COMMENT: By Joseph Were Why people who practice traditional ancestral worship openly should be praised not condemned People who have worked closely with Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga say she is a very tactful person. But she is also very stubborn. So when journalists asked her why she went up …
Read More »Police and the case of FDC
History shows that muting people’s voices, through suppressive actions, can boomerang COMMENT: By Bonnie Agea The simmering unrest between the Uganda police and the opposition Forum for democratic change over the recent presidential elections results points to a much bigger problem in our egalitarian society. In a democratic society, public …
Read More »KANYEIHAMBA: When the people are betrayed by their leaders
COMMENT: By Prof. George W. Kanyeihamba The greatest disservice that the NRM government has done to Uganda is its tolerance of corruption in public affairs and its failure to curb incidents of abuse of office and embezzlement of public funds. Indeed, in some instances, it would seem that to do …
Read More »What makes Rwanda different?
The drivers of cleanliness, order, and the brand of dignity Rwandans are building In mid-May we were in Kigali, Rwanda, attending the World Economic Forum meetings. Across most of Kigali, there was something that has become a signature of everything in this country – order. The streets were clean to …
Read More »Unpacking Uganda’s informal sector
COMMENT: By Andrew Rugasira Economists used to consider the informal sector a “shadow economy”, a relic from the underdeveloped past that would be replaced by formal activities and better paid jobs. Not anymore. The informal sector has in many ways superseded the formal sector and is now the face …
Read More »Tragedy of an ‘absentee’ State
Great countries don’t have a great government; they have great State machinery Where is the State”? This is a common question in Uganda; and it’s a legitimate one. Is the State ensuring the common good for all? When a law-abiding citizen desperately wants medical treatment, is the State there to …
Read More »Fight over misguided objectives
Why the competition for power is always a quarrel over delusions rather than a contest over public policy I argued in this column last week that governments in poor countries cannot govern by delivering a large basket of public goods and services associated with a modern state because they don’t …
Read More »Job creation: How Chamber of Commerce can help
COMMENT: By Andrew Rugasira The Chamber can begin my providing reliable empirical data that can better inform government policy and execution U.S. President Harry Truman famously asked to be sent a “one-armed economist” when exasperated by economists constantly proclaiming “on the one hand” and “on the other hand”. Fortunately, such …
Read More »Why Kenya’s Move To Burn Ivory Stockpiles will Backfire
OPINION: Last week on Saturday, the President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta participated in setting to fire 11 pyres and finished ivory goods representing more than 6,000 dead elephants. But will this action really save the elephants which are facing extinction? Many think it’s a gamble and evidence is there to …
Read More »Let’s Run Uganda Like a Business, Shall We?
President Yoweri Museveni is believed to have spent more than $7 million on his 2016 presidential election campaign. Amama Mbabazi and Besigye spent $951,000 and $279,000 respectively. These individual expenditures came complementary to the Electoral Commission’s own budget which continues to bloat every five years. One thing is certain, if …
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