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Uganda kept their slim World Cup qualification hopes alive following a 1-0 away win over Botswana at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown, Botswana on Thursday evening.

Forward Jude Ssemugabi got the game’s only goal on 54 minutes after being allowed to steal in a header at the near post from an Allan Okello corner.

The result pushed the Cranes to 18 points from nine games and consolidate second position in Group G after Mozambique lost 2-1 at home to Guinea to remain three points behind in third place.

The results mean the Cranes stay in the running for World Cup qualification albeit through a somewhat complex playoff process after Algeria clinched the available direct spot in the group with a 3-0 win over Somalia to jump to 22 points, four ahead of the Cranes with one game left.

The Cranes now need just a draw to confirm second position in the group although it is only a win that can brighten their prospects of finishing among the top four second placed teams from the nine groups to get into the playoffs.

Only one slot is available from that playoff before Africa’s representative plays the final qualification game against a team from another continent.

By Thursday night, they were just out of those top four positions lying fifth but level on 18 points with Burkina Faso and Cameroon.

But the Cranes will take heart from a second away win this campaign in which they were the better side against hosts Botswana who had little to play for.

Rogers Mato was again the Cranes’ liveliest player but equally as wasteful infront of goal spurning goal scoring opportunities in either half.

They will hope to carry that fight into the final game that is also away to Algeria on Tuesday.

Col Samson Mande, one of the heroes of the National Resistance Army (NRA) Bush War that brought President Museveni to power, turned dissident, says he’s back in the ruling party.

Col Mande, a strong critic of NRM, has been living in Sweden since he fled to exile with Lt Col Anthony Kyakabale, first in Rwanda and later to the Scandinavian nation after falling out with President Museveni in 2001.

Lt Col (rtd) Kyakabale returned to Uganda about 10 years ago and met President Museveni before travelling back to Sweden later.

Kyakabale, also a Bush War fighter and a key figure in the Rwandan civil war that ousted former Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana in 1994, died last week after a long period of illness, according to family sources.

Col Mande returned to Uganda recently and was introduced by President Museveni to the crowd that gathered at Kololo Independence Grounds, Kampala, as the East African nation marked Independence Day on October 9.

‘All the development that is happening in Uganda is on account of the peace that is available. This peace is lubricated by the longstanding NRM policy of reconciliation and forgiveness on top of our firm stand against crime. Even today, I’m happy to welcome back into peaceful Uganda Col Samson Mande, who had fled into exile on account of, apparently, some internal intrigue. While in exile, he tried to engage in some rebel activities. When our cadres contacted him in Sweden, he happily agreed to come back and disconnect himself from the rebel activities,” Mr Museveni said in his October 9 Independence address before asking Col Mande to take to the podium to address the gathering of mainly NRM supporters, politicians and dignitaries from different countries.

Key opposition supporters shunned the official celebrations, claiming they have, over the years, been turned into a ruling party event at which “a lot of taxpayers’ money is spent on a handful of enablers and beneficiaries of the regime.”

In his brief speech, Col Mande said he changed his stance against the NRM and President Museveni, whom he described as generous.

‘I am back home. Here in Uganda, I have two homes; the first home is my country. Nobody shall be surprised that I’m here because I’m in my home. My second home is the NRM. I’m a founder member of the NRM. NRM was born by us. It is in me, it will remain in me until death puts us asunder,’ he said before quoting 1 Corinthians 13:11 to confirm that he’s a changed man.

‘When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me,’ he said, adding, ‘I know the magnanimity of our dear leader, President Yoweri Museveni, would accept my change of behaviour. Thank you very much. I’m home to stay.’

He said he had returned to Uganda to contribute to the development that he had heard and seen.

‘I went when I was bitter, but now I’m better and I’m loaded with solutions. I will not look in the past because I don’t live in the past tense. I’m looking forward to contributing to national development,’ he added.

Mr Museveni, who has been in power for four decades, and seeking another term in the 2026 polls hailed Mande for the “good job as commander of the 15th battalion in the Siege of Masaka in 1985 and in subsequent assignments.”

“I remember Samson Mande in 1979 operating as a volunteer scout for the Task Force Division of the TPDF under Major – General Silas Mayunga in Mbarara. I was commanding the 9000 strong Fronasa fighting force. Later Mande did a good job as commander of the 15th battalion in the Siege of Masaka in 1985 and in subsequent assignments. We welcome him,” the president said after Col Mande’s speech at Kololo.

RAO69 Samson Mande was at the heart of the 5-year guerilla war that brought President Museveni to power in 1986, and later authored the Establishment document that transformed the motley NRA into today’s formidable UPDF. As destiny would dictate, Col. Mande was elbowed out a few years after they captured power, got incarcerated and tortured in dungeon before he fled into exile, first to Rwanda, and onward to Sweden.

Uganda’s Intelligence later accused him of plotting to overthrow President Museveni’s government using the People’s Redemption Army (PRA) rebel group.

He was also involved in veteran opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye’s escape in August 2001.

WHO IS MANDE?

Col Samson Mande’s UPDF service number RO 69 which puts him among the top 100 National Resistance Army Bush War fighters.

He commanded one of the first six independent units during the Bush War in the Luweero Triangle in 1983. He commanded 1st Battalion, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Battalion, 9th Battalion and Task Force which operated in Kyadondo-Matuga-Bombo-Masulita and Mukono District.

His Task Force merged with the late Brig Chefe Ali’s UNLF troops in 1984 to form the Western Axis frontline and the 11th Battalion in Rwenzori. By 1985 the 11th Battalion had captured enough weapons and trained enough personnel to form the 15th battalion, the crack battalion which Col Mande commanded as the NRA fighters advanced on the capital Kampala, which fell on January 26, 1986.

An Artificial Intelligence (AI) data centre has been unveiled in Uganda, a first-of-kind project in the East African nation, and hailed as a turning point that will shift the continent’s data from foreign servers back to the continent, giving institutions, researchers, and businesses greater control over their digital assets.

Speaking during the launch breakfast, Synectics Technologies Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Oladele Oyekunle, said the first phase of the project is expected to cost KShs157.2 billion ($1.2 billion.) The facility will run on 100 megawatts of renewable energy and adopt a modular design that allows for expansion as technology evolves. Mr Oyekunle added that the three-year project will begin rollout by mid-next year.

According to him, the initiative has four main goals: to manage and process data, support research and development, and serve as an advisory hub.

It will also host an AI Centre of Excellence, created under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) model, to ensure that local engineers, researchers, and universities not only access the infrastructure but also acquire the skills to manage and innovate within it.

The approach is expected to reduce Africa’s dependence on foreign expertise and transform the region into a net exporter of digital skills within five years.

With over 80 acres of land dedicated to this ‘digital city,’ the project aims to foster an ecosystem where African researchers in medicine, agriculture, climate science, and other fields can optimise AI-driven innovations locally, rather than exporting raw data abroad for processing.

The facility is being developed in Uganda by Synectics Technologies in partnership with Schneider Electric, Nvidia, and Turner and Townsend, and is expected to transform Africa’s digital landscape by providing local infrastructure for data processing, research, and AI innovation.

Africa currently accounts for less than 1% of global data center capacity despite having a population of 1.4 billion people, according to the Africa Data Centres Association.

Most African data is still hosted overseas, raising concerns about security, sovereignty, and compliance with data protection laws.

‘At least 30 African countries, including Kenya and Nigeria, have enacted data privacy regulations in recent years, requiring more data to be processed locally,’ Oyekunle noted.

Turner and Townsend’s Head of Real Estate in Africa, Wendy Cerutti, said the facility is designed to meet international standards while securing Africa’s long-term digital future.

‘This project shows that we can deliver world-class facilities here, with predictability, clarity, and impact,’ she said, stressing that the initiative is a long-term infrastructure program aligned with net-zero goals.

Analysts project that AI could contribute up to KES 195 trillion ($1.5 trillion) to Africa’s GDP by 2030, with the data center expected to position the continent as a hub for research, innovation, and skills export.

Schneider Electric East Africa Country President Ifeanyi Odoh said the lack of large-scale infrastructure has kept global hyperscale’s from investing heavily in Africa.

‘It’s not that we don’t have the data. The basic infrastructure fiber, power, redundancy has not been available at scale,’ he said.

The new facility will be supported by multiple fiber routes, redundant transformers, and advanced automation to guarantee reliability.

The urgency of this development is underscored by Africa’s digital infrastructure gap. Despite its population size, the continent continues to rely heavily on Europe and North America for data hosting.

Experts warn that without local capacity, the risks of data misuse and weak compliance will grow as AI adoption accelerates in healthcare, fintech, and education.

By embedding privacy and compliance frameworks into the new facility, Synectics and its partners say they are not only building infrastructure but also trust.

Industry observers see the project as a watershed moment. The creation of an AI factory powered by renewable energy is expected to catalyze digital economies across East Africa and beyond, while also symbolizing Africa’s entry into the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

‘Science is precise whether in Kenya, Uganda, or China. For Africa, this is our time not just to consume technology, but to define our own digital future,’ Mr Oyekunle urged.

As Uganda marks 63 years of independence, several presidential hopefuls have reflected on whether the country has achieved the vision of its founding fathers.

While the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) celebrated what it termed decades of peace, stability, and development, Opposition figures argued that persistent governance failures, corruption, and inequality have rendered independence meaningless. NRM Communications Director Emmanuel Dombo said the last four decades under President Yoweri Museveni’s leadership have been years of steady progress and recovery.

‘Of the 63 years of independence, the NRM government and His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni have been in charge of the affairs of the country for almost 40 years. These have been years of consistent progress and development,’ Mr Dombo said. ‘Unlike the years before 1986, when we had many presidents and a failed economy, from 1986 we have had one president who has enabled Uganda to attain peace, stability, and development.’

‘Not good enough’

However, other presidential candidates offered contrasting views, questioning the significance of the peace and stability the NRM boasts about. Maj Gen (rtd) Gregory Mugisha Muntu, the presidential flag-bearer of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), said Uganda’s independence remains incomplete, arguing that the country is held captive by a governance system driven by selfish interests.

‘It’s unfortunate that the country, at the age of 63, is still caught up in a vicious cycle of poor governance, having leaders who are short-sighted and mainly focused on themselves,’ Gen Muntu said. ‘They pursue material acquisitions or power for psychological satisfaction, and under leadership driven by self-interest at the expense of citizens, challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, poverty, poor education and health systems, and high unemployment persist,’ he added.

Gen Muntu, who was the army commander from 1989 to 1998, said Uganda will only make meaningful progress when the country addresses the question of governance. ‘Until we resolve the issue of governance, it will remain the same. Any Ugandan who wants a better future must focus on how to get good, honest men and women into leadership, people who will build a stable, peaceful country where everyone is equal before the law and has equal opportunities,’ he said. The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate, Mr Nathan Nandala Mafabi, echoed similar sentiments, noting that, while Uganda has made strides since independence, significant challenges abound. ‘A lot has happened in our country since the British colonial government exited 63 years ago. We have had an ugly past, and although we are not where we want to be, we hope to get there,’ Mr Mafabi said.

‘We want to see a country where the rule of law is respected and human rights are adhered to. Poverty rates remain high, and that’s why, as FDC, we are presenting ourselves to Ugandans to give us a chance to lead this country beginning 2026 so that we fix the economy and put money in people’s pockets,’ he added. Gen Muntu urged Ugandans to reflect on the nation’s direction.

‘As we celebrate 63 years of independence, citizens should reflect on where we want this country to be in the near future. We deserve a better Uganda, and I have the experience needed to fix the economy and improve people’s livelihoods,’ Mr Mafabi said.

‘Concentration of power’

The Conservative Party’s presidential candidate, Mr Elton Joseph Mabirizi, took a more critical tone, saying Uganda’s performance today is worse than it was under British rule. ‘Before independence, regional governments had autonomy to utilise their own resources for development. Today, everything is centralised, and regions that produce the most wealth remain underdeveloped,’ Mr Mabirizi said.

He attributed this to corruption and excessive centralisation of power. ‘Despite Uganda being rich in natural resources, many regions have not benefited because of poor governance and corruption at the central level. Federalism is the only way to unlock regional potential and ensure equitable development,’ he said.

The Conservative Party Secretary General, Mr Alfred Kasozi, also criticised the government for what he called the collapse of key national assets.

‘The NRM government doesn’t manage parastatals. The policy of taxation has failed, people are being overtaxed, and the government doesn’t own anything. Parastatals like Uganda Commercial Bank, Uganda Railways, and UTL have been privatised and are now run by a few people,’ Mr Kasozi said. He explained that education has become increasingly expensive and that Uganda’s democracy has been undermined by constitutional amendments removing term and age limits.

‘The NRM government has totally killed service delivery. On paper, it looks developed, but on the ground, it’s totally different,’ he said.

Independence values

‘We must reflect on the values for which independence was fought accountability, equality, and self-governance, all of which have been eroded,’ he added. Mr Robert Kasibante, the presidential flagbearer of the National Peasants Party (NPP), said peasants have been left behind despite decades of self-rule. ‘Many peasantry communities have been excluded from key leadership and government positions of influence under Gen Museveni’s regime, which has consumed 40 of the 63 years of our independence. This has denied peasants the true benefits of independence,’ he said, adding: ‘The Electoral Commission, Parliament, and the Judiciary lack autonomy. We promise to empower all arms and agencies of government for better and more efficient service delivery.’ Mr Kasibante called for greater inclusion and accountability as Uganda moves toward another election cycle. ‘Uganda marks 63 years of independence amid calls for transparency, accountability, and economic inclusion of marginalised communities,’ he said.

Flag independence

Mr Habib Buwembo, the mobilisation head at the National Unity Platform (NUP), Uganda’s leading Opposition party, said the country cannot be considered independent when citizens still rely on handouts from President Museveni. He cited loss of businesses, killings on fishing lakes, and restricted celebrations as tell-tale signs. Mr Buwembo added that the country still uses colonial-era laws and that Opposition parties are denied resources and freedom to operate, proving that Uganda’s political and economic independence remains elusive. ‘We cannot continue celebrating independence when Ugandans are still economically enslaved and politically oppressed.

True independence means freedom for all citizens, not just those in power,’ Mr Buwembo said. Mr Moses Bigirwa, the Common Man’s Party (CMP) secretary general, said Uganda’s politics remain unstable and that the country cannot be considered truly independent until institutions are freed from individual control. ‘Uganda is still grappling with the political question within it. Individuals in power still act like the colonial rulers who granted us independence. Whoever gets into power does so forcefully, and leaving power becomes a tug of war,’ he told Daily Monitor. He, however, expressed optimism that President Museveni could still rebuild confidence among Ugandans. ‘Mr Museveni should rebuild trust. Public institutions should be independent and fair so that citizens can freely elect leaders of their choice. That’s the only way Uganda can become truly independent,’ he said.

The Ugandan cricket fraternity is mourning the passing of Baker Elonge Otema, a devoted servant of the game whose contribution to cricket – both on and off the field – spanned over four decades.

Elonge, who was 63, breathed his last at Jinja Hospital after complications on Tuesday night allegedly due to body organs failure. He was, until his passing, the Development Officer for Eastern Uganda and the Nile Region under the Cricket Uganda (CU).

With the best

Born in Northern Uganda but raised in Jinja, Elonge’s love affair with cricket began at Victoria Nile Primary School in Jinja and later flourished at King’s College Budo, where he learnt the finer points of the game.

A medium pacer with a deceptively short run-up, he played for Uganda, Jinja Association of Cricket Clubs (JACC) in the 1980s and 1990s, where his jovial spirit and sportsmanship made him a beloved teammate.

Off the pitch, he was affectionately known as the ‘King of Main Street’, a nod to his ever-present charm and social nature in the heart of Jinja Town.

Baker, as those in cricket called him, connected deeply with people of all walks of life – young and old, cricketers and non-cricketers alike – always ready with a smile, story, or light-hearted tease.

Timeless teacher

When his playing days ended, Elonge found renewed purpose in umpiring, earning recognition as one of Uganda’s first international umpires after he earned his qualification papers in Gauteng in 2003, alongside the late Francis Ekalungar.

His witty approach and fairness in the middle inspired a generation of umpires, including Patrick Makumbi Musoke, now on the International Cricket Council (ICC) Development Panel.

In his later years, Elonge devoted himself to coaching and youth development, guiding cricket in Eastern Uganda with passion, humility, and wisdom.

His mentorship shaped countless players and officials, leaving a legacy of integrity, discipline, and love for the game. His calm demeanor, sharp eye for talent, and open heart endeared him to all.

Heartfelt tributes

Tributes have poured in from across the cricket community:

‘He was a gentleman to the end,’ wrote Bob Kisubi. ‘A calm, cool, and collected man,’ added Frederick Mpanga. ‘Big big shame, Baker’s loss. Thanks to God for his life,’ said veteran Pithy Ndiko – a man who did it all with him. ‘One of the few who kept cricket in the East moving,’ remembered Robert Okot.

‘Baker was always kind and full of good humour. He had the shortest bowling run-up I’ve ever seen, yet the biggest heart of anyone I knew in cricket,’ said Guy Kimbowa Lutaaya, a former captain and teammate at JACC.

Elonge, who was elected as chairman of the national umpires and scorers association in 2018, will be laid to rest in Amononeno Village, Alebtong District on Friday evening, with details of the burial arrangements forthcoming. Cricket Uganda (CU) has pledged to honour his memory fittingly for a man whose life embodied the spirit of cricket.

Rest well, Baker – your impact will stay for eons.

TIMELINE

Full Name: Baker Elonge Otema

Date of Birth: February 2, 1962

Died: October 8, 2025

Age: 63 years

Born: Northern Uganda

Residence: Jinja District

EDUCATION

Schools:

Victoria Nile Primary School, King’s College Budo and Makerere University Business School

(MUBS) Nakawa

ROLES PLAYED

LC II Chairman, CU Development Coach, Talent Scout and Umpire Mentor

The Talking Point

LASTING LEGACY

Scripting His Own Story. For more than four decades, Elonge shaped the game’s soul-first as a reliable medium pacer for JACC, later as one of Uganda’s first international umpires, and ultimately as a development officer nurturing young cricketers across Eastern Uganda. Even after leaving the umpire’s crease, he remained a pillar of mentorship, urging growth, fairness, and joy in the game. His colleagues recall his quick wit and unmatched humility-an eloquent servant of cricket whose laughter and lessons will echo through generations.

The financial system remains resilient, well-capitalized, and profitable despite a challenging global and domestic environment, Bank of Uganda (BoU) says in its Integrated Annual Report for the 2024/25 financial year.

Commercial banks and other supervised financial institutions, BoU says, have maintained adequate capital and liquidity buffers, supported by strong earnings and improved asset quality.

These fundamentals, BoU says, have safeguarded the stability of the financial sector even as external risks and domestic fiscal pressures persist.

‘The financial system remained safe and sound during the year under review, with sufficient capital, liquidity, and profitability to absorb potential shocks,’ the report states.

The report shows that non-performing loans (NPLs), a key measure of banking sector health, declined to 3.7 percent, from 4.3 percent the previous year, which reflects effective credit risk management, closer supervision, and continued post-Covid-19 recovery in several sectors, particularly trade, agriculture, and manufacturing.

Banks also posted robust profits, underpinned by rising interest income, higher efficiency, and improved credit performance.

Credit to the private sector expanded by 8.8 percent during the year, supported by the Agricultural Credit Facility and Small Business Recovery Fund, which eased access to affordable credit for small and medium enterprises.

BoU says the sector’s liquidity position remains strong, with banks fully compliant with the Liquidity Coverage Ratio and Net Stable Funding Ratio, now prudential requirements across all supervised institutions.

To further enhance resilience, BoU says it conducted bottom-up stress tests on domestic systemically important banks and a sector-wide crisis simulation exercise to evaluate the system’s response to shocks.

The results, BoU notes, confirmed that the financial sector has the potential to withstand moderate macroeconomic and credit pressures without breaching regulatory thresholds.

The central bank also intensified its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing supervision, issuing new sectoral risk assessments and guidance to strengthen the integrity of the financial system.

Through active liquidity management operations, including standing lending facilities and repo transactions, BoU ensured stability in short-term interbank rates, while investor confidence for both domestic and offshore remained strong, helping contain government securities yields and sustain orderly market conditions.

On a sunny afternoon at the 31st Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA) trade fair, a small crowd forms around a vibrant exhibition booth. Handcrafted baskets sit beside neatly packaged coffee, organic skincare oils, colorful textiles, and artisan chocolates, all branded Made in Uganda.

It’s more than just a slogan. It’s the name of a new e-commerce platform that is determined to become a symbol of pride, innovation, and ambition for Ugandan entrepreneurs eager to take their products to the world. The Made in Uganda platform seeks to connect local producers to global consumers.

For decades, Ugandan manufacturers, artisans, and small-scale enterprises have produced remarkable goods, but access to international markets has remained a distant dream.

Now, through this online marketplace, local producers can showcase their products to buyers both at home and abroad.

From coffee and crafts to fashion and food, the platform curates a wide range of goods that tell a distinctly Ugandan story, one of creativity, resilience, and quality.

‘I am very excited that UNBS has played an important role in getting these products onto the market,’ said Ms Patricia Ejalu, the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) deputy executive director, while touring the Made in Uganda booth.

The entry of Made in Uganda coincides with a growing confidence in the quality of local goods.

Working closely with UNBS, the platform ensures that every product listed meets national and international standards.

This focus on certification builds consumer trust, a critical step toward global recognition. Moses Byaruhanga, the head of Made in Uganda, says the mission is to transform and open new doors for Ugandan products.

‘Consumption of Ugandan products has traditionally been local. We want to create market access so these products reach international shelves. We have already onboarded over 2,000 unique products, most of which are certified. Some still need support, but the momentum is strong,’ he says.

Beyond e-commerce, Made in Uganda is also nurturing a new generation of small-scale producers, many of them young innovators with big dreams but limited capacity.

Dr Ezra Rubanda Muhumuza, the UMA executive director, sees the platform as a launchpad for these emerging entrepreneurs.

‘Our partnership with the Science, Technology and Innovation Secretariat is helping young innovators who make high-quality products in small quantities. We are profiling them, commercializing their work, and guiding them toward industrialization. Made in Uganda is a wowing innovation for this year’s Trade Fair.’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Turning waste into wealth

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

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

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

Science meets the soil

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

A women- centered enterprise

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