COLUMNISTS

Ongo communal forest becomes another victim of the COVI-19 pandemic; a case of custodians becoming destroyers COMMENT | Daniel Abowe | The Ongo communal forest in western Uganda is shared by four villages of Ogadra, Kibali, Onieni, and Abangi in Kasenene parish, Budongo sub-county, Masindi district. In 2017, ECO-TRUST supported the Ongo …

Why opportunities that theoretically exist to cut wasteful public spending are politically impossible THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | This year, Uganda has been hit by three major disasters: a locust invasion, floods and COVID-19; a combination of which will shrink economic growth. COVID-19 has been the most …

  Why the utopian dream of a COVID-free Uganda may have become a springboard for private profiteering THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | On June 24 morning I walked into Kikuubo, the epicenter of Uganda’s trade, in Kampala city. I found tens of thousands of people congested on …

Reflections on the passage of an icon who did so much to shape who I am today THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | It is exactly one year this week since our mother, Mrs Constance Kabakali Muhangazima, left us! While we were happy that she had retired from …

  Why Museveni’s focus on corruption as the biggest problem of tax administration misses the big picture THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | During his national address after the reading of the 2020/21 Budget, President Yoweri Museveni decried the low ratio of tax to GDP in Uganda, which …

Why we need to examine the contribution of boda bodas to public safety and livelihoods in this COVID fight THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | This week, in his regular COVID19 briefings, President Yoweri Museveni claimed boda bodas are not an effective means of public transport! Who decides …

How democratic politics has placed Uganda on a perilous road of an irresponsible and lazy citizenry THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | A dangerous, pervasive and malignant sense of entitlement has grown, spread and consolidated in Uganda. Many Ugandans believe they are entitled to various welfare benefits from …

  How the East African Community may not survive the current pandemic and why this may be a good thing THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | The coronavirus disease has exposed the deep holes in the dream and delusions of the East African Community (EAC). It has not …

The President has revealed three things about Uganda’s oil sector that are depressing and illuminating THE LAST WORD | ANDREW M. MWENDA | In his interview with NBS television aired on May 11, President Yoweri Museveni revealed three things about Uganda’s oil sector that were depressing and illuminating. First he …

COMMENT | Jonas Mbabazi  | Integrity and accountability should be an integral part of a resilient response to the COVID-19 crisis, ensuring that government actions benefit citizens that have been hit hard. In a rather strange way, many fear that the ongoing pandemic could present opportunities through which government bureaucrats can …