African countries pay interest rates eight times higher than those of the typical World Bank loan COMMENT | WILLIAM RUTO |Â Climate change continues to ravage Africa, which is enduring extreme weather and natural disasters on an unprecedented scale. My own country, Kenya, has just emerged from its longest drought on …
Read More »The myth of central-bank independence
While maintaining the appearance of independence, they often do what governments want COMMENT | ROBERT SKIDELSKY | The United Kingdom’s economic policy is adrift. That was the main conclusion from the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee’s inquiry into the Bank of England’s failure to predict the worst inflation in 40 …
Read More »Open letter to the Minister for Ethics and Integrity
Your visit showed us you were serving someone’s vested interests but not the interests of the people of Kalaki COMMENT | JULIUS ODEKE | Dear Hon Rose Lily Akello, minister in charge Ethics and Integrity, on behalf of the people of Kalaki District, I commend you for the efforts you are …
Read More »Bridging the Gap: Why Africa must expand social protection
COMMENT | ABEBE HAILE-GABRIEL | In Africa, rural poverty and hunger are grim companions and often overlap with agricultural employment. Africa is also highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and a significant proportion of the rural population engaged in agriculture is especially exposed to these climate impacts. …
Read More »Scarcity of teachers in UPE schools
There is a move on to paralyse UPE schools yet they help 85% of the local pupil population get basic education COMMENT | RICHARD MUGISHA |Â There is a move going on to paralyse Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools in Uganda which I would like to put to everyone’s attention. Remember …
Read More »Sustaining local government projects
Why increasing centralisation of local government project implementation negatively impacts effectiveness COMMENT | WALTER AKENA |Â Uganda’s decentralisation framework aims to empower local governments to plan and budget for their local needs, have financial autonomy and robust citizen engagement mechanisms, enhance accountability, and foster ownership and effectiveness of local government interventions. …
Read More »Impunity 101: Lessons from the Media Council, UHRC and MUK
COMMENT | Olivia Nalubwama |Â A worrying trend is upon us. Flammable snowflake leaders have made a mockery of shame. Shame no longer lives here. Instead, brazen impunity parades its wares. Consider these three exhibits. Exhibit 1:Â The Uganda Media Council is responsible for regulating media as mandated by the Press and …
Read More »Why does URA over-complicate a simple VAT system?
Why VAT only makes sense if there is ‘value added’ to a product or service along the value chain COMMENT | PETER NYANZI | The ongoing fight between traders and the tax authorities is a clear indicator that the administration of Value Added Tax (VAT) has glaring gaps, which must be …
Read More »Support the ‘Clean Ethiopia’ initiative – for Ethiopia, but also Africa’s sake
COMMENT | MAHLET AYELE BEYECHA | In 1896, Ethiopians triumphed over colonial forces in the historic Battle of Adwa, securing their country’s independence and making Ethiopia, alongside Liberia, the only African nation to never be colonized. This victory not only safeguarded Ethiopia’s sovereignty but also inspired other African nations that …
Read More »King Trump on trial
“L’État, c’est moi: The founders would be stunned that’s how an American president invokes power COMMENT | RICHARD K. SHERWIN | The drama starring former U.S. President Donald Trump that is now playing out in a New York City courtroom is more than just a criminal trial. It is a contest …
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