But not all agree that Shs25, 000 per month for those over 65 years improves lives Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | “Everybody in Uganda needs social protection,” says Dr. Fred Muhumuza, a development economist based at Makerere University Kampala. Muhumuza was speaking on Feb. 21 at the Irish Ambassador’s …
Read More »Vivo Energy takes over Engen’s continental operations
Transaction makes Vivo Africa’s second largest fuels and lubricants retailer Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Following six months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, Vivo Energy finally announced on March 1 the completion of the takeover of the operations of Engen Holdings Ltd across the continent. The transaction comprises Vivo Energy’s issuance …
Read More »Tracking lions in Queen Elizabeth Park
It is easier to encounter the tree-climbing lions but efforts to protect them remain controversial | RONALD MUSOKE | Lions are a must-see in Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda and yet their reclusive nature sometimes makes it a frustrating experience for visitors. On a recent conservation study tour …
Read More »How undemocratic practices breed corruption
Transparency International’s CPI 2018 tracks link between corruption and lack of citizen engagement Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | When Transparency International released its 2018 global corruption perceptions index on Jan.29, it found one damning indictment: corruption is flourishing more in countries where democratic foundations are weak. While releasing the …
Read More »‘Tourism should be every Ugandan’s business
Lilly Ajarova will in March, this year, officially take over the mantle at the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB) as the new Chief Executive Officer. She talked to The Independent’s Ronald Musoke about her plans for Uganda’s tourism industry. You have come in at a time when the government’s interest in …
Read More »ANALYSIS: When elephants attack people
Can UWA’s electric fence at Queen Elizabeth Park stop them? Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Elephants are one of the most iconic and popular animals that attract visitors by their thousands to Queen Elizabeth National Park in western Uganda. Even the locals of Kafuru, a small village near the …
Read More »Wanted: Genuine oil investors
How pressure on oil refinery, pipeline pushed Uganda to agree to end secret deals Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | For ten years, civil society has been trying and failing to push the government to join the Extractives Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), a global mechanism that requires governments and companies …
Read More »Chinese, French firms top foreign oil-gas suppliers’ database
What Chinese, French domination of Uganda’s oil and gas supplier database means for Ugandan entrepreneurs Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | As pressure to develop key upstream infrastructure picks up with billions of dollars expected to pour into the Ugandan economy starting this year, focus is now turning onto who …
Read More »Uganda’s oil sector expects US$ 1bn investment in 2019
But will oil companies pump money into key infrastructure projects to meet new first oil timeline? Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | Uganda’s oil and gas industry is expected to rake in investments worth over US$ 1 billion this year,according to senior energy ministry officials. The outlay for this year is part of …
Read More »China-US rivalry heading to East Africa
Donald Trump’s administration to focus on development finance and lending for infrastructure projects in Africa Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | The US will step up efforts to counter China’s growing influence in Africa this year, according to a recent report that shows the growing rivalry between the world’s two …
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