By Andrew M. Mwenda On June 17, President Yoweri Museveni visited the family of his arch-rival, the late former President Milton Obote, and held talks with the widow, and former presidential candiate Miria Obote. This visit has since been a source of speculation. What has not been said is how …
Read More »Guns in oil region
By Haggai Matsiko Fears of popular resistance fueling army, intelligence deployments In less than a month, the UPDF top brass and top spies have held two unusual security meetings in the oil region. During one of the meetings, on May 5 Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) …
Read More »Tight budget 2012/13
The Independent Team The challenge behind the numbers Belt-tightening without suffocating the patient; that is the balancing act Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka is attempting in the 2012/13 financial year budget. It will not be easy. For the first time in two decades, the minister of Finance is unable to report …
Read More »EALA: How Zziwa beat Byamukama
By Agather Atuhaire NRM favourite for speaker loses to a “rebel” as parties assess damage, victories and future The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party was supposed to be the ultimate victor in the election of Uganda’s delegates to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA). Of the nine seats, it took …
Read More »Opinion polls; the bitter truth
By Mubatsi Asinja Habati Research World International (RWI) published its first ever political opinion poll on May 22 which has become controversial. Dr. Patrick Wakida, who is the chief researcher and RWI chief executive, spoke to The Independent’s Mubatsi Asinja Habati. What motivated you to do this political poll? It …
Read More »The politics of opinion polls
By Mubatsi Asinja Habati Hardly two months after an Afrobarometer opinion poll indicted President Yoweri Museveni’s management of Uganda and provoked the ire of First Lady Janet Museveni, another poll has arrived at a similar conclusion: Most Ugandans want the old man out. Near the top of the list of …
Read More »Land grabbing in oil region
By Haggai Matsiko A Minister threatens to evict 2,000 as big-wigs scramble for public land in oil region Somewhere in Hoima district the small sub county of Kyangwali is home to one of the Albertine’s biggest oil fields — Kingfisher – said to be one of the largest oil wells …
Read More »FDC in crisis
By Eriasa Mukiibi Sserunjogi Money, NRM intrusion and jostling for Besigye’s chair rock the main opposition party The brush between Leader of Opposition Nandala Mafabi and FDC Members of Parliament reflects a deeper problem in Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Uganda’s leading opposition party. The Independent has learnt that as …
Read More »Museveni, Mbabazi fall out
By Agather Atuhaire Prime minister’s presidential ambition seems to have ruined a perfect partnership Two weeks before the 2010 delegates’ conference that saw Amama Mbabazi elected as secretary general of the ruling National Resistance Movement party, the National Executive Committee sat and agreed with party Chairman President Yoweri Museveni that …
Read More »I’ve no ambition of succeeding Besigye
By Agather Atuhaire At the centre of allegations that she received money from President Museveni and that she has been suspiciously close with the president, Kitgum woman MP Beatrice Anywar resigned her position as shadow minister for Energy, Oil and Mineral Development. She spoke to the Independent’s Agather Atuhaire about …
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