NEWS ANALYSIS

By The Independent Reporter The proposal to introduce the single tourist visa in the partner states of the East African Community (EAC) has been held back by poor Information Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure. Shem Bagaine, the Chairperson of the EAC Council of Ministers, recently informed the East African Legislative Assembly …

By Haggai Matsiko Sudan frustrates UPDF, America hunt for Kony As reports persist that Sudan is harboring Lord’s Resistance Army warlord Joseph Kony, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Henry Oryem, has told The Independent that the UPDF is maintaining a strong force at the border with DRC to …

By Julius Odeke Maj. Herbert Kikomeko Itongwa, the former commander of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has died aged 51. He died on April 19 in Germany.  Itongwa, whose army number was R100, led a rebel movement that operated in Central Uganda comprising army deserters mostly from Buganda region fighting …

By Joan Akello `We will punish you’ Energy officials accused of eating bribes In the March issue of the international business magazine, Forbes, the billionaire Sudhir Ruparelia is asked in an interview what he thinks is the biggest weakness of the Uganda economy. Sudhir answers:  “The left doesn’t know what …

By Sarah Namulondo What has it got to do with how high up the thigh a mini-skirt is? When Macedonian pedophile Emin Baro was arrested for luring underage Ugandan girls to perform sex acts on him on camera last year, there was no clear law under which to charge him …

By Ronald Musoke 1900 -2013 Attempts to reform Uganda’s marriage laws have been contentious and on and off for more than half a century. On April 4, when the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga halted debate and temporarily shelved the current Marriage and Divorce Bill for at least three months …

By Haggai Matsiko What difference will arrival of big American companies make? From Energy, oil and gas engineering, to advisory and legal services, American companies are increasingly scrambling and bagging Ugandan business contracts. In the last two years, over 10 top American companies have sealed big business deals and U.S. …

By Haggai Matsiko Total E&P’s Shs 3.9 bn industry survey revives debate on local content in the oil sector With local businesses crying foul over big oil contracts and jobs going to international companies and expatriates, oil companies are drawing strategies to improve their local content input. French oil giant …

By Haggai Matsiko Museveni doubles military expenditure, cuts education budget The budget increase in Uganda’s military expenditure even amidst global and regional defence cuts might be the latest indication of President Museveni’s strategy to fasten his grip on power and his influence on the region. As recent events have showed, …

By Bob Kasango While most of the public have been mostly interested in the sensational non-legal elements of the story, the deepening rift between the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the Police should be a matter of grave public concern. Whichever way it is resolved, it has far-reaching legal …