COLUMNISTS

By Andrew M. Mwenda On October 16, 2009, Oxford’s Prof. Paul Collier gave a talk at Serena Hotel in Kampala on the prospects of an oil windfall in Uganda. Unlike in most of his work, this time Collier did not focus on how the international community (read the West) can …

By The Independent Team Experts with insider knowledge of Umeme Ltd operations say some issues were not brought to the attention of relevant government bodies prior to signing the lease and assignment agreement granting Umeme license. Although the agreement obliges Umeme Ltd to invest US$65 million over a period of …

By Fred Guweddeko It is gloom for Uganda as the country marks its 47th Independence Anniversary. The ‘Independence Balance Sheet’, must show in the Assets Column value for the costs the people of Uganda have incurred since 1962. It must also show in the Liabilities Column, the real owners of …

By John Njoroge Kony war-ravaged region hopes to reap from military training camp that brings the American army and officers from the armies of the five East African Community countries In the last two month, the local radio stations in Kitgum district have been airing announcements to the effect that …

By Andrew M. Mwenda In October 2001, the United States and its NATO allies invaded Afghanistan, overthrew the Taliban, sent Al Qaeda in disarray and established a largely pro-Western government. There was a lot of promise at the time that Afghanistan would become a peaceful, democratic and stable nation within …

  Report shows how govt lost Shs 452 billion in Umeme deal – Who is to blame? By Andrew M. Mwenda | When General Salim Saleh presented the report of his investigations into the high cost of electricity in Uganda to Energy Minister Hillary Onek on October 5, the focus was …

By Mubatsi Asinja Habati Joan Katushabe, a Senior Four student at Ishaka Vocational Secondary School in Bushenyi district, is scared of the AH1N1 virus (swine flu) that attacked Kitabi Seminary which is about 20km from her school. She says the press reports and strict guidelines the school authorities have issued …

By Andrew M. Mwenda On March 16, 1989, the ultra modern subway system of South Korea’s capital Seoul came to a standstill. Six thousand workers went on strike; 3,000 of them defiantly occupied the roundhouse from which the locomotives dispatch. The president, Gen. Roh Tae Woo, ordered a crackdown: 6,000 …

By Andrew M. Mwenda For a long time now, Ugandans and foreigners have praised the government of President Yoweri Museveni for being ‘tolerant’ of press freedom. I have been inconsistent on this issue. Sometimes I believe we enjoy a relatively good level of media freedom and freedom of expression generally …

By Taimour Lay The full release of Uganda’s Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) with Tullow Oil and Heritage Oil & Gas is the fundamental first step towards forging a democratic and socially responsible extraction of oil in the Albertine rift. Instead, Ugandans are being subjected to a disinformation campaign coordinated by …