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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 …

  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 The informal sector has in many ways superseded the formal sector and is now the face …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

OPINION Why we should downplay anecdotal evidence by looking at scientific data that gives a broader picture So last week the cancer machine at Mulago Hospital collapsed, causing uproar in mainstream and social media. Every newspaper columnist or television/radio pundit of any heft weighed in. Daily Monitor devoted its whole …

By Prof. Venansius Baryamureeba (Former Vice Chancellor, Makerere University) “No horse gets anywhere until he is harnessed. No steam or gas drives anything until it is confined. No Niagara is ever turned into light and power until it is tunneled. No life ever grows great until it is focused, dedicated, …

Away from whether Prof. Mamdani is right or wrong. I think today he gave some interesting life philosophy during his NBS TV interview. It’s a worthy red-pill advice, great nuggets of wisdom. I took time to transcribe the advice: Simon Njala: Are you fed up? Do you regret this? (Coming …