The horn player with a shrewd ear for music of the day Johannesburg, South Africa | GWEN ANSELL | Trumpeter, flugelhorn-player, singer, composer and activist Hugh Ramapolo Masekela has passed away after a long battle with prostate cancer. When he cancelled his appearance last year at the Johannesburg Joy of Jazz …
Read More »Fashionable nonsense
How the debate on governance in Africa is a toxic combination of high emotion and little knowledge THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | It is fashionable across our continent to condemn governments for poor delivery of public goods and services. This, it is argued, is caused by corruption, …
Read More »Losing my innocence
THE LAST WORD: How my hubris to become president of Uganda pulled me from the trees of utopia to the hard rock of reality THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | I want to continue with a line of thought from this column last week i.e. that African countries cannot be governed …
Read More »Male Mabirizi on managing a contentious life
Kampala, Uganda | AGNES E NANTABA | Hassan Male Mabirizi Kiwanuka was largely unknown until Aug.29, 2016 when he sued Buganda’s King Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II over the land registration rationale in Buganda. Being a Muganda and as such the King’s subject, to many, Mabirizi did the unthinkable when he accused …
Read More »Dennis Katongole’s passion for radio and TV
Kampala, Uganda | AGNES NANTABA | Dennis Katongole alias Omutongole Mubatongole has for over a decade been a popular name on most local radio and TV stations; especially Radio Simba, Beat FM, Bukedde TV and radio, Record and Delta TV in Kampala. He says he believes he was created and made …
Read More »Reconsidering governance in Africa
Reconsidering governance in Africa: Why our obsession with copying and pasting western institutions causes more harm than good THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | If you follow debate on Africa anywhere in the world, everyone will tell you that the main problem with our countries is governance. Yet this claim is …
Read More »Local platform Deiplaces to boost tourism
Kampala, Uganda | ISAAC KHISA | Magoola Matthias, is the CEO Dei Group International, the firm behind social marketing platform, Dei places. He spoke to The Independent’s Isaac Khisa about social marketing to drive Uganda and Africa’s tourism potential. What is your management style as a manager? Management is a very …
Read More »Peninah Kabenge’s life of sports
Kampala, Uganda | AGNES NANTABA | Peninah Kabenge is smiley most times. Perhaps it is the reason she doesn’t dwell on regrets even when she has been portrayed in negative light. She loves to keep on the positive side of life and being a sports woman, she cheers up often. She …
Read More »Is America a shithole country?
How Trump and his African admirers judge the quality of something based entirely on money THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Just before the outbreak of the Nama-Herero rebellion in modern day Namibia in April 1904, Chief Hendrick Witboi of the Nama tribe penned a letter to the …
Read More »Dennis Onyango: Fame, humility in soccer
Kampala, Uganda | AGNES NANTABA | He is the only goal keeper and the first Ugandan to achieve the feat of African-based Footballer of the Year, to which he was voted in January 2016. The final tally saw Dennis Onyango pick up 252 votes, compared to 228 votes for second place …
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