MPs question Makerere’s Shs 1bn spend on Katanga land dispute Makerere University has spent more than Shs 1 billion pursuing a legal battle over its disputed Katanga land, prompting parliament to advise the institution to consider negotiating compensation or alternative land from the government rather than continuing with costly litigation. observer.ug/education/mps-qu…

Is Uganda ready for the Gen Z labour force? Welcoming young workers requires more than giving them a password and a motivational speech. It requires productive jobs, relevant skills and institutions willing to unlearn and learn. Generation Z, alias Gen Z, broadly refers to people born from the late 1990s to around 2010. Belonging to the same generation does not mean having identical experiences or expectations. A young farmer in Nakaseke and a software developer in Kampala may be similar in age but face very different working realities. Understanding this generation, therefore, requires looking beyond fashionable labels and recognising differences in education, income, location and access to technology. observer.ug/viewpoint/is-uga…

NUP’s Godfrey Ssaazi thrown out of parliament as court orders fresh poll The High court in Mpigi has nullified the election of National Unity Platform’s Godfrey Ssaazi as Gomba East MP. The ruling followed an election petition filed by National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Henry Kirumira Harris Kalule, who challenged Ssaazi’s victory, citing irregularities that he said undermined the credibility of the electoral process. Ssaazi was declared the winner with 10,907 votes against Kalule’s 9,156, giving him a margin of 1,751 votes. Justice Karemani found that the votes from nine polling stations could not be established, leaving the electoral choices of 4,387 registered voters unknown. observer.ug/news/nups-godfre… #UGVotes26

Court orders Bishop Kabushenga to refund Shs 405m in unaccounted donor funds Dr Hamlet Kabushenga Mbabazi of Free Methodist Church founded CHIFCOD in 2016. The case arose from complaints by several funders, including Uganda Development Initiative, Kirima Limited, the Protestant Church of Eppingen in Germany and CHIFCOD Enterprises Limited, over the management of funds intended for the organisation’s educational projects. The funders told the court that John Rutherford, a member of Kirima Limited, visited Nyakabungo and Kirima primary schools in 2019 and found that the main halls at both schools and a laboratory at Great Lakes High School were incomplete despite funds having been released for the projects. They accused Kabushenga of engaging IBB International Limited to prepare progress reports that allegedly indicated that Shs 179.4 million had been spent on the construction of the main hall at Kirima Primary School and Shs 207 million on the hall at Nyakabungo Primary School. The plaintiffs further alleged that the institutions owed taxes to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) despite the release of funds intended to settle the obligations. observer.ug/news/court-order…

Flavian Zeija’s November 21 celebration: A spectre on our national conscience In Rukungiri, three sons of the same soil tell different stories about Uganda. Flavian Zeija sits at the top of the Judiciary. Kizza Besigye has spent nearly two years in detention, and court proceedings have been marked by denied bail applications and deteriorating health. Videos and testimonies of a tortured Sam Mugumya are everywhere, and yet his lawyer’s habeas corpus applications continue to fall on deaf ears. On November 21, Zeija will celebrate his first year as Chief Justice in the very district they all call home. There will be food, singing and thanksgiving. But what does it mean to celebrate the head of the Judiciary while fellow sons of the same soil are caught up in questions about freedom, detention and justice? observer.ug/viewpoint/flavia…

Dear Gen. Saleh, an apology to Dr Besigye and the country will suffice Gen. Saleh, that against all the inconsistencies, the more prudent, more strategic thing to do is a heartfelt public apology. Tell Ugandans that you and co. acted on fake intelligence (and there are men in jail already) and are truly sorry. It could be a recorded message or a live broadcast on UBC. As the co-president, you have been throughout these 40 years, you are able to speak on behalf of your team and the country will believe you. As soon as the broadcast is completed, release all these men immediately. Let them return to their families. Let them receive urgent medical care they so badly need. This would be an absolute moment of truth and reconciliation – perhaps the one you are aspiring for in attempting to offer an olive branch to Dr Besigye, the one he is rejecting. observer.ug/viewpoint/dear-g…

Editorial: Turn Uganda’s €2.2B green deals into real jobs For a local processor or small enterprise, affordable power is the ultimate dividing line between keeping equipment operational, ensuring goods remain refrigerated, and sustaining local jobs. When high tariffs and connection bottlenecks prevent domestic enterprises from competing, foreign-backed green growth risks bypassing the very population it intends to uplift. observer.ug/viewpoint/turn-u…

In @observerug 🔹Inside Besigye's battle to treatment When he was taken to Luzira, they thought he was just pretending, but they realized that, in fact, the situation was serious. 🔹Soaring fuel and prices force Ugandans into daily survival mode 🔹We knew about the rains. Why are we still drowning? 🔹Studying in Russia: How Ugandan applicants can apply for a government scholarship 🔹Wakaliwood takes over London gallery till December 🔹Is Uganda ready for the Gen Z labour force? 🔹Why the IGG investigation of Fufa matters to you So much has gone on in Fufa and their dealings remain unclear. We need to get complete accountability from Fufa on the tax payers money that they receive from government, because there is a lot that does not add up. 🔹Why sacking coaches serves little at Vipers SC E-paper purchase link: observer.ug/product/the-obse…

11 Ugandans serving in Russian army confirmed dead, 16 still missing (presumed dead) The embassy also reported that five Ugandans were still serving in the Russian army and would be discharged when their contracts expire. observer.ug/news/uganda-emba…

Makerere ordered to pay Shs 1.7 billion PUJAB fees owed to other public universities The Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2024/2025 found that Makerere collected Shs 3.030 billion in PUJAB application fees and recognised the entire amount as its revenue, although Shs 1.711 billion was due to other universities. The outstanding amounts attributed to the participating institutions are: Kyambogo University: Shs 591 m Makerere University Business School (MUBS): Shs 294m Gulu University: Shs 178m Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST): Shs 155m Busitema University: Shs 114m Muni University: Shs 75 million Kabale University: Shs 75 million Lira University: Shs 75 million Soroti University: Shs 75 million Mountains of the Moon University: Shs 75 million observer.ug/news/makerere-or…

Entebbe church collapse: 22 rescued as residents clash with police The building, an extension of Holy City Church owned by ‘Brother’ Ronnie Makabai along Entebbe road, caved in while construction workers were on site, trapping an unknown number of people beneath the debris. By 9 pm, police had confirmed that 22 survivors had been rescued and rushed to Entebbe Grade B Hospital for treatment. observer.ug/news/entebbe-chu…

Power makes Andrew Mwenda tick Power seems to follow Andrew Mwenda everywhere. Or perhaps, more accurately, Mwenda seems to follow power. In almost every conversation about Uganda, good, bad, and ugly, he speaks about his interventions: helping people, solving situations, making things happen. He calls the Inspector General of Police. He calls the military intelligence. He calls the president. He intervenes between powerful people. He gets things done. And so, especially on television, opposition figures often ask him a simple question: You are acting as who? observer.ug/viewpoint/power-…

Crime thriller Hit Point premieres on M-Net The series combines a heist story with police drama, dark comedy and romance. It will air weekly until November 30. At the centre of Hit Point are detectives Leo and Bella, played by Nick Blood and Saffron Hocking. Their latest case begins when three men wearing animal masks intercept a Range Rover carrying £10 million in cash. The investigation takes an unexpected turn when Bella’s closest colleague, Leo, turns out to be one of the robbers. He has stolen millions in drug money to help pay for the care of his younger brother, who was paralysed in an accident. observer.ug/lifestyle-entert…

Prophet Israel Ford, founder of LifeWorks Church, and his wife and co-pastor, Lydia Ford, introduce 'church minister' Shakayla Ford (formerly Shakayla Talley) as Israel’s second wife during a church service held in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sunday. Lydia told the congregation that her husband had a second wife and introduced Shakayla as her “sister in marriage.” Shakayla said, “It is amazing to know that this is the will of God.” Pastor Israel later defended the arrangement on Instagram, arguing that the teaching that a man should have only one wife was “unbiblical” and citing scripture to support his position

Open letter to President Museveni: PDM funds used to pay medical bills in Ankole Your Excellency, Research from the Greater Ankole subregion shows a clear and troubling pattern; many beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM) are using the funds to pay medical bills rather than invest in production, trade, or household enterprise. This finding is important. PDM and related economic empowerment programmes were designed to lift households and strengthen local economies. Yet when illness strikes, the money is diverted. Families that receive support still face the same pressure that forces others across the country to organise fundraising drives for medical costs. In Greater Ankole and beyond, increased incomes and development funds are being consumed by health expenses. observer.ug/viewpoint/open-l…

Police admit traffic system issues fines to wrong vehicles Traffic and Road Safety spokesperson Michael Kananura said today, Monday, that the errors occur when an officer enters a registration number incorrectly, sometimes missing a single digit, causing the system to generate a fine against a different vehicle. The admission follows complaints on social media, including from academic and human rights and social activist Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, who said he had been stopped and informed that he had an outstanding ticket whose timing he disputed. Another motorist, Denis Woniala, said his friend, who drives a Toyota Spacio registration number UBB 881F, received a fine whose attached image showed a Nissan X-Trail bearing the same number plate. Several other motorists have raised similar complaints. observer.ug/news/police-admi…

Balaam interdicts 29 Kisoro officials over Shs 900m theft, ghost schools The Local Government minister accused Kisoro chief administrative officer (CAO) John Nyakahuma and district education officer Emmanuel Mwunvaneza of allegedly receiving government funds to support schools that he said did not exist, citing Nyakinama Primary School and Buhumbu Primary School. A resident also told the minister that Kanaba Primary School did not exist despite allegedly receiving government funding and teachers’ salaries. observer.ug/news/balaam-inte…

In defence of Raymond Mujuni: Why the best critics make the best public servants Can someone who has spent years criticising government become an effective public servant without abandoning the principles that made the criticism valuable? It is ironical that lawyers represent murderers and rapists as a matter of professional duty but communications professionals are put under a spotlight for the clients they choose to advise or employers they decide to work for. The comparison needs nuance. A lawyer protects rights and due process while a communicator shapes perception and reputation, and owes a duty to truth and the public interest. Now, ethical communication is not the art of spinning a bad situation into a good story. It is the work of helping an institution confront reality, take responsibility, and speak honestly about the remedy. Action first, communication second. If the problem remains, no clever lines or slogans will hold sway. observer.ug/viewpoint/in-def…

Ugandan businesses urged to treat tax as a planned expense Sanyu Daisy Namayanja, a senior tax consultant at Bennett Advisory, advised entrepreneurs to incorporate tax obligations into their monthly budgets alongside salaries, rent, utilities and other operating expenses. Namayanja said businesses should aim to pay the correct amount of tax by maintaining proper records and meeting statutory deadlines. “People operate businesses for the first, second and third year without paying attention to compliance. Then one day, they receive an assessment and begin complaining that URA wants to bring them down,” Namayanja said. “But the problem is that you have earned money without meeting your tax obligations. Tax should be a planned expense, just like rent, salaries and electricity.” observer.ug/business/ugandan…