

‘Real independence is people having money in their pockets,’ he said. ‘Many Ugandans still live below the poverty line and can’t access basic services,’ he added. From Mpigi District, elders shared cautious praise.

Mr Joseph Ssenkatuuka, 86, of Buwama Town Council, acknowledged visible progress in infrastructure. ‘Our roads are far better than before independence,’ he said. ‘But all this borrowing from the World Bank and others worries me. Let Parliament block unnecessary loans – we must depend on our own money,’ he added. His neighbour, Livingston Lumala, 72, said while peace has been maintained, government investment in health and social services has declined. ‘The only notable successes are personal gains, not community services. ‘Our health centres today need treatment themselves,’ he said. In western Uganda, residents of Mbarara also spoke of economic hardship overshadowing celebration. Mr Evaristo Bainomugisha, 70, said the mood has shifted from jubilation to survival. ‘In the past, we would be in a celebratory mood on the eve of independence.

Now people are too burdened by poverty to care,’ he said. At Mbarara Central Market, Mr Alex Tindiwensi, 64, expressed fear and anger over what he called declining freedoms. ‘You can’t talk of independence when people’s rights are abused and others live in fear,’ he said. ‘We are witnessing the same terror they used to talk about in the past,’ he added. Economy Retired civil servant Martin Twinoburyo agreed, arguing that Uganda’s economy remains dominated by foreigners. ‘If the country can’t sustain itself economically, then we can’t talk of independence,’ he said. ‘We may have peace, but there’s little to be excited about.’ Mr Eron Kaggwa, 80, said he has seen progress in how the country marks the day.

‘These days, there’s a lot more effort. Government is putting in more energy to celebrate independence,’ he said. And Mr Daniel Sande, 70, reminisced about the 1980s when independence celebrations drew crowds nationwide. ‘Back then, everyone participated – there was even an Independence Cup. Today, it’s mostly the youth,’ he recalled.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) form the backbone of Uganda’s employment, innovation, and trade.

They sustain millions of livelihoods and contribute significantly to domestic revenue. Yet, beneath this entrepreneurial vitality IS a silent struggle, one that plays out each tax season.

The World Bank’s 25th Uganda Economic Update, under the cost of compliance subheading, brings out this struggle with SMEs during a stakeholder engagement, indicating that the tax system is complex, overlapping, poorly understood by most small business owners, and riddled with multiple layers of taxation.

This complexity, the report says, has made compliance not only cumbersome but also expensive, both in time and financial resources.

The report notes that the tax structure includes a wide range of levies, among others, income tax, VAT, excise duty, local service tax, trading licenses, and ground rent, which are administered through separate systems at central and local government levels.

For small businesses that lack the administrative capacity or financial literacy to navigate this maze, the system becomes more of a trap than a partnership.

Burden on the compliant

Ironically, the report notes, it is those businesses that try to comply that feel most penalized, which has made compliant taxpayers increasingly view themselves as easy targets as URA ‘focuses on generating more revenue from [SMEs] rather than finding ways to expand the tax base’.

‘Consequently, they feel they are being targeted as low-hanging fruit,’ the World Bank reveals in part of the report under which it canvassed stakeholder views on tax policy and administration. The tax base remains narrow, covering a small fraction of the country’s large informal sector.

URA focuses its efforts on those already within the system, with compliant taxpayers arguing that URA is fixated on extracting more from existing payers, a strategy SMEs say effectively treats them as ‘low-hanging fruit.’

For many SMEs, the report notes, staying compliant means enduring multiple audits and administrative reviews, while many others escape the tax net, which creates a moral hazard and non-compliance.

Uganda’s tax-to-GDP ratio of around 13.9 percent is one of the lowest in East Africa, well below government’s own target of 18 percent, which the World Bank attributes partly to a limited inclusion of informal enterprises, in addition to exemptions of large companies, which leaves smaller, less influential businesses to bear a disproportionate share of the fiscal load.

Simplifying and expanding

Thus, the World Bank urges government to simplify tax rules and expand taxpayer education, especially for SMEs that struggle to interpret complex tax laws.

Simplified compliance procedures, such as digital filing systems, harmonized tax codes, and user-friendly payment interfaces, could drastically reduce administrative costs.

The World Bank also wants government to build stronger collaboration between central and local governments, given that currently, both levels of government impose overlapping taxes that not only confuse businesses but also inflate compliance costs.

The report also recommends shifting from multiple issue-based audits to comprehensive audits, which would reduce redundancy and prevent unnecessary harassment of businesses, as well as build lasting trust to renew the social contract between government and taxpayers.

However, the report also notes that SMEs say that government should not focus on merely collecting more taxes, but be fair and efficient, without causing undue burden.

SMEs, which make up more than 90 percent of the private sector, feel crushed under the weight of administrative red tape or treated as cash cows for short-term revenue gains.

Instead, the report notes, they should be supported through an enabling tax environment that encourages growth, job creation, and innovation.

To widen the tax base, the World Bank argues that simplifying the tax regime, broadening the base, and improving transparency are essential steps that will reward compliance, and only by shifting from a culture of enforcement to one of partnership can government transform its tax system into a genuine engine for inclusive and sustainable growth.

URA yesterday said, they were intentional on addressing the issues raised in the report, noting that tax education and sensitization ‘is a priority and to ensure focus, a fully fledged division has been created to do the job down to the last person in the trade eco system’.

URA commissioner customs Asadu Kigozi Kisitu, said tax education and sensitization drives are already underway, in addition to simplification and harmonisation of processes and procedures such as obtaining a TIN and reviewing and harmonizing tax legislation not only in Uganda but EAC as a region.

When Uganda gained independence from Britain in 1962, the euphoria of self-rule carried a promise, that all citizens would share in the new nation’s opportunities. But for millions of Ugandans living with disabilities, the road to inclusion has been long, uneven, and still unfinished.

More than six decades later, even though Uganda is often praised for having one of the most progressive legal frameworks on disability rights in Africa, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Persons with disabilities (PWDs) remain among the most marginalized groups in society.

From charity to rights

‘The immediate post-independence years were dominated by the charity model,’ says Ronald Kamusiime, a researcher with the Disability Research Group at the Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute.

At that time, disability was largely handled by missionary and welfare institutions. Opportunities in education, employment, and public life were scarce, with many people excluded altogether.

The tide began to shift in the 1970s with the formation of disability organisations such as the Uganda National Association for the Blind and the Uganda National Association of the Deaf.

Their work was interrupted by political upheavals, but by the late 1980s, a new force emerged, the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), which unified the voices of persons with disabilities and amplified advocacy.

‘The 1995 Constitution as amended was a turning point,’ Ronald explains. ‘For the first time, the rights of persons with disabilities were entrenched in law.’

Since then, Uganda has passed several disability-specific laws. On paper, Uganda shines – but in practice, challenges persist. ‘Budgets are small, local governments lack technical capacity, and accessibility laws are poorly enforced,’ Kamusiime says.

‘We want to show our abilities, not disabilities’

For Ms Victo Nalule, CEO and founder of the Tunaweza Foundation, progress is not only personal but collective.

‘We still have a lot of challenges in terms of identifying different kinds of disability,’ she says.

‘Invisible disabilities such as hearing or visual impairments often go unrecognised, leaving communities unsure how to engage. It has to start from us standing up and saying, despite my disability, this is who I am.’

Through Tunaweza, Nalule is determined to change the narrative. The foundation runs several initiatives, including an iHub where young people with disabilities learn computer skills, as well as projects in soap making and tailoring.

‘We want to showcase abilities,’ she says.

While recognising government efforts in leadership inclusion, Nalule calls for representation beyond tokenism, where more PWDs are assimilated into mainstream leadership roles rather than being relegated to designated seats.

Policies that promised progress

Uganda boasts a plethora of legislation recognising the rights of PWDs in areas such as equality, non-discrimination, employment, and inclusive infrastructure. These include the 1995 Constitution (as amended), the Employment Act (2006), the Building Control Act (2013), the Land Act, and the Road Traffic and Safety Act.

The Persons with Disabilities Act (2006, amended in 2020), which established the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, reaffirms these rights. Uganda also ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2008 and, in 2023, adopted the Revised National Policy on Persons with Disabilities to mainstream inclusion across all sectors.

Madina Mutesi, a human resource practitioner and entrepreneur, believes these laws reflect one of independence’s greatest gifts, the ability to design Uganda’s own systems while embracing the rights of all citizens.

Yet implementation falters. Buildings without ramps and accessible infrastructure remain common. Employers are still hesitant to hire PWDs due to misconceptions. Government funds for disability programmes are often inaccessible due to bureaucracy and weak monitoring.

‘Even in government institutions where 64 scholarships are allocated to PWDs annually, lecture rooms often lack interpreters, inclusive teaching materials, or trained staff,’ she adds.

Glimpses of change

There are, however, signs of progress. Programmes like We Can Work, funded by the Mastercard Foundation and implemented by Light for the World, support persons with disabilities through skills development and employment opportunities. NGOs such as Sightsavers and Christian Blind Mission continue to push for practical inclusion. Government initiatives, though uneven, signal growing recognition.

‘We are the change we want to see,’ Madina emphasizes. ‘It starts with you and me creating a world where everyone, regardless of impairment, lives with dignity.’

The unfinished journey

Uganda has travelled far since 1962, from charity handouts to a rights-based framework, but the gap between law and lived reality remains wide.

As the country celebrates 63 years of independence, Ms Victo reiterates:

‘We want to celebrate independence with dignity, with inclusive transport, education, employment, and innovation. There is still a lot to be done, but we look forward with hope.’

When visitors book a stay at a lodge situated in Uganda’s lush national parks or perched by the shores of Lake Victoria, they are not just paying for a bed and breakfast; they are investing in an experience. They expect harmony; the roar of distant waterfalls, the serenity of wildlife grazing nearby, and a space that allows them to disconnect from the chaos of everyday life. Yet, for many lodge owners and investors, these expectations are dashed by avoidable design mistakes made long before the first guest walks through the door.

Sheila Kogo-Malinga, the chief executive officer of Lodge Solutions, a consultancy that guides hospitality investors from concept to operation, says these mistakes often begin at the very start of a project, in the planning phase. By the time they are discovered, fixing them can cost five times more than getting it right in the first place. ‘Your lodge’s architecture is the foundation of your entire business. If you get it wrong at the start, you will spend years fighting fires, giving discounts to unhappy guests, and ultimately watching your dream become a burden,’ Kogo-Malinga says.

Uganda’s tourism sector is on the rise, driven by global interest in its diverse natural attractions, including mountain gorilla trekking in Bwindi, safaris in Kidepo Valley, and boat cruises on the Nile. A well-designed property can command higher room rates and consistent bookings, while a poorly planned one can quickly become a financial liability. Kogo-Malinga outlines four common design mistakes that repeatedly derail hospitality investments, offering lessons for those looking to build lodges that are both functional and profitable.

Trying to do too much

One of the most frequent and costly errors is a lack of clarity about the lodge’s purpose and audience. In a bid to capture every possible market, many investors attempt to create a property that is simultaneously a luxury spa, a family resort, a corporate retreat, and a nightlife destination. The result, Kogo-Malinga says, is confusion and conflict. She recalls a case where a lodge designed to be a wellness retreat also included a lively bar area. Guests who had come seeking peace for spa treatments were forced to endure loud music booming through the walls late into the night. Negative reviews soon followed, forcing the lodge to discount its rates drastically to retain customers.

‘You cannot be everything to everyone,’ Kogo-Malinga explains.

‘If your target is high-end gorilla trekkers in Bwindi, your design should reflect luxury, privacy, and connection with nature. If you are catering to families near Entebbe, you need to prioritise play areas, family suites, and casual dining spaces. Mixing these visions creates chaos.’ Defining a clear concept early on not only guides architectural decisions but also helps determine everything from staffing needs to marketing strategies. Without this clarity, investors risk spending billions on buildings that never quite meet any guest’s expectations.

Technical flaws that break the business

Even when a lodge’s concept is well-defined, technical oversights can wreak havoc. Among the most common are issues with swimming pools, water heating systems, solar installations, and kitchen power planning. These may sound as minor details, but in hospitality, they directly impact guest satisfaction. Swimming pools, for instance, are notoriously challenging in Uganda’s diverse landscapes. In hilly areas such as Kisoro or Kabale, improperly designed infinity pools frequently develop leaks, leading to endless repairs and high maintenance costs. Guests expecting a serene dip instead encounter closed-off areas under construction, dampening their experience.

Water systems are another critical concern. Tourists expect hot showers, especially after long treks through muddy forests or chilly evenings near high-altitude parks. However, many lodge owners underestimate the need for robust backup systems. In places such as Bwindi, a stretch of cloudy weather can leave solar-powered heaters ineffective. Without alternative sources, guests may face the unpleasant surprise of cold showers, a detail that quickly finds its way into online reviews.

Kitchens present their own set of challenges. A lodge that plans to serve gourmet meals requires heavy-duty equipment such as industrial ovens, fridges, and freezers. Yet, many investors fail to account for the immense power load these appliances demand. When the kitchen is fully operational, the entire electrical system may collapse, disrupting service and tarnishing the lodge’s reputation. ‘These are not glamorous issues, but they make or break your business,’ Kogo-Malinga warns. ‘Too often, investors cut costs by skipping technical expertise during design. Fixing these problems later is far more expensive and damaging to your brand.’

The invisible spaces

While guest rooms, lounges, and dining areas are designed to impress, the behind-the-scenes spaces that keep a lodge running smoothly are often neglected. This oversight leads to daily operational frustrations that inevitably spill over into the guest experience. Staff quarters, for instance, are frequently placed too close to guest areas, leading to noise complaints as workers move about during early morning or late-night shifts. Conversely, positioning staff accommodation too far away can cause service delays, with guests waiting uncomfortably for meals or housekeeping. The balance must be carefully planned.

Without dedicated storage for tools, cleaning supplies, and broken furniture, these items often end up scattered in guest pathways or hidden awkwardly behind curtains. This creates a sense of disorganisation and lowers the perceived value of the property. Even parking, a seemingly minor detail, can make a significant difference. Guests paying top dollar for a luxury room do not want to open their curtains to a view of parked cars. Parking areas must be strategically located, accessible yet discreet, to preserve the natural beauty and tranquillity that visitors seek.

Why getting it right matters

Poorly designed properties risk falling behind as bad reviews spread rapidly on platforms such as TripAdvisor and Booking.com. Conversely, a lodge built on strong architectural and operational foundations will hold its value for decades. It will attract repeat guests, command higher room rates, and build a loyal customer base. This not only benefits the individual investor but also strengthens Uganda’s overall tourism brand.

‘Good design is not an expense, it is an investment,’ Kogo-Malinga concludes. ‘When done right, it saves money, prevents headaches, and ensures that your dream project becomes a lasting legacy.’