By Joan Akello The French embassy in Uganda estimates that over 80 per cent of refugees have arrived in Uganda in the last five years. The majority of the 310,000 refugees in Uganda originate from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while some 90,000 are from South Sudan and others …

By The  Independent Team Two warring party leaders in South Sudan are scheduled to return to the negotiating table two weeks after agreeing to a cease-fire. South Sudan in mid-December broke into a political struggle, turning into nationwide warfare between troops loyal to the government and those loyal to the …

By The  Independent Team Gays and lesbians in Kenya have joined a global effort to protest against an anti-homosexuality bill passed by Uganda’s parliament and now in the hands of the country’s president. Several dozen gays, lesbians and supporters demonstrated in front of Uganda’s High Commission in Nairobi on Feb. …

By Andrew M. Mwenda The current political system based on patronage has developed a vast array of vested interests with a stake in its perpetuation Acommon narrative holds that President Yoweri Museveni enjoys unlimited power in Uganda and that this is a major source of our nation’s problems. This view …

By Peter Nyanzi FDC boss was sending a message about how he intends to  approach 2016 elections During the ongoing Parliamentary recess, Budadiri West MP Nandala Mafabi, also the Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LOP), has been making controversial statements while addressing rallies in his constituency. At one of the …

By Haggai Matsiko And how Museveni is plotting to kick him out of parliament Nandala Mafabi, the FDC stalwart and erstwhile Leader of Opposition in parliament, likes to portray himself as a man who turns around things.  And until Jan.31, he could quickly spin off examples of things he has …

By Ronald Musoke Phillip Wafula Oguttu, who until Jan.31 was the spokesperson of the Forum for Democratic Change [FDC], has been appointed the new Leader of Opposition in Parliament. Mugisha Muntu, the FDC party president had over the last fortnight been expected to announce changes in both the party and …

By The  Independent Team Adam Kalungi, the prime suspect in the death of the late Butaleja woman MP, Cerinah Nebanda, has been convicted of manslaughter on grounds that he was negligent and never took Nebanda to hospital in time. The Makindye Chief Magistrate’s court, however, acquitted Kalungi on the other …

By Ronald Musoke There was a collective sigh of relief inside the conference hall at Statistics House as the Minister of Education and Sports, Jessica Rose Alupo Epel finally announced the release of Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) for 2013. Relief, because, it was on the final day of January, which …

By Andrew M. Mwenda Why supporting Salva Kiir may turn out to be Museveni’s most ill-advised military intervention The Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) recent military adventure into South Sudan follows a pattern that has made our country a regional military hegemon and our president, one of Africa’s most influential …