THE LAST WORD: Why trying to do everything for everyone,everywhere has ended up doing little for anyone, anywhere THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | The debate on health policy in Uganda is frustrating. Our health services are characterized by corruption, absenteeism, incompetence and apathy. Everyone is angry and …
Read More »Thinking succession in Uganda
Why the failure of a third force has locked us in a choice between Museveni and Besigye THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | In debating whether President Yoweri Museveni should go or stay we are not indulging in an abstract theoretical exercise but a challenge of practical politics. …
Read More »On Africa’s big dreams
THE LAST WORD: Why our continent needs to rethink her overenthusiastic attitude towards foreign direct investment THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Last month, Rwanda hosted the African Union’s summit on the Continent Free Trade Area (CFTA). The discussions were as inspiring as they were frustrating. Leaders from government …
Read More »Uganda’s new villain
THE LAST WORD: Why the country and its president are fighting the wrong enemy on electricity tariffs THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | A large cross section of Ugandan elites is angry, very angry. It thinks the price (tariff) it buys electricity at is too high. …
Read More »On Museveni’s Umeme missive
UMEME: Why the president is misinformed about electricity distribution market and tariffs THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | President Yoweri Museveni’s letter to the minister of Energy has provided considerable grist to the anti-Umeme mill. There is no company providing a public service in Uganda that has been …
Read More »Lesson from Jinja East by-election
Why Uganda’s opposition should take voter turnout seriously if they ever want to win elections THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | On March 15th, the Electoral Commission declared opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate, Paul Mwiru, elected as Member of Parliament (MP) for Jinja East constituency in …
Read More »Uganda’s myths and realities
Why Besigye can only govern using Museveni’s politics of corruption and patronage THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | The discussion of a post President YoweriMuseveni Uganda tends to be programmatic rather than analytical. It is built on false hopes based on textbook theories rather than the actual social …
Read More »The fall of Kayihura
Why the firing of the IGP has more to do with Kampala-Kigali relations than crime in Uganda THE LAST WORD | Andrew M. Mwenda | Finally President Yoweri Museveni has fired the Inspector General of Police, Kale Kayihura. It was a sad ending for a man who more than anyone …
Read More »The poverty paradox
UGANDA: Why economic development tends to increase social insecurity leading to anger THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | A couple of months ago, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics produced its survey showing that between 2012 and 2017, the number of people living in poverty increased from 19 to 27%. This provided …
Read More »The problem with Africa
The problem with Africa: If our countries remain poor, it’s because its leaders and elites are too kind to their people to force transformation THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | Last week, President Yoweri Museveni tweeted a picture of himself pushing a bicycle in some village “promoting” an irrigation scheme. …
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