COMMENT | PATRICK OYULU | Say what you will about Field Marshal Alhaji Doctor Idi Amin Dada (and most history books have), but in 1975, the man did something that shocked both the diplomatic corps and the cassocked corridors of the Vatican: he sent a woman. Yes, a woman — …
Read More »Uganda’s economic stakes in Kenya’s growing ties with China
Beyond physical infrastructure, Ruto’s engagement with China may also touch on trade facilitation and regional value chains. Uganda and Kenya share an interest in expanding their agricultural exports, a sector in which China has increasingly shown interest as it seeks food security partnerships abroad. COMMENT | Stephen Ndegwa | Kenya …
Read More »Reimagining Tororo: A bold call for new districts as engines of economic development
COMMENT | Okumu Kadoketch | In the heart of Eastern Uganda lies Tororo District; a region historically rich, culturally diverse, and strategically positioned. Tororo is not just a border district; it is a gateway of opportunity. Yet, despite its potential, it remains administratively stretched and developmentally uneven. As Uganda continues …
Read More »Uganda grapples with malaria burden amidst promising innovations
COMMENT | INNOCENT LAWRENCE OKIMA | The latest World Malaria Report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) paints a vivid picture of the global battle against malaria, with Uganda standing out as one of the high-burden countries. Despite decades of interventions, malaria stubbornly remains the leading cause of illness …
Read More »Dark days ahead for Uganda
The risks to reliable electricity distribution that Uganda faces as we transition from Umeme to UEDCL THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | The refusal of government to renew the Umeme concession continues to intrigue me. It is a policy decision of monumental stupidity. First, the government has had to borrow $118m …
Read More »EASTER COMMENT: You can’t take away another person’s dignity without weakening yours
True national progress is not measured by the height of our buildings or the number of roads we pave. It is measured by how the weakest citizen is treated by the strongest institution. COMMENT | APOLLO BUREGYEYA | On Sunday, Christians across the world celebrated the resurrection of Jesus — a …
Read More »From Uber Ride to National Reflection: Rethinking governance in Uganda
KAMPALA, UGANDA | Gertrude Kamya Othieno | Not long ago, I hailed an Uber in Kampala, expecting nothing more than polite small talk. But what the young driver told me lingered far beyond that ride: “Uganda is not my home; it’s my business place. I wake up, go out to …
Read More »UNOC starts new era of fuel price stability in Uganda
COMMENT | Samson Tinka | Following the enactment of the Petroleum Supply (Amendment) Act, 2023, Uganda National Oil Company Limited (UNOC) has since December 1, 2023 held the exclusive role of importing petroleum products, which would subsequently be distributed to oil marketing companies (OMCs). There were initially questions …
Read More »The politicisation of development
COMMENT | Gertrude Kamya Othieno | Politics and development are deeply intertwined in practice, yet they are conceptually distinct and studied separately in most institutions of higher learning. Political science typically examines questions of power, governance, authority, and statecraft, while development studies explore economic growth, poverty reduction, social transformation, and human …
Read More »Lent Reflection: Were there other sons of God? Rethinking miracles, meaning, and memory
COMMENT | Gertrude Kamya Othieno | Lent invites us into a journey of remembrance and revelation—a time to reflect deeply on Christ’s ministry and the divine power he embodied. Jesus healed the blind, raised the dead, calmed the storm, and fed the multitudes. These acts affirmed his divinity and his profound …
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The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price