Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Just three months after its launch, the National Social Security Fund’s (NSSF) flagship voluntary savings product, Smartlife Flexi, has surpassed Shs5 billion in savings, with informal sector micro-savers leading the charge. Praised for its flexibility, the product targets informal sector workers and the self-employed, while …

The workshop urged regional governments to accelerate policy alignment to extend affordable mobile services to all member states Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Telecommunications experts have called for urgent policy changes to cut the cost of cross-border mobile services in Africa, as the continent moves towards a seamless digital market. …

However, critics have raised concerns about the government’s capacity to manage the distribution network efficiently Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | In a significant move that marks the end of an era, the Ugandan Parliament has approved a $190 million buyout of Umeme Limited’s concession, effectively paving the way for the …

Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | Nansana Municipality is set for a major infrastructure boost as Winner Global Enterprises Ltd signed contract documents for a Shs40.9 billion road construction and upgrading project under the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area Urban Development Program (GKMA-UDP). The project, which aims to enhance road infrastructure and …

INTERVIEW | What’s different this time, and how to avoid civil war? A rise in political tensions in South Sudan and an escalation of violence in the Upper Nile State have raised fears of a return to civil war in the world’s youngest nation. In early March 2025, neighbouring Uganda sent …

Paradoxically, the breakdown of the multilateral order the US helped establish could catalyse greater international cooperation COMMENT | JAYATI GHOSH | Of all the geopolitical stunts Donald Trump has pulled since returning to the White House, the United States’ votes at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on March 4 stand …

A dissolvable oral dispersible film of dolutegravir could transform treatment ANALYSIS | MELODY CHIRONDA | In the fight against HIV, one of the most vulnerable populations – newborn babies – is often overlooked. It is estimated that 120,000 new HIV infections occur in children aged 14 years and younger every year, …

Maps showing it distort reality – but some risks are real ANALYSIS | BRENDON J. CANNON | Global power dynamics in Africa are shifting, with China eclipsing the influence of the U.S. and France. China has become Africa’s single largest trading partner. In response, media and policymakers in traditionally dominant states …

Julius Katende’s Totem Art NTFs illustrate an artist who is naturally curious and thinks outside the proverbial box ART | DOMINIC MUWANGUZI | For almost an hour, I listen attentively as artist Julius Katende explains to me in an animated tone about Non- Fungible Tokens ( NFT), which are assets like …

But the economy is expected to rebound in the subsequent year if oil exports resume, offering a potential path to recovery. Juba, South Sudan | THE INDEPENDENT | Oil rich South Sudan’s economy is projected to contract by 30% in the Financial Year 2024/25 that ends in June due to disruptions …