NEWS ANALYSIS

By Eriasa Mukiibi Sserunjogi UPC boss’s strictness on money issues, leaves him isolated as Pulkol, Rurangaranga, Odit  launch a battle for control Few Ugandans have CVs as illustrious as UPC President Olara Otunnu’s. He was granted the special O1 immigration status by the United States, which is reserved for “few …

By Agather Atuhaire Why the economy is the main loser The government announcement of a new electricity tariff regime on Jan.12 could still backfire but, on paper, it looks like a perfect stroke. Part of the problem is that the tariff regime does not address the real problems in Uganda’s …

By Stephen Kafeero Fighting malaria the wrong way kills 20 people every minute in Uganda On December 19, 2011, a speeding lorry at Namanve, near Kampala city, hit a taxi and killed 6 of the 16 people on the taxi. Several others were injured. The story was headline news. There …

By Andrew M. Mwenda But who benefits most from subsidies to UMEME? A cabinet sitting on Wednesday Jan. 11 discussed increasing electricity tariffs by 40 percent. Cabinet should remove these subsidies altogether because they are not economically sustainable and benefit the rich at the expense of poor citizens. Over the …

By Independent Team & Agencies Why Beijing’s defence ministers visited Kampala with US$2.3m cheque Little by little China is forming military links in Africa and in the Indian Ocean in order, experts say, to protect Beijing’s economic interests in the region. With trade exchanges between China and Africa totaling US$ …

By Mubatsi Asinja Habati Poor countries come away empty handed from 17th UN conference on global warming Climate smart agriculture, green economy, green city, renewable energy, green climate fund, moral obligations, voices of farmers, and the need for binding agreement on extension of Kyoto Protocol, last December competed for attention …

By Eriasa Mukiibi Sserunjogi There could be a racket in the Ministry of Health swindling money meant for medical students A number of students who had been sent to study abroad have had their scholarships cancelled and they have been advised to return to Ugandan universities, The Independent has learnt. …

By Agather Atuhaire Museveni’s New Year message shows lack of focus and solutions to urgent problems, experts say On November 30, 2011, the Euro Rate Forecast, a website designed to advise clients about currency valuing noted that the Euro had shot up by 2.25 cents to the dollar and called …

By Mubatsi Asinja Habati Government insists it will not raise salaries as teachers threaten continuation of 2011 strikes Last year saw several strikes by different actors over the high cost of living. Primary and secondary school teachers staged two strikes and Makerere University lecturers also went on strike. They all …

By Haggai Matsiko MPs targeting Museveni could cause major shocks Apart from the Walk-to-Work protests that sparked countrywide unrest—making it Africa’s third biggest story of 2011 according to The Economist magazine—many observers agree that parliament’s fight against graft was Uganda’s biggest story. The 9th parliament’s exposure of alleged corruption by …