COLUMNISTS

By David Alton In 1960, the year in which the Congo became independent, I was a boy attending the local parish primary school. The good Sisters of Mercy who taught me had links with the Congo and the entire class had been enlisted to raise money to support Congolese children, …

By Pascal Gahamanyi There is a lot of debate about Rwanda in Uganda, conducted in Ugandan newspapers and radio stations and the participants are Ugandan citizens. Those involved – whether as critics of the government in Kigali or as sympathisers are largely Ugandans. Rwandans wonder why this is so. Possibly …

By Andrew M. Mwenda   Critics of the government of Uganda accuse it of allocating less money to priority sectors like infrastructure, education and health. Although it is evident that the cost of political patronage and the presidency/first family has grown, it is not true that this has been at …

By Andrew M. Mwenda   On March 16, 1989, over 6,000 workers at South Korea’s ultra modern subway system in the capital, Seoul went on strike turning the city’s morning rush hour into chaos. About 3,000 workers occupied the roundhouse from which the locomotives were dispatched. The strike took place …

By Yusuf Serunkuma What many advocates of democracy forget is that democracy is one of the many forms of leadership. All leaderships or governments aim at serving the good of the people. Democracy would have been unnecessary if it were unable to serve the common interests of people in particular …

By Patrick Matsiko wa Mucoori Sugar is a treacherous product. A child steals sugar and licks it. But it splatters and sticks around his mouth. When the parents accuse him of stealing sugar, he swears her has never stolen sugar yet the sugar crystals are allover his lips and cheeks. …

By Andrew M. Mwenda   When I was growing up, my dad always told me that if I have a dream, I should believe that I will realise it. He believed that success comes from optimism and self-confidence. ‘Believe in yourself and those around you,’ he would say, ‘and always …

By Mubatsi Asinja Habati No bribe? Don’t expect service at URA, police, UMEME, Mulago If you plan to seek the services of the Uganda police, prisons service, Mulago Hospital, any court, or UMEME, be warned ‘” you must be ready to bribe. According to the East African Bribery Index, a …

By Samuel Olara It is generally accepted that election boycotts have no place in a functioning democracy – participation being at the heart of the democratic process. However, boycotts could have a monumental role to play in a non-functioning democracy where fair competition is practically impossible. The problem lies in …

By Andrew M. Mwenda   Uganda has sustained robust economic growth for the last 23 years, a fact that opponents of President Yoweri Musevei ignore actually to their disadvantage. This growth has produced a private sector and a political and bureaucratic class with money and power. In denying it, the …