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Kabarole District

Kabarole District currently comprises a single county-Burahya-with a population of 230,368, according to the 2024 National Housing Census. Since 2010, it has remained a stronghold of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), consistently voting for the party.

In the 2021 presidential election, Mr Museveni secured a landslide victory in the district, garnering 49,491 votes (80.4 percent), while his closest rival, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), received 9,830 votes (15.98 percent).

A major concern in Kabarole is the government’s failure to deliver on infrastructure pledges. The Fort Portal-Kijura-Kabende-Katooke road, an 81-kilometre stretch linking Kabarole to Kyenjojo District, was promised for tarmacking in 2013 but remains incomplete. Similarly, the Kasisi-Rwakenzi-Kyanga road, a 45-kilometre route intended to connect Kabarole to Rwimi in Bunyangabu District, was also pledged in 2013 and has yet to materialise.

Another unfulfilled commitment is the Kabarole Industrial Park, earmarked for Rwebita ZARDI in Rweganju Sub-County. Announced in 2018 under the Agri-Led Industrialisation Programme, the project aimed to boost economic growth and job creation, but no tangible progress has been made.

Cultural and political issues persist. In 2019, the government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with King Oyo of the Tooro Kingdom to return the kingdom’s assets. However, the process has stalled. During his 30th coronation anniversary, Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV urged the central government to prioritise the return of the kingdom’s properties.

Declining tea prices

Tea farming, the district’s economic backbone, has suffered a sharp decline in prices over the past three years. Many farmers have uprooted their plantations or abandoned their gardens due to inadequate government support. Mr Joshua Tusiime from Kiko Town Council expressed the frustration of many locals.

‘Many people, including eligible voters, are not happy with the government because their main source of income has been neglected. Some of us are not happy. I don’t see why we should vote again. This time, we need to vote for people who will listen to our problems as tea farmers,’ he said.

The issue has become a political flashpoint, raising doubts about whether NRM’s dominance will hold in 2026. On September 12, Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze stated that President Museveni had met tea farmers in Bushenyi and directed Finance Minister Matia Kasaija to secure Shs312 billion to revamp the struggling industry.

Fort Portal City

Elevated from a municipality in 2020, Fort Portal City has a population of 137,549, according to the 2024 census. Historically, Fort Portal has strongly supported the NRM in both presidential and parliamentary elections. Long-serving MPs such as Alex Ruhunda, who has represented Central Division for three terms, exemplify this trend. All current legislators (2021-2026) subscribe to NRM.

In the 2021 presidential race, Mr Museveni received 25,753 votes, while Mr Kyagulanyi garnered 8,440. Despite NRM’s dominance, several unfulfilled pledges remain central to voter concerns.

Chief among them is Buhinga Stadium, promised in 2018 as a modern sports tourism facility. Six years later, the project is yet to begin. Other pressing issues include chronic underfunding of the city budget, the stalled City Administration Block-under construction since 2010-and the long-promised tarmacking of Kabudaire-Ssaak Road.

Bunyangabu District

Carved out of Kabarole in 2017, Bunyangabu District comprises one constituency-Bunyangabu County-and has remained a firm NRM stronghold for two decades. Its County MP seat has consistently been held by an NRM legislator. The 2024 census places the district’s population at 219,012. As an agricultural district, Bunyangabu faces persistent challenges with poor road networks, limiting market access for farmers. Additionally, frequent disasters in the hilly areas bordering Mt Rwenzori National Park-such as mudslides and landslides-have claimed lives and displaced households. These issues are expected to weigh heavily on voters’ minds in 2026.

Kamwenge District

Kamwenge District, with a population of 337,167, comprises two counties: Kibale and Kibale East. In the 2021 elections, both MPs-Mr Frank Tumwebaze (Kibale East) and Mr Abigaba Mirembe Cuthbert (Kibale)-were elected unopposed on the NRM ticket. They have again won NRM primaries and await nomination.

Since its creation from Kabarole 25 years ago, Kamwenge has remained a steadfast NRM stronghold. In 2021, Mr Museveni secured 85,241 votes out of 117,466 registered voters, while Mr Kyagulanyi received 3,969. A total of 91,749 voters participated.

District chairperson Joseph Karungi highlighted the long-standing presidential pledge to tarmac the 105-kilometer road connecting Kamwenge, Kyenjojo, and Kyegegwa. Work began in May 2025, covering Kihura-Bwizi-Rwamwanja-Kahunge (68km), Mpara-Bwizi (38km), and 20 kilometres of town roads. Progress on this project will likely influence voter sentiment in 2026.

Kitagwenda District

Carved out of Kamwenge in 2019, Kitagwenda District has a population of 184,947 and one constituency. Unlike neighbouring districts, Kitagwenda saw a tight race-Mr Museveni polled 4,417 votes, while Mr Kyagulanyi edged ahead with 4,488. Despite this, both the Kitagwenda County MP and Woman MP are from the NRM, and party primary winners-Robert Mugabe (Kitagwenda County) and Ms Nyakato Dorothy Nzibonera (Woman MP)-await nomination. The district’s most pressing issue is poor road infrastructure. Apart from the Kamwenge-Ibanda highway, Kitagwenda lacks any tarmacked roads. Residents say this isolation hampers development and market access for farmers, making it a likely campaign issue in 2026.

Kyenjojo District

Kyenjojo District comprises three constituencies: Mwenge North, Mwenge South, and Mwenge Central. All current MPs (2021-2026) are from the NRM, despite competition from NUP, FDC, and ANT in 2021. As the 2026 elections approach, key concerns include road infrastructure, youth employment, and agricultural support. The district’s agrarian nature makes these issues particularly salient. While NRM maintains a strong grip, opposition parties may leverage voter frustration over unfulfilled pledges.

NRM parliamentary candidates await nomination, alongside Opposition contenders. Notably, long-serving Mwenge Central MP Tom Butime will not seek re-election. His departure is expected to reshape the race, with Ms Doreen Nyanjura of the PFF party among those vying for the seat. Kyenjojo continues to grapple with unresolved issues. Residents cite land grabbing, poor infrastructure, and unfulfilled presidential pledges-especially the 2011 commitment to tarmac the 34-kilometer road linking Kyenjojo to Kamwenge via Kahunge Town Council.

Dear Diary,

Yesterday, I had a look-what-the-cat-dragged-in moment. There I was in the café, finishing a client pitch. In walked the ex, complete in his short glory with a swagger of deficits. And in that instant, it hit me: I cried over that! (Yes, before I was a baddie, I was capable of tears over a man). I walked out of that café, perched my endless legs at the bar, ordered a whiskey neat, and let out a ‘Pheeew! I would have shared a last name with that deeply unstable human being.’

Let me say it loud for the girls at the back; that breakup saved you. Listen up, your relationship ending was not a tragedy, it was an intervention. God looked at you trying to build a future with someone who eats day-old leftovers over the sink at 3am and said, ‘Absolutely not on my watch.’ That was not your soulmate. That was a walking red flag convention. He probably would have eaten your soul for breakfast while you made excuses for his shortcomings.

And let us address it. Short men. When God made them, He said, ‘I have run out of skeleton material, but let me pack all this drama into a tiny frame.’ And what did we get? A nuclear bomb with feelings. Small issue and they explode. But that’s a topic for another day. Back to breakups. You were not in love, you were in denial with a good playlist. You were out here giving unlimited chances to someone who treated loyalty like a part-time hobby. That breakup bailed you out of a lifetime subscription to disappointment.

Heartbreak feels like death at first but then you remember the breakup lines. Let us translate them real quick:

‘I think we should take a break’: ‘There is someone else, and it ain’t you. But keep the line open.’

‘Can we still be friends?’: ‘I want to keep you on standby in case I regret this.’

‘It is not what it used to be’: ‘Every day, I find you less attractive.’

‘There is a lot going on in my life right now’: ‘There are a lot of other people I am really interested in right now.’

‘It is not you, it is me’: ‘I am a liar, but I do not want to say it outright.’

‘You are the right person, it is just the wrong time’: ‘Wrong person. Wrong time.’

‘You deserve better’: ‘I’m a piece of sh*t and I plan to stay that way.’

If you’ve been fed these lines, or worse, gaslighted, realise this; that was not a heartbreak, it was a search-and-rescue mission coordinated by Mother Nature herself.

Here is the thing they do not tell you; women glow after breakups because nothing holds a woman back like the wrong man. Want to know why many 40-something women are not in a rush to date? They are still recovering from Steve who gave good head and nothing else. You gave grace because you are not perfect. You stayed because you are loyal. He stayed because you were convenient. Sis, he was not the man you prayed for, he was the man you settled for. And babe? He belongs to the streets, the avenues, and every highway in between.

Your sense of self did not die in that relationship, it waited for you to remember who you were before ‘sorry’ became a love language. Look at you now. Thriving. Healed. Drinking whiskey as the expensive problem you have become. Girlie, wear your freedom like a designer coat and your standards like stilettos, high and non-negotiable. Because being a baddie means realising what felt like the end of your world was trash taking itself out.

The contest between JKL Lady Dolphins and UCU Lady Canons in the National Basketball League semifinals has several subplots.UCU is the most decorated women’s team with eight titles while JKL are the form team having won four of the last five championships on offer.The Lady Dolphins side also features several players who were part of the success at UCU, including Ritah Imanishimwe, Zainah Lokwameri and Agatha Kamwada.But none of those sub plots comes close to that of JKL head coach Henry Malinga going up against his daughter Zoe Atek.The Ugandan legend lost the first battle Wednesday night when the Lady Canons defeated JKL 57-46 at YMCA to take an early lead in the five-game series.His daughter played 27 minutes for a predominantly young UCU side and recorded eight points and three rebounds on the night.Atek and the Lady Canons were led by Shillah Lamunu, who recorded a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds in the victory.Team captain Hajara Najjuko scored 10 points and was the only other Lady Canon to reach double figures in the low-scoring encounter.Like father like daughterMalinga is not sure whether he inspired his daughter into the game but now finds himself in a situation where he wants her to excel for her team without necessarily eliminating his own.’I am glad she plays the game I love and always look forward to games like these,’ Malinga, the former Falcons and Warriors center, told Daily Monitor.Atek was part of the Junior Gazelles side that scaled heights in 2024 and has since moved from St. Noah Girls to UCU, where she is now of a new-look side that lost up to three starters from last season.Shakirah Nanvubya, Tracy Namugosa and Aziidah Nabayunga are some of the big names that left Mukono at the end of last season.’Her game has kept getting better, from high school to university,’ Malinga highlighted.’I believe she is still going through the process and only time will tell.’

Wednesday’s game was the third time Atek went up against JKL with UCU, she scored six points and picked seven rebounds in the 82-64 first round loss before contributing six points and five rebounds as the Lady Canons won 71-67 in the second round.Business timeThere is hardly any family time when the action tips off, with the 20-year old taking instructions from Nicholas Natuhereza and Malinga also focused on getting the best out of his side.The Lady Dolphins have all the talent required to win but must find a way of stopping the Lady Canons’ transition offense to level the series let alone progress to the finals.’It was a tough loss but we have to regroup and play better,’ Malinga noted.JKL struggled to get going on offence and only had Hope Akello, with 11 points and nine rebounds, scoring in double figures.Going 2-0 down in a best-of-five series would not be an ideal situation for the defending champions and that will set the tone for tonight’s Game Two.JT Lady Jaguars defeated Magic Stormers 63-37 in the first game and will be looking to stretch the series on Friday.National Basketball League PlayoffsSemifinalsGame One ResultsStormers 37-63 JT JKL 46-57 UCUPlaying Friday, YMCAJT vs. Stormers, 7pmUCU vs. JKL, 9pm

With the retirement of Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo approaching, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has advertised his position, which falls vacant on January 18, 2026. The 1995 Constitution provides that Justices of the Supreme Court and those of the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court retire at 70 years, High Court judges at 65, and Registrars at 60. Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo turns 70 on January 18, 2026.

The advert by the JSC, the body mandated to recruit and discipline judicial officers, sets October 20 as the deadline for applications. It was signed by Dr Rose Nasaali, the Commission secretary.

Applicants for the top judicial position, the fourth highest in the country, are required to have at least 20 years of experience, be a justice of the Supreme Court or a court of similar jurisdiction, and have practiced as an advocate for not less than 20 years before a competent court in civil and criminal matters.

The Chief Justice heads the Judiciary, oversees the administration of the Supreme Court and all courts in the country, presides over Supreme Court sittings, and issues orders for the efficient administration of justice. As of June 1, the Supreme Court had 11 justices, the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court 21, and the High Court 89 judges.

Candidates who previously contested alongside Justice Owiny-Dollo include former Deputy Chief Justice Richard Buteera, who retired after turning 70, and Justice Esther Kisaakye, who fled the country citing security concerns following friction with the Chief Justice over the Robert Kyagulanyi presidential election petition of 2021. Former Principal Judge Yorokamu Bamwine also retired upon turning 65.

Flavian Zeija

The current Deputy Chief Justice, Dr Zeija was elevated from Principal Judge in February. His rapid rise from High Court judge in 2016 to Principal Judge in 2019, and now Deputy Chief Justice, positions him as a likely candidate for the top post.

Mike Chibita

Justice Chibita, 62, is a Supreme Court judge. He graduated from Makerere University with a Bachelor of Laws in 1989 and completed the Bar Course in 1990. He holds a Master of Laws from the University of Iowa, USA.

Appointed to the High Court in 2010, Justice Chibita became Director of Public Prosecutions in 2015 until his Supreme Court appointment in 2019. In 2012, he conducted the re-trial of Masaka businessman Godfrey Kato Kajubi, accused of ritual murder of a 12-year-old, resulting in a life sentence.

Kiryowa Kiwanuka

Mr Kiryowa Kiwanuka, 53, is the current Attorney General and chief government legal adviser, a position he has held for five years. He is a founding partner of K and K Advocates with over 20 years of experience. Before his appointment, he led the firm in high-value commercial litigation.

His practice includes commercial and civil litigation, banking and finance, insolvency, arbitration, and energy law. He has served on boards including the Petroleum Authority of Uganda and the Makerere University Council.

Catherine Bamugemereire

Justice Bamugemereire began her career as a State Attorney in 1993, moved to the Judiciary as a Grade One Magistrate, then Chief Magistrate, and became a High Court judge in 2010. She served in the Anti-Corruption Court and Family Division before moving to the Court of Appeal/Constitutional Court, and was elevated to the Supreme Court last year.

She has chaired two commissions of inquiry into land matters and KCCA, which led to the controversial 2013 impeachment of Kampala’s Lord Mayor. Justice Bamugemereire holds a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University and a Master in Comparative Law from Southern Methodist University, USA. She has also worked at Shell Mexico LPG and taught at the University of Surrey in the UK.

Christopher Izama Madrama

Justice Madrama, a Supreme Court judge appointed in October 2022, is considered a strong candidate due to his reputation for well-reasoned judgments rarely overturned. He has progressed steadily through judicial ranks.

The recruitment of the next Chief Justice will be the first test for the new Judicial Service Commission, now led by Justice Douglas Siginza, who replaced Justice Benjamin Kabiito after his two terms ended earlier this year. The President, who makes the final appointment, will choose from the list of candidates submitted by the JSC.

They say life is short but in Kampala, traffic makes it feel much, much longer. A recent report revealed that we lose an average of 52 days every year stuck in traffic jam in Kampala. That is an equivalent of nearly two months of productivity wasted. And that’s before you add the frustration, anxiety, and emotional burnout that have become part of daily life on our roads.

The causes of this agony are no mystery i.e. a poor and overstretched road network, the slow pace of infrastructure development, outdated traffic management systems that still rely on traffic wardens rather than technology, and perhaps most visibly, indiscipline among road users. Anyone who has braved Kampala’s roads knows the chaos all too well. One morning at Wampewo Roundabout, I found myself in the middle of a police operation. Officers were stopping cars to check for unpaid EPS tickets, and permits, right at the roundabout. How can traffic flow when enforcement blocks the very arteries meant to keep the city moving! Sometimes, our methods seem to fuel the very indiscipline they are meant to stop.

Then there are boda bodas! It’s almost impossible to tell whether traffic laws apply to them or if they are the law. Their disregard for lanes, and signals has become so normal that even the police appear to have given up. Reports indicate that 70 percent of road crashes recorded annually in Uganda, involve boda bodas. Behind every statistic is a family grieving or drained by hospital bills.

Kampala traffic can be both stressful and strangely entertaining. Near misses, shouting matches, and daring manoeuvres play out daily like a live action drama. Taxi drivers with bull bars squeezing into impossible spaces, mocking private car drivers with their trademark, ‘which driving school did you go to?’ VIP convoys add another twist with sirens blaring, escorts jumping out to push traffic aside, sometimes even overruling traffic officers. For ordinary motorists, always remember to manage your fuel, lock the doors and ensure wind screens are high enough to protect your valuables. That is life on Kampala’s roads!

To be fair, government has made progress. With support from partners like the World Bank and JICA, Kampala is getting new signalised junctions, improved roads, and even a central traffic control centre. Projects like the Kampala Flyover and the expansion of the Northern Bypass are promising. The pressure intensifies during major events. The plot gets thicker as we step into the election period, with political party primaries and campaigns kicking off that draw huge numbers of delegates in different places within the city. For Kampala businesses, that means revenue. For road users, it means gridlock. The costs are borne by ordinary citizens rushing for medical emergencies, deadlines and schedules missed.

The losses go beyond frustration. Billions of shillings annually in wasted fuel, lost man hours, higher vehicle maintenance costs, and disrupted supply chains. According to the World Bank, congestion in African cities can shave up to 5 percent off GDP every year. That’s a cost Uganda cannot afford! The solutions are clear, and they call for better planning of road closures and diversions, switch from manual to smart traffic management systems and a return to discipline in every road use. Because until then, sitting in Kampala traffic will remain what it has always been. A daily tug of war between survival and sanity!