COLUMNISTS

By Andrew M. Mwenda How Uganda’s elite pundits are misunderstanding the election dynamics and why Mbabazi should worry There is a widespread perception among a large section of the Ugandan elite class that former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi has overtaken Kizza Besigye as the main opposition candidate for next year’s …

By Andrew M. Mwenda Besigye’s messiah complex and the triumph of power over values in The “Democratic” Alliance For most of the last week of September, leading opposition figure, Dr. Kizza Besigye, was a subject of vitriolic attacks by many of his former admirers. All because he refused to endorse …

By Freddie Kwiringira Quarter a century later, the euphoria is lost, but the legacies of those who made a mark should be preserved Twenty five years ago, the indomitable, great Rwandan commander Maj. Gen. Gisa Rwigema led his kinsmen across the border of Kagitumba to his mother land after 30 …

By Stéphane Gompertz France is set to host the most inclusive climate conferences ever organised We’re all under threat. Today we know that, because of our activities, the climate is out of kilter. The planet is warming, species are disappearing, sea levels are rising, and men and women are being …

By. Andrew M. Mwenda Stealing public funds. About 80,000 children die of preventable diseases each year in Uganda because public officials have stolen money for immunization Kampala. Two weeks ago, I said on the NTV News Night show that the existence of corruption in a country does not automatically impede …

By Phillip Karugaba Micro loans provide the first step to emergence of vibrant SMEs The impact of microcredit in reducing poverty has been debated for over 40 years with the article, ‘Microfinance: Good for the poor?’ that appeared in the Independent (Aug 28 – Sept 03 2015) being another voice. …

By Isaac K. Ssemakadde Human rights of political activists need more protection during this election season As we approach the 2016 general elections, a disturbing, constant pattern has emerged in Uganda according to recent reports of the press and human rights defenders. The NRM government led by President Yoweri Museveni is …

By. Andrew M. Mwenda Why the opposition is courting danger in seeking to field one candidate and the risks of a three horse race Last week, the opposition was involved in skirmishes regarding the selection of a joint presidential candidate under The Democratic Alliance (TDA). The alliance seemed biased on …

By Andrew M. Mwenda How Nyakairima took UPDF out of headlines and has left a professional respected military Sometime in 2003, President Yoweri Museveni chaired a meeting of the army high command to discuss highly sensitive matters. The proceedings leaked to me. I was happy to publish a story about …

By Martin M. Lwanga The collapse of realpolitik and pursuit of interventionism created a vacuum filled by terrorists and anarchists What we are witnessing today in Syria, Libya, Yemen and Eritrea with masses of hapless human beings abandoning their nations in search of safe pastures in the West is a …