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Archbishop of the Anglican Church of Uganda, Dr Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, has called on Ugandans to uphold peace, justice, and unity as the nation approaches the 2026 general elections.

Speaking on Friday during the 26th graduation ceremony at Uganda Christian University (UCU) Mukono, Dr. Kaziimba, who also serves as the university’s Chancellor, urged graduates to become ambassadors of peace in both word and action.

‘The true peace goes beyond the absence of conflict; it is the active presence of justice, respect, and love for one another,’ he said, addressing 568 graduates, including 320 men and 248 women, who received master’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and diplomas across various disciplines.

Dr Kaziimba highlighted the upcoming election season as a critical moment for reflection and civic responsibility.

‘This moment calls for reflection, prayer, and a renewed commitment to peace. The future of our nation depends not only on who leads but on how we, as citizens, choose to live together in peace,’ he said.

He encouraged graduates to let their words heal rather than wound and their actions unite rather than divide.

‘In our conversations, in churches and in our communities, let us embody peace,’ he added.

Prof Aaron Mushengyezi, vice chancellor of UCU, urged graduates to be problem solvers, not spectators, and to lead with wisdom, integrity, and compassion.

‘You have received a complete education and been formed in character, grounded in your faith and equipped with the knowledge and skills you need to serve. Your faith should continue to be the guiding light in your choices in a world that often challenges your core values,’ he said.

Prof Alfred Olwa called on graduates to embrace lifelong learning and moral leadership. ‘In a world marked by moral compromise, corruption, and indifference, may you shine as examples of integrity, compassion, and servant leadership whenever God places you,’ he said.

The chief guest, Dr Felix Theonugraha, president of Western Theological Seminary, encouraged graduates to embrace the opportunities of a rapidly connected and technologically advanced world while being mindful of its challenges.

At least six candidates, including the current Speaker of Parliament and her deputy, have sailed through unopposed to secure their seats in the 12th Parliament.

The Electoral Commission (EC) spokesperson, Mr Julius Mucunguzi, said the unopposed candidates, who include Speaker Anita Among and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, are now by law duly elected MPs, effective January 15, 2026 polling date.

‘Section 31 of the Parliamentary Elections Act states that if a candidate is unopposed by the time of the close of nomination, the returning officer declares them the duly elected MP of that electoral area, effective the polling date, and this case is January 15, 2026,’ he said. The other unopposed candidates are Lillian Paparu Obiale (Arua District Woman); Emmanuel Banya (Koboko County); Jeniva Arinaitwe (Rubirizi District Woman); Ruth Mushabe Rujoki (Kiruhura District Woman).

But the circumstances under which the six legislators were declared unopposed differ, as the two-day nomination exercise came to a close yesterday. Bukedea District In Bukedea District, a number of Opposition aspirants who had shown interest in tussling it out with Ms Among were reportedly denied access to the precincts of Bukedea District Electoral Commission (EC) nomination centre. The first attempts to block the aspirants against Ms Among came last month when Ms Zipporah Akol, accused of having close ties with Ms Among, sued three aspirants on allegation that they are not registered voters nor residents of Bukedea.

Ms Norma Suzan Otai of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Mercy Marion Alupo of National Unity Platform (NUP), and Hellen Akol Odeke, an NRM-leaning Independent candidate were sued at the High Court in Kampala. This prompted NUP to front Ms Florence Asio to contest at the eleventh hour. But the final test came when the nomination kicked off with internet connectivity being disrupted and several aspirants failing to be nominated on the first day. Day two yesterday saw heightened security, with security personnel being deployed right from the heart of the town to the district headquarters, where the nomination exercise was being conducted.

Mr Emmy Lokira, the District Police Commander (DPC), said he was under express instructions to keep journalists out of the nomination venue.

‘If you want to access the venue, kindly get instructions from the EC [Electoral Commission] officers,’ he said. The DPC, who kept pacing up and down at the main gate to the Bukedea District headquarters, warned that the best the journalists could do was to keep off some 300 kilometres away from the district headquarters.

Mr Lokira declined to say where he got the orders to bar journalists, curtly saying there was no need to ask questions, and talk to whoever was allowed to get nominated.

Ms Norma Suzan Otai, of FDC, yesterday said she arrived at the district headquarters, but was denied access to the nomination venue.

‘After being told yesterday (Wednesday) that the network had become problematic, we were told to come back today. But to our surprise, we found a fortress of police guarding the place and waving away any Opposition aspirant and journalists,’ she said. Ms Otai said what happened in Bukedea District should worry every Ugandan as it kills the essence of multiparty democracy in the country.

She said with the theatrics that EC has engaged in, the Opposition has reason to get worried ahead of next year’s General Election.

‘I came set to have myself nominated, but from what I have gone through, there is little hope that justice will be served to us,” Ms Otai said. Bukedea District was the only one across the Teso sub-region where journalists were barred from accessing the EC precincts designated for nomination of the parliamentary candidates. Mr Nathan Eyagu, one of the bloggers who arrived at the venue as early as 8am, said their attempts to access the EC nomination centre were blocked by security personnel guarding the entrance to the district headquarters.

“It’s not safe, you can also take over. We are tired, but stay safe,” Mr Eyagu said as he exited the entrance. Mr Charles Okello, a National Unity Party (NUP) party member, who had camped at the gate since morning, said they were also asked to stay some 300 kilometres away. Mr Okello said whatever was happening at the EC nomination centre would never be known because even journalists had not been allowed into the nomination centre.

Mr Benson Ekwe, the executive director Public Affairs Centre (PAC), said whatever was happening in Bukedea was not good for democracy and would remain a dark stain on the history of free, fair, and transparent electoral engagement in Uganda. ‘It is like a football league, when you bar other teams from contesting, then it becomes a fix,” he said.

Mr Ekwe noted that Katakwi District, where the vice president comes from, has witnessed free political contestation, and questioned what makes Bukedea so special that journalists and other opposition candidates are being denied access to be nominated. On Wednesday, the EC nominated Ms Among of NRM for the Bukedea District Woman MP seat. Also nominated was incumbent Kachumbala County MP Patrick Isiagi Opolot (NRM); and Rose Akol Okulu, Beckham Okwere, and Johns Bosco Ikoja, all for Bukedea County parliamentary seat.

They then trooped to attend a mega public rally at the Bukedea sports arena in Bukedea Town Council, while others waited anxiously in vain for the Internet connectivity to be restored. Ms Among joined Parliament in 2011 as an Independent, but FDC-leaning. She later joined the NRM, and returned unopposed in 2021 and was elected as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament. She later became Speaker in 2022 after the death of Speaker Jacob Oulanyah on March 20, 2022.

EC responds

Mr Julius Mucunguzi, the EC spokesperson, told this publication yesterday that both the journalists and aspirants who were barred should have filed a formal complaint to the EC to have their issues addressed. He said the electoral laws say if there is any matter which any voter has regarding electoral process, or conduct at the EC nomination centre or EC tally centre, one can go to court and file a case with evidence.

Mr Mucunguzi said he couldn’t address a complaint whose specifics he doesn’t know about and whose formal petitions he has not seen. He said even the journalists’ complaints can be addressed through formal complaints. Mr Mucunguzi said the claims about what has happened is inconsequential because the EC has not received any complaint.

Ruhinda North

In Mitooma District, the Returning Officer, Mr Colleb Nahamya, declared Mr Tayebwa duly elected MP for Ruhinda North after his competitor, Mr Osbert Kato, who picked nomination forms on the Opposition NUP party ticket, failed to turn up. By press time, Mr Kato was unreachable to explain why he failed to turn up, but the excited Tayebwa, via his official X-platform, commended the voters for entrusting him once more.

‘Thank you, Ruhinda North, for sending me unopposed to represent you in Parliament in 2026-31. It is a challenge I appreciate. I will deliver,’ he posted. Mr Tayebwa, who has been in Parliament for two terms, is not new to being unopposed. The deputy Speaker, who has been the Ruhinda North legislator since 2016, was also unopposed for the NRM flag during the July internal polls. In 2016, he joined Parliament on NRM ticket and went unopposed as the pioneer MP of Ruhinda North constituency, which had been carved out of Ruhinda County.

In 2021, Mr Tayebwa came up against four other candidates, including Moses Twimukye, Yoram Atuhamize of Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Nelson Nuwahereza of the FDC, and Nathan Kapere Burgess. Mr Nahamya said the nomination process was successful in the district, as all candidates who expressed interest were duly nominated, except Mr Kato in Ruhinda North constituency.

‘He came at around 3pm, but did not have a national identity card, proof of payment of Shs3m, and did not have 10 supporters on his nomination papers,’ Mr Nahamya said. Mr Nahamya said they asked Mr Kato to use the remaining time before the closure of the exercise but he failed. ‘He went out and started making calls as we waited for him, but at exactly 5 pm, he came and told us he had failed. We were left with only Mr Tayebwa as the duly nominated candidate,’ he said.

Unopposed candidates

1. Anita Among (Bukedea District Woman).

2. Thomas Tayebwa (Ruhinda North).

3. Lillian Paparu Obiale (Arua District Woman).

4. Emmanuel Banya (Koboko County).

5. Jeniva Arinaitwe (Rubirizi District Woman).

6. Ruth Mushabe Rujoki (Kiruhura District Woman).

Every October, companies in Uganda and other parts of the world celebrate Customer Service; a time dedicated to recognise and appreciate the frontliners who make customer satisfaction possible every day.

These individuals include; tellers, receptionists, call center agents, field officers, and among other employees who represent the company. They are the first point of contact, the human connection that turns ordinary transactions into memorable experiences.

Frontliners work hard to make every customer experience a positive one. Their smiles, patience, and willingness to help make all the difference. In a world where many services are becoming digital, human connection still matters most- a genuine smile, a listening ear, or a reassuring tone leaves the most lasting impression.

Every ‘good morning,’ every carefully handled complaint, and every extra effort to solve a customer’s problem contributes to the trust that keeps clients coming back.

Exceptional customer service is not just about being polite, it helps businesses grow. When customers feel valued and respected, they become loyal advocates.

Studies show that satisfied customers are more likely to recommend a company to others, while poor service drives them straight to competitors. Therefore, recognising and empowering frontliners is not merely an act of kindness; it is an investment in a company’s reputation, growth and long-term success.

However, customer service excellence is not the responsibility of frontliners alone. Everyone in an organization has a part to play. From the cleaner who keeps the office neat, to the IT technician who ensures systems work well, managers who support their teams and finance officer who processes payments on time- each one helps create a good experience for customers.

This month serves as a reminder that great service is a team effort. When staff members feel supported and appreciated, they are more motivated to serve customers better.

As we continue to celebrate Customer Service, let us take time to honor our frontliners for their hard work and dedication. Their efforts build trust, strengthen customer relationships, and drive success for every organisation or company.

In the end, good service is not just about what we do; it’s about how we make people feel. When we serve with excellence, we don’t just win customers: We earn trust, loyalty and lasting relationships. Happy Customer Service Month!

Target

Customer Service Week is a great opportunity to celebrate the vital role customer service plays in our businesses and communities. Taking place annually in the first week of October, it shines a spotlight on the hard work, dedication and impact of customer service professionals.

Throughout the week, organisations come together to recognise achievements, share best practice and inspire teams to continue raising the standard of service excellence. Whether you’re a frontline advisor or a senior leader, National Customer Service Week is your chance to champion great service and the people who deliver.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has collected about Shs4 billion in nomination fees from thousands of candidates cleared to contest in the parliamentary elections set for January 15 next year. By the close of the two-day nomination exercise on October 23, more than 1,300 candidates had been cleared to run for Member of Parliament positions.

Each aspirant paid Shs3 million as a nomination fee – an amount that has drawn criticism from civil society organisations, which argue that the cost is prohibitively high and undermines fair political participation.

The more than Shs4 billion collected adds to the Shs160 million earlier raised from presidential nominations, where each contender paid Shs20 million.

Critics have long argued that Uganda’s steep nomination fees restrict access to elective politics, especially for youth, women, and low-income earners, while fuelling commercialised campaigns that cost the country trillions each election cycle.

Ahead of the 2021 elections, political parties under the National Consultative Forum (NCF) petitioned Parliament to cut nomination fees by 50 percent to promote inclusive participation. At the time, NCF chairperson Jolly Mugisha said the high fees were ‘a barrier to many capable citizens,’ noting that ‘from the presidency down to local government positions, the nomination amounts are excessive and discourage genuine participation.’

Ms Sarah Bireete, the executive director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance, reiterated that view, saying the high fees make politics ‘a privilege for the wealthy.’

‘Young people, particularly those from Opposition parties and independents, struggle to raise the Shs3 million required for parliamentary nominations,’ Ms Bireete said in a post.

‘Since the EC is taxpayer-funded, there is no justification for such exclusionary fees,’ she added. However, Electoral Commission spokesperson Julius Mucunguzi clarified that the EC neither sets nor controls nomination fees.

‘Parliament determines nomination conditions and fees,’ he explained. ‘All payments are made into the Consolidated Fund through a designated bank account under the Ministry of Finance. The Commission only manages the election process,’ Mr Mucunguzi added.

In its nomination guidelines, the EC instructed aspirants to pay fees via the Uganda Revenue Authority’s online portal, warning against making payments to district or city accounts.

Despite continued advocacy from groups such as the Forum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE), calls to reduce the high cost of politics have yet to yield results, leaving many potential candidates priced out of the country’s electoral process.

The ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer for the Butaleja District LCV seat has died.

Joseph Muyonjo, who recently won the July 2025 NRM primaries, where he contested against the current LC5 chairperson, Mr Michael Hegenyi Bore, James Bwire, Mr Fagayo, Elvis Were, and former district chairperson Richard Waaya, died on Thursday night at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital.

He served as the district chairperson for Butaleja between 2011 and 2016. A teacher by profession and farmer, Muyonjo once served as the District Secretary for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) from 2006 to 2011.

Mr Imran Muluga, the Resident District Commissioner for Soroti and former NRM chairperson for Butaleja, described the late Muyonjo as ‘a humble and dedicated son of Butaleja who served his family, district, and Catholic faith with integrity.’

‘Butaleja is in a sombre mood. We have lost a great son who led without any known corruption scandals. That is why the people overwhelmingly voted for him as the NRM flag bearer,’ Mr Muluga said.

He added that the deceased had been battling illness for the past eight months, and they are awaiting a medical report to confirm the cause of death.

Mr Musa Hasiyu, a close friend, described Muyonjo as ‘a soft-spoken and humble leader deeply committed to community development.’

During his public service, he promoted agricultural productivity, supported healthcare initiatives, and championed youth and women empowerment programmes.

‘His hands-on approach and dedication to service made him a true leader who transformed Butaleja District in many ways,’ Mr Hasiyu noted.

Mr Muyonjo will also be remembered for his efforts in improving the road network and education standards in the district.

Through his own school, he offered scholarships to intelligent, vulnerable children, demonstrating his commitment to education and social welfare.

Mr Isaac Wamalwa, who worked as Muyonjo’s personal assistant between 2002 and 2004 at Busolwe Town View College, described him as ‘a committed educationist who loved his district deeply.’

‘As a team, we advised him not to contest because of his health, but he said he wanted to correct how districts are being handled-especially issues like corruption, job selling, and mismanagement of government funds,’ Mr Wamalwa said.

The Electoral Commission (EC) Thursday closed nominations for parliamentary contenders setting the stage for the highly anticipated January General Election.

Like it was the case on Wednesday, more independents flooded the EC offices and open grounds where the two-day nomination exercise took place.

In some districts, independents are threatening to outnumber the official party flag bearers.

In Mukono District, for example, 11 candidates were nominated as independents on Wednesday and yesterday, five more showed up, pushing the number to 16. Those with party tickets were 21 by the close of nominations yesterday. Majority of independents are NUP and NRM leaning, with claims that they are throwing their hats into the ring to protest the ‘unfairness’ they were subjected to during their respective party primaries.

Political observers predict that this diversity of candidates-from independents to first-timers-sets the stage for one of the most competitive elections in the country’s recent political history.

In Sembabule District, Lwemiyaga County legislator Theodore Ssekikubo, who is seeking to extend his Parliamentary representation beyond 25 years, was among those nominated as an independent candidate. Mr Ssekikubo, 56, who is contesting without a party flag for the first time, said he is out to defend the victory of Lwemiyaga voters, which he claims was stolen during the NRM primaries.

‘Everyone knows what happened in the primaries, where the free will of people was substituted with the power of the gun and violence, now the real voice of the people of Lwemiyaga is going to prevail in the forthcoming election,’ he said moments after nomination at Sembabule District EC offices yesterday.

EC has set November 10 as the official date for candidates to start their campaigns, which will run up to January 12.

In the neighbouring Mubende District, six people have been nominated as independent candidates out of the 18 aspirants cleared by EC.

Every constituency, including the Woman Representative seat-which witnessed stiff competition during the NRM primaries-has seen some contestants return to the race as independents, underscoring the deep divisions that followed the party’s internal polls.

Buwekula County has produced the highest number of independent candidates, making it one of the most hotly contested areas in the district. Among those nominated are Edward Kulabirawo and Judith Mujawimaana, both of whom participated in the NRM primaries but claim their victories were stolen. Kulabirawo finished second in the race, while Mujawimaana insists her win was manipulated. Mubende District comprises four constituencies: Mubende Municipality, Buwekula South, Buwekula County, and Kassambya Constituency.

Among the notable nominated candidates is Bashir Lubega Ssempa, who is the incumbent Mubende Municipality MP, running as an independent after skipping the NRM primaries; Deo Mujabi Masembe, the NRM flag bearer for Mubende Municipality; and Rtd. Maj Joseph Kakooza, former MP for Buwekula County and current NRM flag bearer for the same seat.

Other candidates include Henry Muhumuza and Fred Tumwesige, contesting as independents after losing in the NRM primaries for Kassambya and Buwekula South respectively.

Hope Grania Nakazibwe, incumbent Woman MP and NRM flag bearer seeking re-election; and Fred Mukasa Mbidde, DP vice President and flag bearer for Buwekula County .

Mbidde vowed to champion residents’ rights, particularly those affected by land grabbing.

‘I am going to make sure that my people enjoy their freedom, especially the bibanja holders who have been silenced for long,’ Mbidde said.

Ssempa explained that he shunned party primaries because he had already detected that he wasn’t going to get a fair play.

‘Everything I warned about has come to pass. The elections were not free and fair, and I am confident I will win this election,’ he said.

In Bukomansimbi District, out of the 25 nominated candidates, 15 are independents. The most competitive race is in Bukomansimbi South where 10 candidates want to unseat the incumbent Goffrey Kayemba Solo who is seeking a second term . In Bukomansimbi North, the incumbent Christine Ndiwalana (NUP) is facing off with seven candidates .

Following closure of nominations yesterday, Mpigi District NRM district chairman Mr Sulaiman Kaweesi publicly advised all independents to “step aside,” stating they have no chance of winning.

His remarks were widely interpreted as a direct shot at Mr. John Bosco Lubyayi, a former two-term NRM Member of Parliament and RDC, who has returned to the race as an independent after the party flag went to Susan Nakawuki Nsambu.

Mr Lubyayi’s decision to run independently follows his recent departure from the party, which he attributed to “poor administration.”

Symbol drama

Mr Lubyayi’s path to the ballot has been fraught with controversy, which he attributes to alleged sabotage by his former party.

The drama began when he attempted to secure the ball symbol, only to find it had been snatched at the last minute by Mr Joseph Kato, whom Lubyayi claims was a late entry brought in by the NRM leaders in Mpigi District to frustrate his bid.

When he subsequently chose the watch symbol, it too was unavailable, already assigned to another candidate, Mr Sobabu Tusuubira Ssozi.

Mr Lubyayi, who was ultimately nominated with a house symbol, has publicly accused the NRM leadership in Mpigi of coordinating with the Electoral Commission to sideline him.

“I will win by all means, even though I’m being sidelined by my former party friends,” Mr. Lubyayi vowed.

Ms Amelia Kyambadde, the former minister for Trade, who is fighting to make a comeback in Mawokota North, Mpigi District, after a five-year absence in national politics, said she is going to prioritise job creation among youth who are the majority of the voting population in the area .

‘ If we don’t create jobs for those youth, they are going to become a big problem for this country and that is where I plan to put my energy if given another chance,’ she said moments after nominations yesterday.

In Mityana, drama unfolded at the EC offices when an aspirant, Paul Kabanda, presented himself for nomination without the evidence of the prerequisite academic qualification and payment of Shs3million in the bank. After being turned away, Kabanda , a Primary Seven drop out said he knew his quandary but has the capacity to represent his people in Mityana South.

‘ I completed Primary Seven, and that qualification is enough to be an MP. On the issue of the fee, I wanted the EC officials to allow me to get nominated, and after winning, I will refund the money,’ he jokingly said. A total of 30 candidates were nominated in the district at the close of the exercise.

In Mbale, Mr Gideon Bikigi, who was nominated for Bungokho Central on the NUP ticket, said it is time for the people of Bungokho to vote for change, arguing that the constituency is still lagging behind in terms of development and service delivery due to poor representation.

Mr Michael Alinaitwe, the Mbale City Returning Officer, responded to allegations made by Connie Nakanyenze Galiwango, the incumbent Woman Member of Parliament for Mbale City. Galiwango had accused EC of unfairly giving away her long-used political symbol to another candidate.

In his response, Alinaitwe dismissed the claims as misleading and unfounded, emphasizing that all electoral processes are conducted within the law and in a transparent manner.

He clarified that the allocation of symbols follows official EC procedures and that no candidate is given preferential treatment.

Galiwango, who is seeking re-election, had earlier expressed disappointment, claiming that her familiar political symbol of the ball had been handed to a rival.

In West Nile

In Nebbi District, there was also drama after Mr Kizito Ker-Pou , the NUP flag bearer Padyere County seat waited for hours before EC officials verified his papers. Tempers flared up with NUP supporters storming the EC offices demanding for the nomination of their candidate.

In Arua City, the nominations were conducted peacefully, according to the City Returning Officer, Mr Osman Ezale. He said the candidates did not do earlier bookings but they anxiously turned up for the nominations.

‘We did not encounter challenges of candidates being denominated or failing to be nominated. Only that some of them did not come with all the documents. But we managed to nominate about 20 candidates for Arua Central, Ayivu West and East Divisions and the City Woman MPs,’ he said.

In Moyo District, the State Minister for Primary Education, Dr Joyce Moriku, who lost in the NRM Primaries, was nominated on an Independent ticket as Moyo Woman MP. The same happened in Kalungu District, where the incumbent district woman MP and state Minister for water, Aisha Ssekindi, is seeking re-election after shunning NRM primaries. The district has 16 candidates of which four are independents.

In Kabale District, three candidates were nominated yesterday making a total of 23 candidates in the district .

According to the Kabale district electoral commission returning officer Ms Aisha Nansubuga, the nominated candidates include four NRM party flag bearers, one NUP, one FDC, one PFF and 16 independent candidates.

‘The nomination exercise went on smoothly. Turn up was good and so far, we have nominated 23 candidates out of the 26 people that picked nomination forms, and we shall wait for 5PM today to ascertain the actual total number of nominated candidates,’ Ms Nansubuga said

In Buvuma, the incumbent area MP Robert Migadde Nduggwa vowed to hold his grip on the seat, saying his party (NRM) has intentional plans to serve the people and address the challenges that the fishing community is currently grappling with.

‘It will be a mistake to change leadership when more good things are yet to come’ Migadde explained

His nomination followed the earlier selection of the NUP’s Philly Katamba, who vowed to unseat him. Katamba criticised the dilapidated nature of the essential sectors in the Buvuma district, like Health and education, not forgetting the military occupancy of the lake, which has greatly affected the fishing activities.

The Buvuma District Returning Officer, Edmund Misango cautioned successful candidates about strict observation of the election guidelines throughout the entire campaign period.

In the neighbouring Kalangala, five more candidates were nominated yesterday – bringing the total number of parliamentary contenders in the district to nine. Three candidates subscribe to NUP, three from NRM, and three independents.

In Bushenyi, former banker and educationist Arthur Tangaro was also nominated to contest for Igara East MP.

Tangaro outlined better access to national resources, commercialisation of small holder farmers into vibrant agribusinesses, better education and school infrastructure, better health services

Ms Naome Kabasharira also launched her bid for a second term as Rushenyi County’s representative, pledging unity, continuity, and results-driven leadership as she filed nomination papers under NRM.

‘Continuation of unfinished work in health, education, roads, water, and household economic empowerment. This is going to be my main focus,’ she said

In both Kabarole and Ntoroko districts, a total of 11 candidates were nominated of which five are from the latter.

Budaka District leaders have launched a hard-line campaign against residents who fail to construct pit-latrines in their homes and business establishments.

According to the health department officials, the move is intended to enforce public health regulations, with those found guilty of violating the regulations expected to be sentenced to three months of community service.

The enforcement campaign, led by the department of public health and sanitation will target households and establishments that have failed to comply with the legal requirement to have functional and hygienic pit-latrines.

Ms Jemimah Nantongo, the assistant district health officer-in-charge of the environment, said Budaka’s pit-latrine coverage stands at 74 percent, implying that 26 percent of the households lack pit-latrines.

‘Although the district has made a tremendous improvement in the pit-latrine coverage from 70 percent to 74 percent in the last two years, a good number of households don’t have pit- latrines,’ Ms Nantongo said.

Diseases associated with a lack of latrines are cholera, typhoid, diarrhoea, and dysentery. Ms Nantogo said the district will implement and enforce the Public Health Act to compel each household to own a pit-latrine.

‘Those arrested during the operation in their respective sub-counties will be forced to sign an agreement as a sign of showing commitment to construct pit-latrines in their homes before they are released and failure to do so, they will automatically be arraigned before court,’ she said.

Ms Nantongo noted that several patients who visit the health facilities present health conditions that can be prevented through improved sanitation and hygiene.

‘The overwhelming number of patients recorded at various health centres is becoming a big burden because some of the diseases could be prevented to at least 80 percent. But our people have negatively avoided to improve on their sanitation and hygiene,’ she added.

Statistics at the health department indicate that at least 26 percent of Budaka’s population of 300,428 lack pit-latrine, which figure contributes to 80 percent of preventable diseases registered at various health facilities in the district.

Ms Nantongo said although the mandatory depth for pit-latrines is at least 15 feet, several households just dig shallow holes, of about 2 feet, while others use anthills as pit-latrines with an excuse of having a rocky landscape or loose and watery soils.

She cited Lyama and Nasanga sub-counties as areas with the lowest pit-latrine coverage. Lyama stands at 58 percent whereas Nasanga stands at 6 percent and yet the entire district stands 72 percent.

Mr Issa Wamapakintu, a community mobiliser, welcomed the sanitation and hygiene campaign. ‘This business of littering anyhow should stop forthwith if are to address some of these diseases outbreak in the area,’ he said.

Mr Emmanuel Pajje, the Budaka LC5 chairperson, called upon locals to embrace the programme, saying it is essential for a healthy society.

‘These rampant sickness being registered at various health facilities is due to poor sanitation and hygiene. This leaves the community in abject poverty because the little they earn is spent on sickness,’ he said.

Mr Pajje added: ‘The district team will soon embark on home visits to ascertain and enforce construction of pit-latrines. Those without and those that will not comply with the Public Health Act will definitely be arrested and charged before court.’

He further explained that communities neighbouring schools have adamantly refused to dig up their own pit-latrines but instead turned to filing up school latrines, which makes it more costly to the school management and the district to continue digging up new latrines for the pupils.

‘We shall not continue to tolerate communities who have adamantly refused to dig up their own pit-latrines but hope to turn school latrines as theirs. This will not be accepted at all. Nobody should be allowed to trespass on school facilities,’he said.

National Cleaning Day

The government has gazzetted the last Saturday of every month as national cleaning days, mandating regular community sanitation exercises across the country.

The Ministry of Local Government in a September 15 letter notified all chief administrative officers, city town clerks and town clerks on the introduction of national cleaning days for a healthier and reproductive population.

The letter, signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Mr Ben Kumumanya, stated that reference is made to a Cabinet directive to ministries, departments, agencies and local governments on integrating the national cleaning days in their plans and budgets.

The national cleaning day is scheduled to take place every last Saturday of every month from 8am to 12pm and will involve stakeholders at national, district, sub-county, parish, village and household levels.

The Permanent Secretary’s letter was in reference to that of the Prime Minister on September, on the launch and implementation of the initiative.

Accordingly, the Cabinet sitting, held on August 11, approved the launch and implementation of the the national cleaning day initiative.

‘This is a whole of government approach that seeks to empower communities across the country to recognise their primary role in maintaining their own health through addressing their social determinants of health,’ the letter reads in part.

She stated that once implemented, the national cleaning days will strengthen communities to enhance household incomes through reduction of the catastrophic expenditures on health due to preventable causes.

Why do gourmet dishes in Uganda mostly have to be exotic? Why can’t one find such a classic Ugandan dish as katogo, luwombo or pasted beef at a fine dining venue in Uganda?

Your answer is as good as mine but these questions likely run through many Ugandan dinners quite often. Now one young chef is trying to change the status quo.

Andrew Nsubuga is a chef in his late 20s whose passion is elevating Ugandan dishes to modern gastronomy standards. He blends tradition with innovation to celebrate the richness of Uganda’s local ingredients.

From fresh tropical fruits, millet and matoke to flavorful spices, beans, ghee, and smoked meats, all presented in ways that feel both authentically Ugandan and contemporary. He’s the head chef at Zara Gardens Hotel in Muyenga where he’s been heading the culinary side for four years.

Nsubuga reimagines local classics such as katogo, eshabwe, pasted meat, luwombo, even rolex in a refined gourmet style.

‘I spend time crafting new recipes that highlight Ugandan flavors in unexpected ways. I strive to surprise and delight guests with every bite. I believe food should be a sensory journey where every dish tells a story about culture, community, and creativity. My goal is to design dining experiences that celebrate Uganda’s vibrant culinary identity, while meeting the standards of modern gastronomy,’ he says.

Nsubuga has eight years of experience in the hospitality industry. His first job came in 2018 right after his culinary arts course in Centurion, South Africa. The job was at August’80, a Bukoto pub that was the rage at the time.

His food was so popular that the bosses increased his salary five times within the year he spent there. Revelers were literally coming more for the food than for the alcohol at some point.

Conventional

‘After one year, I quit the job. I got bored. I wanted something more conventional like a restaurant. I did not want to work those strange hours anymore. So I went to Nairobi, where I spent much of my childhood, to try something new but things did not work out. Coincidentally, while things were not working out in Nairobi, the Bukoto pub called and offered me more money. So I came back. After one month, they increased my salary three times,’ he says.

His prowess spread like a wild fire in the industry and soon, Sheraton came calling. They offered him a job as a chef de partie, a senior position in the kitchen team, responsible for overseeing one of the many stations.

He worked here for a couple of years before joining Zara Gardens Hotel in Muyenga in 2022 as the head chef.

He attributes his fast rise to the top to what he calls his ability to be crazy. He believes you can’t be a great chef if you are not crazy.

‘To be a chef is to be crazy,’ he says casually. This notion first became clear to him while he worked in Estela restaurant in Lower East Village, Manhattan, New York. It was late 2017 and Nsubuga was on his eight-month long break from culinary arts school.

His mother lived in New York at the time and Nsubuga had gone there to spend the long break with her.

Pushed by mother

‘My mother asked me to look for a restaurant and work because she didn’t like the idea of me just chilling at home. So I looked for a restaurant with the smallest menu. But upon reaching there, that smallest menu was the biggest work I have ever done. Estela happened to rank among the top 50 restaurants in the world at the time.”

‘The work in that restaurant was endless. I worked more than 12 hours a day without stopping. For 8 months. This was a crazy schedule for me until it dawned on me that my chef de cuisine, the head chef who was 27 at the time, worked for 16 hours a day without complaining. On the contrary, his attitude was that of being constantly happy and energetic. He was crazy,’ he says.

It is that crazy work ethic that he brings to his kitchens, everywhere he has worked. When he asks any of his team members if they are crazy, he’s not insulting them. He is motivating them.

He’s reminding them of the chef’s path. It is a coded call for team members to think outside the box and create magic on a whim. Because to be a good chef is to be willing to be crazy.

Nsubuga did not think this way at first. He was a regular child that just wanted to be nice to his mother by cooking for her when she came home tired in the evenings.

In fact he wanted to be a pilot at first. But his mother convinced him to consider being a chef instead since he was very good at cooking. This happened in 2015, when, after Nsuguga completed his secondary education at Aga Khan High School, he went back home in Nairobi to live with his mother.

‘I used to cook food at home. She is a single mother. I felt bad that she would come home at like 9pm, tired and tryto cook. I realised that somebody had to cook and since I am the eldest, the task fell to me,’ he says.

It turned out that Nsubuga was gifted at cooking and his mother loved his food. He wanted to be a pilot and she was willing to pay for his pilot school.

‘My mother asked do you know what a great cook you are? Why don’t you try cooking professionally?”

He obliged and so she found him an apprenticeship at a popular restaurant in Nairobi called Thyme.

His main obligation here was to prove himself. His mother had told him that before she committed to spend any crazy amounts of money for him to go to culinary school, she needed to see the interest from his side.

As it turned out, he really was interested in going to culinary school because while all his teenage friends were out partying or playing video games all day, Nsubuga was in Thyme crying buckets of tears that come from cutting too many onions all day.

‘The schedule got so tough for me that I quit after three months. But my mother found me another internship. It was, in fact, a training. She paid an experienced chef to teach me. This guy was tough. He was a Ghanaian man that had had his training in Italy and had worked in America and Canada for years. Now he was in Nairobi to retire in a restaurant of his own.”

‘You know the old school chefs? He was throwing frying pans around the kitchen and being really crazy. But he is actually responsible for most of my knowledge right now. He taught me that you cannot be a good chef without being obsessive, persistent and willing to push past normal limits. If I keep saying crazy, this is what I mean,’ he says.

He says that being a chef is a kind of beautiful madness. A lifestyle driven by obsession, pressure, and creativity, where passion pushes you past normal limits until the chaos of the kitchen becomes the rhythm of your life. And that is what is needed to make real change in such a complex industry as his.

Different kind of culinary experience

This week, Nsubuga is hosting a brunch or, better put, a culinary experience at Zara Gardens rooftop, where classic Ugandan meals such as kalo and eshabwe, ground nut stew and other dishes will be on the menu. The daytime culinary event, dubbed Showtime.

This first-of-its-kind bi-monthly culinary experience showcase his masterful culinary creativity, cocktail artistry, and high fashion.

Some of the foods that will feature at the event include roasted maize, deep fried cassava and kabalaga. Generally, the classics that we are all familiar with, but with the creative touch of a well-trained, ‘crazy chef. ‘

It is about time we took pride in our food.

When the Embassy of the Republic of Trkiye opened its doors in Kampala in 2010, it marked the beginning of a new era of friendship between our two nations. I have had the honour of serving as the fourth Turkish ambassador to this beautiful country since February 2023.

On October 29th, Trkiye will proudly celebrate 102 years since the founding of our republic. After the hardships of World War I, our nation rose from the ashes under the visionary leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatrk, who led our struggle for independence and established the modern Republic of Trkiye in 1923. Each year, we commemorate this day with deep respect for the courage and sacrifice of those who gave their lives for our freedom.

Over the past century, Trkiye has grown into a strong, dynamic nation – one that seeks peace, stability, and progress not only at home but also across the world, in line with Atatrk’s famous motto: ‘Peace at home, peace in the world.’ Our friendship with Uganda continues to blossom. In January 2024, our Vice President, HE Cevdet Yilmaz, visited Kampala to attend the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit hosted by Uganda. Although Trkiye is not a member of NAM, we were honoured to be the only country invited as a ‘special guest’ – a clear reflection of the excellent relations between our two countries.

These ties are not only political; they are also practical. Trade between Trkiye and Uganda is growing. In 2024, our bilateral trade volume reached US$75 million. By August 2025, it had already risen to US$96 million, and we expect it to surpass US$120 million dollars by the end of this year – an increase of nearly 60 percent.

Business people from both sides meet more frequently, explore partnerships, and participate in trade fairs in Trkiye and Uganda. Just last week, during the Trkiye-Africa Business and Economic Forum in Istanbul, we welcomed 50 Ugandan business leaders from various sectors – a great example of how our cooperation continues to deliver tangible results.

Turkish companies are also contributing to Uganda’s development – quite literally, by helping build its future. Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines continues to play a crucial role in strengthening our bilateral relations. The number of weekly flights between Entebbe and Istanbul has increased from seven to nine recently, connecting Uganda not only to Trkiye but also to the rest of the world through Istanbul. We take great pride in seeing Turkish expertise contribute to Uganda’s infrastructure, connectivity, and overall development.

As in any partnership, challenges exist – including high transport costs and occasional cases of fraud that may discourage genuine trade and investment. We are working closely with Ugandan authorities to address these issues and to promote a positive image of Uganda among Turkish investors. Our shared goal is to encourage more Turkish businesspeople and professionals to discover the many opportunities this country offers.

Our partnership goes far beyond trade and construction. It is also about friendship, education, and cultural exchange. Through the Trkiye Scholarships and Diyanet Foundation programmes, Trkiye has so far provided more than 600 scholarships to Ugandan students. The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency and Turkish NGOs have been instrumental in supporting Uganda’s development efforts.

Trkiye and Uganda are currently finalising key agreements – including one to avoid double taxation and another to protect and promote investments – which will make doing business between our two countries easier and fairer. We are also preparing for the 3rd Trkiye-Uganda Joint Economic Commission Meeting, to be held in Kampala after Uganda’s upcoming elections. Guided by the vision of our Presidents, HE Recep Tayyip Erdogan and HE Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Trkiye and Uganda continue to deepen their partnership in the spirit of mutual respect and shared prosperity.

May our enduring friendship grow ever stronger for the benefit of our peoples and future generations.

In the coming decade, millennials will have made the full transition into the C-suite. They will form the new pool for the next generation of Chief Executive Officers (CEOs). But what are organisations seeking in this next generation of CEOs?

The Covid-19 pandemic was a paradigm shift for how the C-suite now thinks about the role of CEO or General Manager (GM), and the kind of person to fill that role. What are those specific traits that make a person CEO-ready?

Resilience

The ability to move through the fog with calmness, even when all the answers are not clear, and make decisions in these kinds of environments. The CEO is no longer expected to have all the answers, and to have certainty, but is expected to chart out firm directions.

The CEO must emerge with clarity with every step they take, the ability to map out the terrain even when information is incomplete, fast-changing and contradictory. In this way, resilience also goes with clarifying purpose across the different levels, in the different times and spaces.

The CEO is engaged in a constant reorientation of all the forces within the company. At a personal level, this also calls for the CEO’s ability to maintain an emotional balance even as things waver, even when the board exerts performance pressure. It is tempering one’s emotions with eyes on the prize.

Coherence and Intuition

Firms have numerous sources of data, there are analysts at different levels, and hot signals keep coming in all the time. It is easy for CEOs to drown in all these patterns that are revealed by the data and end up pulling in different directions.

The next generation of CEOs ought to bring strategic coherence to the firm, having a knack for moving pieces in such a way that they become mutually reinforcing, and that all elements in the firm perform in concert.

Before, firms have been very fragmented or departmentalised. The Engineering departments will make decisions independent of how this could affect logistics or the profit and loss that finance is tracking. The role of the CEO is to achieve integration without hampering movement.

The CEO is now also called forth to have fingertip sensitivity, knowing where to press the buttons, and the ability to recognise the constraint in this sea of data. The CEO must bring with them intuition and out of this, a creative imagination that enables them to open doors where the organisation sees walls.

Differentiated but Unified Leadership Style

Although CEOs share lots of things in common, for example, a commercial outlook, ability to provide strategic oversight and foresight, there’s something that’s always unique to every CEO. Every great CEO finds their unique style. This means that for future CEOs, those still locked up in middle and senior management, this becomes the time to develop that style, that voice, that rhythm. Why? Because in chaotic and turbulent times, everyone reverts to their style. It thus helps to be deliberate in cultivating that style and understanding its blind spots and the unique attributes it brings in the C-suite.

How do you push for results? How do you hold tension? How do you communicate urgency? That means, the next generation of CEOs must start putting themselves in these varied situations, to uncover who they are in all these sets of randomness.

The goal is to have a style that is unified, a CEO that is one with themselves, a beautiful weaving of the CEO’s contradictions that won’t confuse the people you lead. All the forces and interests within the organisation should find unity in the General Manager.

Strategic Agency

The next generation of CEOs requires a bold, resolute, decisive and innovative agency that pours into every employee in the firm. We call this the CEO elevator pitch. What could the CEO tell an employee in the elevator that would shift the needle in the company?

Assuming the CEO met an HR business partner in the elevator, what is the one thing they would tell them that would reflect in that month’s profitand loss results? That means a CEO must have the pulse of every place in the organisation, knowing the two or three big things that need to be dialled up in those places, and how to measure them at the board room level.

Basically, how does the CEO push for results without getting buried in the details? The CEO is not an investigator, is not a CFO, is not someone to teach people to do their jobs.

The next generation of CEOs must be seeking forgiveness, not permission, they champion innovation, they give their people the wings to fly, and they cushion those who have dared to take risks in the company.

The next generation of CEOs do not respect the status quo, they challenge it. When the current pool of future CEOs develops this, then they can emerge better prepared from the GM pipeline. But as is often the case, many enter the pipeline, but few emerge from it. Many are called to be CEOs; few are chosen to be. The few that are chosen will often have these qualities.