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A woman who was yesterday shown on social media being assaulted by a police officer at Shell Kyanja, says she was beaten by the officer because she asked him to pay for condoms and beer he had taken from the shop.

The 25-year-old Pellan Atuhumurize said at around 5am on Wednesday, a vehicle pulled up at Shell Kyanja, and a woman suspected to be a sex worker, stepped out of the car and went to the counter, asking her to pack her condoms. After, she reportedly asked the attendant to follow her to the vehicle for payment.

When she reached the vehicle, a man who was in the driver’s seat, allegedly asked her to go back and bring two canned Tusker Light beers, which she did, and upon handing them over, the driver tried to drive away without paying the bill, but she grabbed him by the collar, which angered him.

‘He stopped the vehicle, jumped out, and followed me inside the shop, where I kept apologising to him, but he refused to listen. Even the woman he was with told him to forgive me, but he refused. He then told me he could slap me in front of the camera, and even if I took him to court, he would win the case,’ Ms Atuhumurize narrated.

She added that as she was still listening to him, he slapped her hard, immediately following it up with another and asked her whether she would ever drive the type of car he was driving. In the process, the woman he was with also got scared and removed her belongings from the vehicle.

Ms Atuhumurize said the woman said she could not proceed with the man wherever he was going because she did not know where he was taking her, and the fact that he could beat a woman when she was seeing, showed her that the same could easily happen to her.

The man drove away, leaving her behind. When this reporter reached the fuel station yesterday, he found four relatives of the policeman and a woman trying to establish contact with the family of the assaulted girl, who was within the premises, but they couldn’t reveal her identity.

Following the release of the video of the incident, which went viral on social media, police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke issued a statement on X identifying the suspect as one of their own, Assistant Superintendent of Police Clive Nsiima, whom he said had been apprehended and was in police custody.

Security sources told this reporter last evening that the officer was being detained and would be taken to the police court on Friday at 10am. Yesterday, Ms Joanita Mukasa Menya, the managing director of Vivo Energy, told guests during a stakeholders breakfast meeting that they can now tell which customer walks into any of their fuel station at any time because with the help of cameras.

At the lower belt of the Sebei Sub-region, in Kiriki Sub-county, Kween District, lives a disgruntled community composed mainly of the Sabiny and minority Bakusu tribes. The residents are aggrieved over the loss of more than 10,000 hectares of ancestral land to the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), now gazetted under the Upe National Game Reserve.

Their cries – from the elderly, mothers, and other vulnerable groups – have been amplified by fresh threats of eviction and alleged illegal titling of land across the five parishes that make up Kiriki Sub-county. Despite years of petitions to government offices and local authorities, residents say their appeals have gone unanswered.

‘When we see many of our children not going to school, families starving due to lack of land to farm, and poor road infrastructure, we link it to the government’s blind eye toward our plight as minority Bakusu and sections of the Sabiny in Kiriki,’ says Mr Alex Lukhanda Natembeya, a community leader. While some residents have taken legal action over the lost Kakumai land, ongoing evictions and alleged land grabbing through illegal titles have left many families in despair. Mr Alfred Chelimo, the Kiriki Sub-county chairperson, warns that the escalating land disputes threaten to derail service delivery and government development programmes. ‘We have petitioned different government offices. Many of our people were evicted from Kakumai by the government and now face eviction again on the land where they resettled,’ he says.

During the National Land Awareness Week on August 27, local leaders told a visiting team from the Ministry of Lands, civil society, and Kween District that large portions of land – particularly Block 2, Plots 87 and 88 – had been titled illegally by powerful individuals.

Mr Isaac Masaba, the Kween District land management officer, confirmed that they queried the titles and alerted the Ministry of Lands. ‘Some ‘wise’ men took advantage of the absence of the indigenous Kakumai community – who fled during cattle rustling raids by the Karimojong and Pokot – to acquire titles illegally,’ he said. ‘We have a report from the Ministry of Lands directing the cancellation of these titles, but this has not yet been implemented,’ he added.

The Kakumai land dispute

The Kakumai community once occupied more than 10,000 hectares, now part of the Upe National Game Reserve. Through their lawyers, they have issued a notice of intention to sue UWA, demanding compensation or resettlement. On April 12, 2014, the community was forcibly evicted from Kakumai without notice, reportedly by security personnel led by UWA. Local leaders say the residents had peacefully coexisted with the wildlife reserve, knowing River Kiriki marked the boundary between Kween and Karamoja.

However, UWA later claimed the land, leading to the eviction. Many displaced families resettled in the lower areas of Kiriki Sub-county – in Kamabati, Chemurot, and Cheptuati parishes – but remain without land security. Ms Patricia Cherop, the Kween District councillor for Kiriki Sub-county, says women and young girls bear the brunt of the crisis. ‘Because our people lost their land, women struggle to find food since the cultivable land is limited. Our area lacks schools and health centres because the land is claimed by individuals with illegal titles. The government must intervene,’ she said.

Compensation demand

Through Kayanja and Co. Advocates, the Kakumai community notified UWA’s executive director of their intention to sue over the illegal eviction. Their letter, dated April 28, 2025, cites violations of the right to property, shelter, and dignity, describing the eviction as inhumane and degrading. The lawyers demand Shs20 billion in compensation and another Shs20 billion in legal costs, as well as an immediate halt to any further evictions. ‘Failure to comply within 45 days will result in legal action against UWA,’ the letter, received by UWA on April 28, 2025, reads in part. Dr James Musinguzi, the UWA executive director, said he was unaware of the suit since he had recently assumed office, but was open to dialogue.

‘I advise the Kakumai community to seek dialogue. I just took over as executive director and am not yet fully briefed on this complaint. I will meet the community to understand their concerns and forge a way forward,’ he told Daily Monitor on September 17, 2025. ‘UWA manages wildlife on behalf of all Ugandans. This is not a private arrangement,’ Dr Musinguzi emphasised. Kween District Woman MP Rose Mary Cherukut says land disputes in the district, particularly in Kiriki Sub-county and among the Kakumai community, are worsening due to unclear boundaries involving both UWA and neighbouring Pokot communities in Amudat District.

‘The land challenges are real and have left many of our people landless,’ she said in an interview on September 4, 2025. ‘We also have cases of illegal titling in Kiriki, Ngenge, and Chepsukunya areas, which continue to fuel conflicts.’ Kween Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Hope Atuhaire echoed similar concerns, pointing to undefined boundaries between Kween, Bukwo, and Amudat Districts. ‘We need a clear boundary between UWA land and community land. The situation also affects the Benet people, who urgently need resettlement,’ she said.

Government’s position

Mr Hassan Abdallah Byantalo, a lands officer at the Ministry of Lands, said government teams are documenting land-related grievances for eventual resolution. ‘The Land Awareness Week allows us to engage communities and document the different challenges. Some cases are already before the court,’ he said.

He added that ministry lawyers were guiding residents on land ownership and dispute procedures. ‘When people are denied their land rights, their livelihoods are destroyed. Civil society and government must jointly address injustices like illegal titling and evictions,’ Mr Byantalo said.

Ms Esther Kisembo, a programme officer at ActionAid Uganda, stressed the need to educate communities on land ownership and documentation. ‘These areas rely on customary land systems that need to be formalised through sensitisation,’ she explained. ‘Residents must learn how to register customary certificates, convert land to freehold, and prevent illegal transactions. Cases of land grabbing and unlawful evictions must be investigated thoroughly,’ she said.

A troubled history

According to former district chairperson Geoffrey Chelogoi, disputes between the upper and lower areas of the district – particularly involving the Benet, Ngenge, and Kiriki communities – have long persisted. ‘The district has struggled to resolve historical problems involving the Benet and their boundary disputes with UWA, as well as land issues in Ngenge, Kiriki, and Chepsukunya,’ Mr Chelogoi said. ‘These problems stem from decades of cattle rustling by the Karimojong and Pokot, which displaced many families,’ he added. During the height of the rustling and insecurity, many families fled the area, leaving about 15,000 hectares of land vacant for over 20 years. When peace returned and the displaced residents came back, they discovered that much of their land had been titled to private individuals. Today, the people of Kiriki Sub-county continue to live under uncertainty.

With most of their land lost or disputed, poverty has deepened. Food insecurity is rampant, and development initiatives have stalled. Schools and health centres remain scarce because of unclear land ownership, and roads are in poor condition. Community members insist that government action, particularly through the Ministry of Lands and UWA, is the only way to end the cycle of displacement and land grabbing. They want all illegally obtained titles cancelled, compensation for lost land, and clear demarcation between UWA-managed territory and community land. Despite visits from government officials and civil society, little progress has been made.

Delayed payment and disputes have cropped up in the implementation of Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium construction project, leading to sickening subcontractors-client relationships.

The beneficiaries and development experts warn that if not resolved urgently, the disputes are likely to cause delays and disruptions in the implementation of the Shs470b.

President Yoweri Museveni officially flagged off the construction of the 20,000-seat sporting facility in the northern Uganda’s city of Lira on January 29.

Signed on December 6, 2024, the contract was awarded to Samco National Construction Company – an Egyptian firm – that was tasked to deliver the project within a period of 20 months.

The project commenced on May 3, and February 2, 2027 is the revised date of its completion.

Scope of work

The complex will feature a 20,000-seat main stadium with an athletic track, training facilities with at least two changing rooms.

It will also house a 2,000-seat multi-sport indoor stadium, a 25-metre semi-Olympic swimming pool, outdoor courts for basketball, netball, volleyball, badminton and a 1,000-vehicle parking facility.

Additionally, the stadium is expected to have comprehensive infrastructure- roads, utilities, ICT systems, a sewerage treatment plant, landscaping, perimeter fencing and functional security systems.

A fully furnished club house for stadium operations, a 60-room hostel, five sports pitches, and a borehole to reduce water maintenance costs are other facilities that the stadium will have.

Subcontracts

The contractor hired the services of 30 sub-contractors to fast-track the process of implementing the project and meet deadlines.

Among them is a Kampala-based Bashfame Company Ltd, whose mandate under this subcontractor agreement included doing earthworks, excavation and backfilling, clearing and grubbing, removal of existing structures, laterite material importation and mixing and excavation of piles and supply of sand.

They were also tasked to construct a temporary wall fence around the stadium and supply 800 trucks.

However, just a few months down the road, Bashfame laid their tools citing financial constraints and frustration caused by SAMCO’s alleged refusal to pay for completed works.

Demand notice

Through their lawyer, Kampala Associated Advocates, Bashfame is demanding for the immediate payment of about Shs3.9b ($ 1,125,081) and an additional Shs726,629,583 as the outstanding amount due on the Interim Payment Certificates (IPCs) and compensation for the delayed events allegedly caused by SAMCO.

According to a Demand Notice dated September 26, 2025, the subcontractor wants the payment made within seven days from the date of receipt of the letter. SAMCO National Construction Ltd received the said letter on September 26.

Contractor’s response

Eng Mohammed Nazih, the Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium project manager, said while Samco signed memoranda of understanding with 30 subcontractors to support them in the implementation of the project, they were not having any issues with anybody.

‘Money is not a problem and we always pay our subcontractors upon completion of works assigned. While the original contract price is $29.74 million, we received advance payment of 20.7 percent on May 3, – the project official commencement date,’ Nazir told our reporter at his office on June 17.

Surprisingly, in a June 7, 2025 letter to Bashfame, Eng Nazih indicated that some works undertaken by the subcontractor was not implemented according to the specifications.

‘You claimed that you have completed the work, and you claimed that you ‘advised us to follow a certain design which we disregarded’. You are kindly requested to send [a] copy of the letter in which you sent your advice and our rejection. Also, why did you complete the work and hand it over although you knew it’s not according to specification?’ wrote SAMCO’s project manager.

Mathew Amanya, the managing director of Bashfame Company Ltd, maintains that they commenced works and executed their obligations under their respective subcontracts with their approval and supervision.

“We completed the earthworks, construction of the temporary wall fence and were diligently executing the subcontracts for supply of sand and excavation and backfilling the footings (piles). until we were rendered unable to continue due to financial constraints and frustration by Samco’s refusal to pay for completed works,’ he said.

On May 28, the subcontractor sent a notification of temporary suspension of physical works on site to the main contractor (SAMCO), highlighting a ‘critical issue’ affecting the continuation of their activities.

‘Despite our ongoing efforts, the delayed finalisation of the Interim Payment Certificate (IPC) has placed us in a challenging position with our service providers and subcontractors. Many of them have expressed concerns and demands for payment, and as a result, we are unable to secure additional resources and materials needed to maintain the project’s progress,’ said Moses Katongole, the project manager of Bashfame Company Ltd.

Katongole added: ‘Regrettably, unless all IPCs process is expedited and full payments are released forthwith, we will be forced to temporarily suspend all physical works on site. This decision is necessary to avoid further financial strain and to ensure the sustainability of the project.’

Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium (main contractor) project manager, Eng Mohammed Nazih, issued a warning to Bashfame on June 3, 2025, and threatened to terminate their contract.

But Bashfame Limited Company maintained that in accordance with the terms of their contract, they are entitled to suspend performance in the event of non-payment.

‘The suspension of work is a direct result of your breach, not ours. We emphasise that we have acted within our rights and in good faith to preserve the contract and avoid further complications,’ said Katongole.

Protest

On September 25, 2025, a group of 10 women who had been supplying food to workers at the construction site for another subcontractor called International Modern Construction Ltd, protested at the site over delayed payment.

The angry protestors stormed the subcontractor’s office and demanded explanation why they had not been paid for 14 days yet they were supposed to be paid on a daily basis.

Betty Olal, the chairperson of those supplying food to Akii-Bua Olympic project workers, said they sell a plate of food at Shs2,000.

Mouad Etab, the director of International Modern Construction Ltd, indicated that they were going to clear the aggrieved women this week.

Leaders speak out

Morris Chris Ongom, the director of National Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Lango Sub-region, said the Chamber of Commerce, Lira Chapter, warned that such concerns are potentially damaging.

‘If true, these issues could disrupt the progress of a nationally significant infrastructure project, delay job creation and negatively impact the local economy and confidence in public-private partnerships,’ said Ongom, who is also the chief executive officer of Global Forum for Development (GLOFORD), a non-profit organisation.

He added: ‘If nothing is done to resolve the reported payment disputes, construction on the Akii-Bua Stadium may stall, leading to significant delays or even a total halt of the project. This will disrupt the project timeline, erode public trust, and could result in penalties or contract complications for Samco Construction. It may also create tensions among stakeholders and discourage future investment in similar projects in the region.’

‘Losses and losers’

According to Ongom, the likely losers include SAMCO Construction, the subcontractors, the government of Uganda, and most importantly, the people of Lira and the broader Lango Sub-region.

‘The losses may include unpaid dues for completed works, lost jobs for local workers, missed economic opportunities for local businesses, reputational damage to both the contractor and government, and a delayed or unfinished stadium-denying the region a much-needed sports and development facility,’ he explained.

Richard Cox Okello Orik, Lira District chairman, warned that if the matter is not handled harmoniously both by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government and the people of Lango stand to lose.

Lira City acting education officer, Andrew Ogwang Oyang, agreed: ‘The Ugandan government will lose because it has invested a lot of capital in the project.’

The Minister of State for Sports, Peter Ogwang, neither picked our calls nor replied to our message to his known mobile number.

He, however, told President Museveni at the site on January 29, 2025 that when he brought the contractor there, the people of Lango told him ‘no Akii-Bua, no votes’.

‘Now that Akii-Bua is here, the votes are here,’ said Ogwang, further reassuring the country that the Akii-Bua Stadium will be a state-of-the-art facility in the country.

‘Forget about Namboole, and Hoima. This facility is going to be the best in the whole country. Besides Akii-Bua Stadium, the government will construct a state-of-the-art training facility at Lira University,’ the minister added.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The project is being financed by the government of Uganda, and its client is the National Council of Sports.

The project manager said while earthworks were almost 100% done, the overall progress stood at 10 per cent as at June 17, 2025.

As of June 17, 2025, all the mobilisation for the site was standing at 100%; earthwork works; 85 per cent and reinforced piles and reinforced concrete columns at 12 per cent.

At least 22 per cent of reinforced footings – crucial structural elements designed to distribute the weight of a building or structure across a wider area, preventing excessive settlement – had been completed.

As Uganda marks its 63rd Independence Day today, we assess the country’s journey of self-reliance through local innovation. From laboratory breakthroughs to scalable industries, these homegrown advancements are essential in driving economic growth, job creation, and resilience in a rapidly changing world.

Dr Monica Musenero, the minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, says the country has made a significant progress in moving science out of the laboratories and into the economy. ‘We have transitioned from piloting ideas to building industries.We’ve seen the first clinical trials for locally developed therapeutics take place,’ she says.

In terms of e-mobility, where the country is also venturing into, through Kiira motors, the minister says the country is expanding its electric vehicle ecosystem. She says there are ‘over 5,000 electric motorcycles and 27 buses already on the road with up to 40 percent local content.’

The minister also says they have set up charging infrastructure across the country with more than 140 swapping stations and over 30 fast chargers for vehicles. Dr Musenero further observes that the secretariat has revitalised key manufacturing plants like Osukuru phosphates for making fertilisers, launched the Deep Tech Centre, and operationalised vaccine manufacturing lines for animals and humans. Our reporter couldn’t independently verify the remarks on vaccine manufacturing lines.

Agriculture and food

Many of the major breakthroughs and innovations in Uganda revolve around agriculture and food systems, where majority of the population is engaged. Improved crop varieties and improved breeds of animals like the new maize and soybean varieties and Kasolwe brown goat breed have been developed in the country. National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro), Makerere University and National Animal Genetic Resources Centre and Data Bank (NAGRC and DB) have been at the centre of these developments. For maize alone, there are around 21 improved varieties developed between 2000 and 2019 and these include NAROMAIZE, Longe maize, and Myezi Mitatu. These varieties and breeds help to counter diseases and boost productivity. There are also ongoing efforts to start major manufacturing of anti-tick vaccines, separately developed in the country by Makerere University and Naro following promising results from field tests.

Besides this, there has also been an increase in value addition for local products like hides and skin, milk, tea and maize. This has seen construction of factories and opening of new businesses that have in turn led to creation of more jobs, reduced wastage and spoilage of products, increased average price of commodities, and improved export earnings from agricultural products. Still on food related innovations, this year, Ugandan innovators Sandra Namboozo and Samuel Muyita were named among the top 10 winners of the prestigious 2025 Young Inventors Prize, awarded by the European Patent Office (EPO) for their development of Karpolax. This is a biodegradable sachets that significantly extend the shelf life of fruits, reducing wastage and extending shelf-life.

Health

To move a step ahead of ongoing local manufacture of generic drugs and diagnostic kits (discovered in foreign countries), the government and local scientists are increasing efforts to develop vaccines and drugs locally for human use. Many of these research and development activities are still at laboratory stages. However, Prof Vinand Nantulya has been making diagnostic kits in the country. He also developed a kit for testing Covid-19, following the outbreak. His company, Astel Diagnostics is a private enterprise incorporated on the April 11, 2006 as a limited company to manufacture locally and make available rapid diagnostic tests for health conditions prevalent in Uganda and countries in the region.

There is also standardisation of local herbal medicines which has increased use in mainstream health system and enhanced National Drug Authority’s ability to monitor the quality of these highly used products. Some of these major products include Covidex, which was sold widely in Uganda and abroad for managing Covid-19 during the epidemic three years ago. There is also adoption of training of experts in the country, which is narrowing skills gap, especially in health sector and reducing brain drain. These include local fellowship programmes which has seen cancer and heart specialists, surgeons, and epidemiologists, trained in Uganda by available experienced persons, without having to travel abroad. The increase in the number of local health training institutions from certificate to degree levels have increased the availability of health workforce, despite challenges in quality, which should be addressed by the government.

Other notable innovations include one of the world’s biggest baby incubator for saving lives of preterm, that was developed by late Christopher Nsamba. He died in 2022. He came up with a big incubator that could accommodate 30 babies. He died before completing his work on an incubator that could be installed in an ambulance as a premature is brought to the hospital. Preterm birth is one of the biggest challenges in Uganda’s health system and a major cause of neonatal death. Around 200,000 babies are born preterm in Uganda annually. During this year’s Independence Day celebration, the Uganda Manufacturers Association and other partners, are running a trade fair where these Made in Uganda products are being exhibited. The exhibition is running from October 2 to 12 at Lugogo, Kampala.

Environment

Uganda grapples with challenges of waste management, especially in urban areas. There is also high level of air pollution, declining forest cover and wetland coverage. Some of the innovations to address these, include the Marula Proteen Limited, located about three kilometres from the Kampala City centre and the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) in Wakiso, that have recycling plants making useful products worth millions of shillings every month from waste. Marula uses garbage from Kampala City markets to make Protilizer organic fertiliser which is fortified with antifungal and soil revitalising agents for better crop yield.

The company sell each 50kg bag at about Shs49,000. While Naro is using animal waste to make biogas and bio-electricity for internal operations, among other products. There is also an innovation by Makerere University scientists, AirQo who have developed and installed air quality monitors across the country to generate data for decision making. There have also been efforts by local organisations and government to promote planting of trees, protection of wetlands, although there is a lot of interference, often from the leaders, according to activists.

If you have your mobile phone or laptop, reach out to it and simply Google Uganda – interesting images you will land on. Refresh and make another search on Rwanda, and lastly, South Africa.

This then gets me to ask, who handles Uganda’s publicity, and who is shaping the narrative that we would want the rest of the world to know about Uganda?

Deemed as the Pearl of Africa, it can easily be showcased through its rich heritage, diverse culture, flora and fauna, and the achievements it has attained over the years. And when one does a simple Google search, these should be the things they interact with.

As an ardent soccer fan, my club’s kits, both home and away, have a visit Rwanda wording on the sleeves, and this simply means an invitation to the millions of fans worldwide to visit Rwanda. By simply seeing Visit Rwanda on a shirt sleeve, one’s curiosity would be raised about Rwanda.

Now let’s switch to South Africa. In 2024, the Tourism Business Council of South Africa (TBCSA) teamed up with a renowned and celebrated South African-born international comedian, Trevor Noah, for a ‘Visit South Africa’ campaign, and this was mainly aimed at enabling the country to achieve a goal of attracting 21 million visitors by 2030, through tourism.

In such an age where everyone is a citizen journalist because of the digital and technology evolution, if you don’t tell your story, somebody else will tell it for you, and in most cases, they might miss out on some key facts.

But if there was a communications team and website where all this information was archived, maybe then we would tell a better story about our mother land. Public Relations (PR) is beyond crisis management, but how well you shape your narrative and what you want the public to perceive about you.

And with this, I mean the internal public, who in this case we, the citizens. The external public is the neighbour and all other countries that we have relations with on a diplomatic front.

Although I don’t have a great liking for the rival Red Devils, a visit to Uganda wording on a Manchester United jersey would be a nice one, this is simply because Manchester United is one of the biggest football clubs worldwide and leveraging on their large fanbase could, for example, do more than an advert on an international TV.

An article published on My Africa Magazine website on April 15 highlighted that in the very first year of the Rwanda-Arsenal deal, Rwanda recouped its entire £30m (Shs138b) investment, thanks to the exposure it gained.

The article cited that before the partnership, 71 percent of Arsenal’s global fanbase did not even think of Rwanda as a travel destination, whereas by the end of the first year, half of those fans said they would consider visiting Rwanda.

A group of people in London, UK, many of whom had probably never thought about Rwanda much before, are now eagerly discussing gorilla trekking and investment opportunities in Kigali, all because a football club’s sleeve saying ‘Visit Rwanda.’

As we mark the 63rd Independence Day, I would like to see more stories about who we are, what makes us the Pearl of Africa.

Uganda Tourism Board is doing an incredible job to market Uganda to the world, and we salute them, but their efforts need to be complemented, especially by gaining access to more resources to aid them in doing all the incredible things that will boost our tourism numbers.

A team needs to be tasked with shaping the narrative, and the first place would be the online presence. In this case, enhancing the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so that when one Googles Uganda, it’s the amazing things and achievements we have attained over the years that pop up.

Beyond the SEO, publicity related to our motherland needs to be harnessed.

PR continues to be a powerful asset in shaping narratives; hence, let’s not wait for a crisis to erupt and start thinking about what would be done. Let’s start now with telling the Ugandan story, beginning with the 63 years of Independence and beyond.

Looking disturbed at the Mbale High Court premises, 62-year-old Lucia Nalwanana folds her hands as she narrated her painful journey of an unresolved land case that tore her family apart and left her in emotional and financial distress.

‘My husband died in 2015. His brothers said I had no right to the land because I was just a woman,’ Ms Nalwanana, a resident of Butiru Village in Butiru Sub-county in Manafwa District, said. She added, ‘They took me to the police. I opted to go to court, thinking the court would grant me justice, but I have gone to court more than 20 times. Sometimes they said the file is missing.

Sometimes the magistrate has not come. Eight years now, no judgment. I have asked for mediation, but nobody is willing to mediate,’ she said. The land in question is about two acres, where Ms Nalwanana grows her crops as a source of survival for her children and grandchildren. Ms Daphine Nakayenga, a postgraduate student at the Law Development Centre (LDC) in Mbale, came across Ms Nalwanana’s case while doing her community legal placement.

‘It’s heartbreaking to see a woman like our mothers pour tears. This is a case that could have been solved through mediation,’ she said. Ms Nakayenga said many elderly women like Ms Nalwanana suffer because they lack legal awareness and can’t afford representation. ‘Our justice system must become more humane. Mediation should be embraced because it isn’t just a legal process, it’s a healing process,’ she added. Mr David Wamanga, the LC1 chairperson of Butiru, said Ms Nalwanana’s case is not isolated.

‘In my village alone, I have over 20 unresolved land wrangles. They all said the same thing: courts are slow, expensive, and hard to understand, Mr Wamanga said. He added: ‘Some people lose land because they can’t keep travelling to court. Others fight. We have seen machetes drawn,’ he said. He supports the introduction of mediation at the village level. ‘If the Judiciary can train more mediators and work with LC courts, we will reduce these fights. People want justice, not endless paperwork,’ Mr Wamanga said.

Ms Aisat Mugide, 32, mother of four and a resident of Wokoto Village in Kikobro Parish in Kikobero Sub-county in Sironko District, lost her husband in December 2019, and six days after the burial, some unknown people destroyed the banana plantation and other crops. She later learnt it was a planned move to evict her from the land. ‘I received a letter from the sub-county that was asking me to leave the land, which I was sure we owned,’ she said.

She added that most of the local leaders in the communities conspire with the oppressors of widows, orphans, and other vulnerable people. Ms Fatinah Mutonyi, 21, a mother of two from Nalugugu in Bulambuli District, is an orphan who lost her father in June 2019. She was left with her other two siblings under the care of their elder uncle. Their late father had left them six rooms of rental houses, several pieces of land, and other properties that their uncle reportedly forcefully took over from them in 2020, just one year after the death of their father.

‘He chased us away from our own house that our father had left for us, he told me to go and get married, and we left everything,’ she said. Mr Peter Mudoma, a resident of Bukonde in Mbale City, who has a long-standing land dispute, said, ‘If mediation could help us finish cases faster and cheaply, it would be a blessing in disguise,’ he said. He added, ‘I have spent so much money just going to court, transport every week, feeding myself, even giving small bribes here and there just to get files moved. It’s painful because I’m not a rich man. We suffer. Sometimes it feels like justice is for those with money.’ Mr Ivan Mooli, an aspiring district chairperson of Manafwa District, said whenever there is a delay in judgement, there is a breakdown of justice and the innocent suffer. ‘We must do better for our people, especially widows and the elderly; therefore Judiciary should decentralise mediation services, empower local leaders with legal tools, and increase access to legal aid. ‘Justice must be felt at the grassroots, not just on file shelves in Kampala,’ Mr Mooli said.

Ms Annet Kharuri Gyabi, an advocate and project manager at Redeem International Uganda in Mbale, said most vulnerable people end up giving up on cases because of the high costs involved in trying to pursue justice. ‘There are clients that have cases but don’t know where to report, even transport to the nearest police station, because they are impoverished, they cannot pursue justice,’ Ms Kharuri said. Mr Steven Masiga, spokesperson for Inzu Ya Masaba, the cultural institution of the Bamasaba people, praised the Judiciary ‘s growing use of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). ‘Traditionally, our people always end their differences in a bad way of violence, isolation, or revenge. ADR brings a better way,’ Mr Masiga said. Mr Masiga said cultural institutions are ready to collaborate with the Judiciary to ensure mediation reaches the most rural households. ‘The Judiciary has done something very important with ADR. We now have a chance to end disputes before they destroy families,’ he said

Efforts by the Judiciary

So far, over 50 judicial officers from Mbale, Soroti, Tororo, Kumi, and Moroto have been trained by the Judicial Training Institute (JTI), aimed at promoting ADR mechanisms. Prof Andrew Khaukha, the executive director of JTI, said: ‘Nearly 99 percent of civil cases can be resolved through mediation. Delayed rulings in land cases break families and communities. Mediation offers a path to justice that is faster, fairer, and more humane.’ Prof Khaukha said the Chief Justice’s vision is to ensure justice is not only delivered but delivered on time and in a way that restores peace.

Justice Farouq Lubega, the senior resident judge of Mbale High Court, said many judicial officers are spending too much time in workshops and not enough time on the bench. ‘We must be in court full-time. But more importantly, we must embrace mediation to manage our caseloads and make timely decisions,’ he said. However, Mr Francis Gimara, the team leader at ALP Advocates, warned that for mediation to succeed, it must be demystified. ‘Let people understand that justice doesn’t always require a robe and a courtroom. We need trained mediators at the parish level, simplified forms, and the courage to say court is not always the answer,’ he said.

National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine has castigated the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government led by President Museveni for allegedly mocking Ugandans with Independence Day celebrations.

According to him, President Museveni’s government that has been in power for four decades has failed to live the true meaning of independence and instead chosen to enslave a bigger section of Ugandans in poverty and misery.

Mr Kyagulanyi who addressed a rally at Lusanjja Primary School playground in Nakaseke District as the country celebrated the 63rd Independence Day celebrations at Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala on Thursday, accused Mr Museveni and his party of reversing the 1962 Independence gains, claiming many Ugandans are now forced to yearn for the pre-colonial days.

‘The true independence for Ugandans will come after the fall of this current government. Our children, parents and many other innocent Ugandans are in jail simply because they support people who don’t agree with Mr Museveni’s policies. We can’t enjoy our full rights as citizens, the colonialists did not act the way President Museveni and his government are curtailing freedom and rights of Ugandans,’ he said.

‘Even after 40-years in power, Ugandans are still suffering like before 1986 yet the current regime promised to liberate all Ugandans,’ he said.

He said when Mr Museveni took up arms to fight in the jungles of Luweero Triangle he laid down reasons that seemed genuine, making the war acceptable to the wider population in Buganda sub-region but after four decades in people, many who believed in him are in regrets due to increasing poverty levels, land grabbing, impunity, corruption, poor roads and poor health services, among others.

‘Recently, I heard President Museveni trying to enhance teachers’ salaries and promising free meals in public schools with each learner getting a cup of porridge mixed with milk and an egg. This is a mockery because the promises that have earlier been made for the last 40-years have not been fulfilled,’ he said.

Before Kyagulanyi addressed the rally, area MPs, Paulson Lutamaguzi (Nakaseke South), Allan Mayanja (Nakaseke Central) decried the rotten road infrastructure, including the feeder roads that are in poor state despite the government claiming that the area is the NRM cradle land.

‘In Kiwoko Town Council, we do not have a single health unit. Many people are victims of the ongoing land evictions and land grabbing by well-connected individuals in Mr Museveni’s government,’ he said.

The NUP presidential candidate earlier claimed that security agencies had denied him the opportunity to hold another rally in Ngoma, which is an NRM stronghold and also confiscated their public address system.

But Nakaseke Resident District Commissioner, Ms Rosemary Byabashaija in a telephone interview with this publication dismissed the claims, saying they agreed with NUP mobilisers in the area to hold only one rally due to limited manpower.

‘The security was only aware of the rally organised at Lusanja playground and not any other place. Those are false claims,’ she said.

Unlike the Monday that featured clashes between Kyagulanyi’s supporters and the Police in Mubende District, the Thursday campaign trail in Nakaseke was largely peaceful. From the border of Wakiso and Nakaseke, Kyagulanyi made several stopovers in Semutu, Kepeeka, where, through his car, he briefly addressed residents or waved to them.

Nakaseke is part of the Luweero Triangle, which was the epicentre of the five-year guerrilla war (between 1981 and 1986). Residents in both districts experienced significant losses during the war with thousands of lives lost, and the survivors were left to cope with the loss of family members, destruction of property, and a shattered local economy. While the war ended nearly 40 years ago, the impact lingered, affecting generations.

Despite all these, the area has for 35 yeas largely been loyal to Mr Museveni, generously contributing to his vote pool, but in the previous election, NUP made some inroads, winning two of the four parliamentary seats.

A section of residents in the villages of Bulima and Bukayu in Busamuzi Sub-County in Buvuma District have resisted plans by the National Oil Project (NOP) under the Ministry of Agriculture to take over their land before receiving their due compensation.

Although the government agreed to pay for private land as they seek to expand the project, a section of residents fear that they may not get their money as promised, citing examples of such projects in other parts of the country.

The Buvuma Oil Palm project kicked off in 2021, and the government needed enough land for the nucleus estate and several other hectares for outgrowers. Although the initial target was to secure 11,000 hectares of land for the project, they settled for 7,500 hectares of which 2,500 hectares are for the outgrowers.

On Wednesday, when NOP sent its surveyors to open the boundaries, the residents put up resistance, saying they needed their compensation packages first, without which the project would not take off.

Ms Josephine Nakibondwe, a resident of Bulimia Village, said she inherited part of the land NOP wants to utilize from her father and has no alternative land to relocate to without compensation.

‘This land is the only asset I have and I cannot allow a grader here before I receive my compensation,’ she said.

Mr Ronald Kasibante, another aggrieved resident from Bukayu Village, claimed that NOP has been taking residents’ land without compensation, an illegality they were not ready to tolerate.

“There are many people whose land was taken without payment; they come and start clearing the land, and after clearing they plant oil palm trees and tell people to wait for compensation. This is unfair,” he said.

Mr Muhammad Musisi, the chairperson of Bulima Village said the NOP team did not inform him about the planned boundary opening.

“I’m not happy as the village chairperson. How can the government send a team to open boundaries without notifying local leaders? This is unacceptable,” he said.

Mr David Ssenyonjo, the chairperson of Busamuzi Sub-County, rallied all affected residents not to allow NOP workers to trespass on their land before receiving their compensation.

Mr Anthony Wanyoto, a communications and knowledge management officer at NOP said the residents surrendered the land to the government willingly and their compensation is being processed.

‘No one is being evicted, the land where boundary opening is taking place is already controlled by the government, and the former owners are yet to receive their compensation packages. There have been some delays, but very soon they will receive their money,’ he said.

This is not the first time residents in Buvuma have blocked NOP staff from doing their work. In 2023, residents of Kakyanga, Bwaka, Kibondwe, and Bukiyindi blocked oil palm growing on private land until they received their compensation packages.

Out of the 89 villages scattered in the sub counties of Busamuzi, Buwooya,Nairambi and Buvuma Town Council, only 20 have been compensated.

The plan to grow oil palm on Buvuma Island is part of the government’s wider project to expand the edible oil industry in the country.

As Uganda joins the rest of the world in marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) has revealed that the country has registered a decline in late-stage breast and cervical cancer diagnoses. Dr Alfred Jatho, the head of the Community Cancer Services Department at UCI, said cervical cancer alone accounts for 33 percent of new cancer cases in Uganda, followed by breast cancer at 14.6 percent, together making up about half of the country’s total cancer burden.

‘Ten years ago, nearly 90 percent of cancer cases were diagnosed at a late stage. Five years ago, this dropped to 80 percent,’ Dr Jatho said on Monday. ‘Currently, the late-stage diagnosis rate stands at approximately 70 percent for cervical cancer and 77 percent for breast cancer, while other cancers remain at around 80 percent,’ he added.

Dr Jatho emphasised that early detection significantly increases chances of cure, especially at pre-cancer or stage-zero levels, which can often be treated without chemotherapy or radiotherapy. ‘The drop in late-stage diagnoses is good news,’ he said. ‘However, the proportion remains high – only about 25 to 30 percent of cases are detected early. That still represents a major challenge, because late-stage cancers are far more difficult to cure,’ he added.

He explained that with roughly 30 percent of cases detected early, the majority of patients diagnosed late are unlikely to survive. Despite the growing cancer burden, Uganda currently has only one comprehensive cancer treatment facility – the Uganda Cancer Institute in Kampala. ‘The UCI expects to manage about 77,000 cancer patients annually, but our hospital capacity allows us to treat only about 17 percent, or 13,090 patients,’ Dr Jatho said. As a result, many patients resort to spiritual healers and herbalists for alternative care.

Lack of information remains a major obstacle in the fight against cancer, particularly in the Busoga Sub-region. Ms Sylvia Nakami, the executive director of Rays of Hospice Jinja (RHHJ), a specialised palliative care provider in the region, said ignorance continues to fuel fear and misinformation. ‘The biggest barrier in the fight against cancer is information,’ she said. ‘Some people believe that screening for cervical cancer involves removing the uterus, examining it, and putting it back incorrectly – which they think leads to infertility,’ she added. RHHJ has intensified community outreach to encourage early screening and treatment.

Throughout this month, the organisation is spreading awareness about breast cancer, culminating in a Run, Walk, and Ride event on October 25, under the theme ‘Because Every Woman Matters.’ Ms Nakami noted that the number of cancer patients in Busoga has been increasing steadily.

‘Over the past seven years, our data show a sharp rise in cancer cases. Since 2018, the majority of patients we have cared for have been cancer patients,’ she said. Dr Anna Kabona, an associate consultant in Public Health at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, stressed that seeking treatment late makes cancer management difficult.

Herbert Olowo is well-known in the banking sector. His emotions may still be stable but are mixed after he won the September leg of the Monthly Mug at Uganda Golf Club (UGC) at the weekend.

He won the tournament presented by Stanbic Bank with a best score of 64 nett to outclass the field at the par-72 course.

‘I am very excited to have won the Monthly Mug. I woke up feeling good and when I got to the course, it was amazing. Even on a stroke index one, I got a par. I enjoyed myself. And I am looking forward to my handicap dropping,’ he added.

Olowo beat the field of 100 players to the top accolade including men’s Group A and Group B winners Michael Obalim and Steven Katwiremu respectively. Both scored 69 nett each.

In the women’s category, Berna Musanabera and Hasifa Karungi stood out while Peace Namusisi from Namulonge Club emerged as the guest winner of the day.

STANBIC UGC MUG

SEPTEMBER LEG RESULTS

Overall Winner: Herbert Olowo 64 nett

Guest Winner: Peace Musisi (Namulonge) 68 nett (c/b)

GROUP WINNERS – MEN

GROUP A

Winner: Michael Obalim 69 nett

Runner-Up: Shaban Ram 72 nett

GROUP B

Winner: Steven Katwiremu 69 nett

Runner-Up: Baris Aksoy 70 nett (c/b)

GROUP C

Winner: Hannington Mulumba 71 nett (c/b)

Runner-Up: Virdee Amerjeet 72 nett (c/b)

LADIES’ RESULTS

GROUP A

Winner: Berna Musanabera 77 nett

Runner-Up: Gloria Mbaguta 78 nett

GROUP B

Winner: Hasifa Karungi 76 nett

Runner-Up: Sarah Nduhukire 82 nett

SENIORS

Senior Winner (M): Kishor Datani 69 nett

Senior Winner (L): Jenina Nasimolo 74 nett