THE LAST WORD: By Andrew M. Mwenda The likely dangers of the Western African states’ attempts to impose a solution on The Gambia The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has resolved to send a military force (ECOMOG) into The Gambia apparently to achieve three interrelated objectives: first to …
Read More »Uganda’s war on corruption
THE LAST WORD: By Andrew M. Mwenda Why do many people believe corruption is out of control despite many prosecutions? In October, the Anticorruption Court convicted the main culprits in the theft of pension money. The three men were top officials of the ministry of public service; including the permanent …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: From Obote’s 1966 to Museveni’s 2016
THE LAST WORD: By Andrew M. Mwenda How 50 years have not changed the nature of the confrontation between the central government, traditional authorities Exactly 50 years since Prime Minister Milton Obote attacked the palace of Sir Edward Mutesa, the King of Buganda, President Yoweri Museveni has attacked the palace …
Read More »THE LAST WORD: Healthcare in poor countries
THE LAST WORD: By Andrew M. Mwenda Why nations that are different exhibit similar health service dysfunctions I have been rereading Melle Leenstra’s 2012 book, `Beyond the Façade; the instrumentalisation of the Zambian health sector’. It offers an interesting insight into the challenges that central African nation faces in its …
Read More »Museveni’s work in Luwero
THE LAST WORD: By Andrew M. Mwenda Why efforts to make peasant farmers go commercial are unlikely to yield success President Yoweri Museveni spent a week in Luwero District on Operation Wealth Creation. The president was teaching farmers to adopt modern farming techniques in order to increase their output and …
Read More »OPINION: Kadaga’s bizarre move against the media
OPINION: By Cissy Kagaba In a bizarre move, as reported in the media, Parliament is proposing to gag media. Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga’s move seems to be part of a well-scripted plan to determine what is published by the media. Her demand to investigate journalists for what she perceives as …
Read More »Reality behind `greed’ of MPs
OPINION: By Andrew Mwenda Why criticising MPs for demanding more benefits is misguided and what can be done about it Our MPs want Shs200 million each to buy cars. They want their wages and allowances increased. They also want Shs68 million spent on their funeral when they die. The public is …
Read More »OPINION: Uganda cannot promote `Rolex’
OPINION: By Fred Muwema The current local and International buzz about Uganda’s Rolex (a rolled chapati with eggs and vegetables) appears to be restoring a little pride to some Ugandans. In June 2016, CNN named Uganda’s Rolex as the fastest growing fast food in Africa. Since then, the Rolex festival …
Read More »Weapons of the poor
THE LAST WORD: By Andrew M.Mwenda How do you govern a country that has average public spending per capita of $450 annually in Purchasing Power Parity (PPP)? Is it possible to govern it using the same strategies as a country whose public spending is $22,000 per person annually? Yet all …
Read More »Uganda’s much-discussed bailout
On March 31 2016, the total value of all loans in Uganda’s commercial banking industry was Shs21.7 trillion of which Shs528 billion were non-performing loans (or “bad loans”) i.e. 2.64% of the total. Under the effective oversight of Bank of Uganda, especially its director for supervision; Justine Bagyenda (known in …
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