By Mubatsi Asinja Habati Tax body ranked most corrupt in East Africa In 2003 President Museveni described the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) as “a den of thieves” because the levels of corruption were alarmingly high. Soon after, the tax body restructured and appeared to have put corruption and incompetence …

By Mubatsi Asinja Habati Nasser Husain imports used Japanese cars from Japan for his small depot in Bugolobi opposite the defunct Tri Star fabrics factory. Husain says used cars would be affordable if it were not for the high taxes. He says a car that would cost Shs 8 million …

By Onghwens Kisangala Government recently created 14 new districts, bringing the total number to 94. But is it sustainable  financially and politically  to continue with this policy of districtisation? The Independents Onghwens Kisangala spoke to State Minister for Local Government Pereza Ahabwe and below, excerpts:- Why is government continuously splitting …

INEA It sits astride the Kumi-Soroti highway. Prominent behind the low roofed shops is an oval-shaped structure towering above the bushy compound. This infamous protrusion is a monument at Okunguro Railway Station. It is a reminder of the rebellion where 55 victims of the bloody insurgency were finally laid to …

By Patrick Kagenda The Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) is quickly learning that ‘customer is king’ is not an overrated clich. Uganda is Kenya’s top most trading partner in the region with 12.3% of all Kenyan manufactured goods heading to its westerly neighbor in 2008. According to the 2008 statistics from …

By Onghwens Kisangala It may be 8:00am or 6:00pm, at either hour traffic flow in Kampala city will be at the peak. The movement of vehicles, motor-bikes, commonly known as bods bodas can be a nightmare as many passengers jump off to move faster on foot. Is it dropping a …

By Molly Lister Can it make bus system work? As the central government looks set to take over management of Kampala city, one area it needs to look at closely is the city roads and transport sector.  It needs a deeper look at the problems and the various plans and …

By Bob Roberts Katende It is 10.45 am on July 15 and the place is Room 408 of Parliament Building. The house is buzzing with activity as journalists swarm around with their notebooks and cameras loosely craning their necks. Five men from the Uganda Land Commission (ULC) emerge from the …

By Joe Powell The term of Prof. Livingstone Luboobi, Makerere Universitys Vice-Chancellor, has come to an end. The Independents Joe Powell spoke to the leading reformist candidate to take over the top job, the Dean of the Faculty of Computing and Information Technology (CIT), Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba. Excerpts below. How …

By John Njoroge & Molly Lister Health State minister Kakooza’s fact-finding mission reveals why drugs seem to be missing in hospitals Sitting in a health centre in western Uganda in a T-shirt, jeans and open-toed shoes, State Minister of Health James Kakooza witnessed a nurse send a patient to a …