COLUMNISTS

By The Independent Team 19th April, 2009 His ExceIIency, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President, Republic of Uganda. Your Excellency, RE: DELAY IN AMENDING THE ELECTORAL LAWS I salute you Mr President. I am addressing you on the above subject as a matter of extreme concern for peace and stability of our …

By Mubatsi Asinja Habati In November, 1999, President Museveni ordered the police to arrest homosexuals after it was alleged that two gay men had wedded in a Kampala suburb. Religious leaders welcomed the president’s directive, insisting that homosexuality is not only against the biblical teachings but it goes against African …

By Obed K. Katureebe ‘Your Excellency, we are aware that it is the Committee of the Prerogative of Mercy that advises you on such matters. We take this occasion and opportunity to appeal for your attention for the plight of John Sanyu Katuramu as it is a matter which touches …

By Bob Roberts Katende After the death of the Omukama of Toro kingdom, Patrick Olimi Kaboyo, in 1993, disagreements rocked the monarchy over the management of the kingdom’s property. The ensuing battle pitted the kingdom’s Prime Minister John Katuramu against the royals, especially prince Happy Kijanangoma and princess Elizabeth Bagaya. …

By Andrew M. Mwenda Writing about the 2009/10 budget in this column last week, I argued that Uganda has achieved allocative efficiency without realising technical efficiency. The result: Although large sums of the budget are allocated to priority sectors like health, education, infrastructure and energy, these funds are diverted by …

By Andrew M. Mwenda The 2009/10 budget in Uganda once again presents the puzzle to many analysts of our nation. In spite of a world-wide recession (advanced economies declined by 7.5% in the last quarter of 2008), Uganda’s economy grew by 7%, an impressive performance by any standard. Indeed, growth …

By Bob Roberts Katende Last week President Yoweri Museveni delivered the state of the nation address to the country. In his address, he provided impressive figures on how the country had improved in various sectors of the economy. The president reminded the country of how the economy has stayed insulated …

By Ron Atinkson In this second part of our commentary revisiting Operation Lightning Thunder in Garamba, DR Congo, Ronald R. Atkinson tells the untold story of UPDF-LRA clashes, deaths and survival in the jungles. A month after Operation Lightning Thunder began, in mid-January, I began hearing accounts of what was …

By Andrew M. Mwenda Three weeks before the 2003 presidential elections in Rwanda, President Paul Kagame received a report from the Auditor General; 36 mayors (heads of districts) had misappropriated public funds. He ordered their arrest. But just before the police could apprehend them, senior Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) officials …

By Ronald Atinkson In this first part of our commentary revisiting Operation Lightning Thunder in Garamba, DR Congo, Ronald R. Atkinson weighs the failures ‘” and successes the incursion against UPDF’s stated objectives and accountability. On December 14, 2008, the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) began bombing camps of the …