By Rukiya Makuma The July 19-21 African Union summit in Kampala was hijacked by the July 11 terror attacks by the Al-Shabaab jihadists.  The summit which had been themed on Maternal, infant and child development in Africa was diverted to first discuss the Al-Shabaab latest terror missions. The theme intended …

By Rosebell Kagumire Its at dusk, a young woman is returning home outside the countryside town of Soroti. Crackling of military uniform and sound of army boots and gun butts by approaching patrol soldiers are heard. Wewe nani?(Who are you?) a thundering order comes through the darkness. There is a …

By Frederick Golooba-Mutebi Since he wrote his ‘Is Rwanda an African Success Story’ (The Independent, July 09-15), Timothy Kalyegira, easily the most committed of media skeptics about Rwanda and its President, Paul Kagame, has been the subject of much-animated discussion in Kigali. On a recent visit there, almost everyone I …

By Patrick Kagenda The first thing I encounter when I enter Kalita Bus Services Park, located next to Nakivibo stadium, is a security check. The officer runs a metal detector across each passenger’s body and luggage, searching for explosive materials. Less than a week after the Kyadondo and Ethiopian Village …

By Patrick Kagenda Region was leading Arabica producer in Uganda before landslide On March 2 several villages in Bududa district, which sits on the edge of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda Bugisu region were buried under a landslide that killed approximately 350 people and destroyed, infrastructure, buildings, businesses, crops and …

By Brian Bwesigye On July 11th will go down in the history books as the day Uganda was thrown into a somber mood of shock, bitterness and panic. The twin bomb attacks in Kampala did not only turn an otherwise merry night into a tragic night of death and suffering …

By Rowan Emslie On the night of the attack, it seemed, everyone was in shock. Talking to a young couple who had been watching the World Cup Final at The Lions Den  a bar immediately opposite Ethiopian Village Restaurant, the site of the first blast  their faces told the story …

By Edward Tujunirwe Last month, The New Vision carried a headline that went along the lines of ‘You Could Die During the World Cup’. This was a word of caution to football enthusiasts not to get overexcited and indulge themselves in unsafe sexual and other risky activities during the tournament. …

By Rosebell Kagumire & Maya Prabhu Rwandan refugees forced back across the border The sprawling Nakivale Refugee Settlement in south-western Uganda is home to over 50,000 asylum-seekers and refugees. At one time it represented a testament to Uganda’s reputation as one of the most refugee-friendly countries in Africa. But recent …

By John Njoroge When children play with healthcare waste, tainted blood, needles The air is pungent with urine, fecal matter and cow dung. The narrow walkways are littered with garbage and stagnant water with barefoot children running around innocently. Others rummage through the garbage piles for items to sell. One …