By Haggai Matsiko The ‘teargas king’ plans 2016 comeback Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kale Kayihura’s recent announcement that he is recruiting 3500 more men and women to the force is being praised as equally as it is being criticised. Critics say the recruitment is another bad sign ahead of …
Read More »South Sudan’s bad combination
By The Independent Team and Agencies Oil money and bad politics As we went to press, media reports were indicating that forces loyal to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir backed by Ugandan forces had retaken Malakal, the main town in the country’s oil capital , Upper Nile state. Former vice …
Read More »Is Shs9bn road repair a waste?
By Ronald Musoke Jinja Road jam defies city planners’ latest attempt to tackle it Once again, the 1.4km stretch of road into Kampala City from the eastern side; starting at the Immigration Offices to the Lugogo Stadium area, is enveloped in billows of dust. The road is being remodeled for …
Read More »Will America fund South Sudan war?
By Haggai Matsiko IGAD tight-fisted as parliament sends Museveni to war without a budget One day before parliament on Jan.14 debated the deployment of Uganda army troops to South Sudan, the U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice issued a statement that could have serious implications for President Yoweri Museveni’s Juba …
Read More »South Sudan’s terrible ‘town’ within city
By Peter Martell A UN base beside the capital’s airport has around 17,000 people gathered for protection South Sudan’s capital has three towns: the first is the dusty streets of Juba, largely calm but where the crackle of gun fire still rings out at night after three weeks of violence. …
Read More »Can Museveni be defeated in 2016?
By Joseph Were 2014 could be the best year for him, worst for the opposition Politically speaking, 2014 has started on a very quiet note; and that is very bad for opponents of President Yoweri Museveni in a year that must set the pace for the outcome of the next …
Read More »Who killed Karegeya?
By Haggai Matsiko & Andrew Mwenda Karegeya, Nyamwasa split In mid 2013, the Rwanda National Congress (RNC) had scheduled an election for its leaders in South Africa for Aug 8. However, in the weeks preceding the election, the party experienced infighting and consequently the election was postponed. Two camps had …
Read More »South Sudan’s cowboy
By Independent Team President Kiir clings on to power in wild-west style Salva Kiir Mayardit was a teenager when he first joined the fight for the liberation of his homeland in the 1960s. By 1972 he was a low ranking officer when he joined the Sudanese army under a deal …
Read More »Museveni misfiring on Sudan?
By Independent Team President’s military intervention could spark regional conflict Seven days after fighting erupted in the South Sudan capital Juba, Ugandan army troops landed at the airport and evacuated stranded civilians. The UPDF swift move which also involved securing major infrastructure installations in South Sudan was praised by the …
Read More »Mbabazi versus Museveni
By Independent Team Why can’t the President sack the PM? A few days after The Independent published the article, “Battle for 2016: An inside account of the war between Museveni and Mbabazi” (The Independent Dec. 6), we caught up with Vice President Edward Ssekandi at the Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort after …
Read More »