NEWS ANALYSIS

Defects have been flagged at the 183MW Isimba Hydropower Plant, but contractor is reluctant to fix them COVER STORY | RONALD MUSOKE | For many hydroelectricity producers around the world, rainfall is a welcome blessing that ensures a steady power supply. But for Harrison Mutikanga, the CEO of the Uganda Electricity …

How Beijing is using pop culture to win the soft power war ANALYSIS | SHAOYU YUAN | IShowSpeed, a 20-year-old American YouTuber and internet star, recently livestreamed hourslong tours of Chinese cities including Beijing and Shanghai, showcasing the locations to some of his nearly 40 million viewers. During the March events, …

The ninth TICAD set for August to unlock opportunities in trade, technology and agriculture ANALYSIS | IAN KATUSIIME | With US tariffs rocking the global economy, countries are scrambling to deal with the resultant trade tensions and realign their economies. Japan, the world’s fourth largest economy with a GDP of $4.3 …

Inspired by the Daily Monitor headline: “Traditions, Rituals in Pope’s Funeral” COMMENT | Gertrude Kamya Othieno | As the world watched the solemn burial of Pope Francis, rich in symbolism, tradition, and spiritual reverence, it becomes impossible to ignore the striking parallels with other global rites of passage, particularly those found in …

‘Coltan moves from DR Congo to EU via Rwanda’ ANALYSIS | RONALD MUSOKE | All actors in the supply chain of illicit mineral exports, from operators of the mines to end product users, need to be held accountable for sustaining the bloodbath in the conflict-riven eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). That …

Can the IGG unearth culprit for the mess at Isimba dam? NEWS ANALYSIS | THE INDEPENDENT | Inspector General of Government (IGG), Beti Kamya commenced a probe into shoddy work at the 183MW-Isimba hydro power dam. The IGG’s intervention comes after several years of demands for accountability by a section …

SPECIAL REPORT | INDEPENDENT WRITERS | Since 2020, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu and his group have been complaining that NUP supporters are being targeted unfairly by the State. He has cited a number of incidents of what he calls “abductions”. In some cases, he alludes to extra judicial killings although he …

A hit reality TV show that began as a cheeky local adaptation of the U.S dating show The Bachelor has morphed into a national obsession in Ethiopia, blending dating drama with unflinching explorations of female agency, generational divides, and a nation’s quiet gender revolt. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | …

Eneles Zhou’s five children have sickle cell disease. Her daily routine is a fight against pain, infection and a broken health care system Zvishavane, Zimbabwe | Global Press Journal Zimbabwe |  Morning light slants through the window as Eneles Zhou inspects two of her children. They’re wrapped in blankets. Despite March’s typically warm …

Botswana is using strategic reforms to turn its creative sector into an engine for economic growth. The approach draws lessons from South Africa’s success in attracting global filmmakers. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Botswana is borrowing a page from South Africa’s cinematic playbook and strategically deploying film-friendly policies to …