By Andrew M. Mwenda On June 25, fifteen companies submitted bids for a contract with the Electoral Commission (EC) to update the Voter Register. According to the bid documents, each bidder was supposed to submit three envelops: a technical proposal, a financial proposal and a third envelop was supposed to …
Read More »Rich Baganda, poor Acholi
By Joseph Were New report reveals economic imbalance among Uganda’s tribes From a distance it looks like a giant quilt of different shades between brown and black spread on the side of the gradually slopping hill. Getting nearer, however, reveals tinny brown unbaked brick buildings, squashed next to each other …
Read More »Gambling on Otunnu
By Melina Platas Is he worth it or is Besigye, who got 37% of the vote in 2006, better? Olara Otunnu has re-entered Uganda’s political scene. But does this internationally renowned figure come home to divide or unite the opposition? The Inter-Party Coalition (IPC) meetings in the past few months …
Read More »Museveni’s tribal politics
By Melina Platas The facts, the figures and their implications Over the last two weeks, the dispute on “indigenous people of Bunyoro”versus Bafuruki has dominated political debate in Uganda. Sparked off by President Yoweri Museveni’s letter to the Minister for the Presidency, Beatrice Wabudeya, the debate has been short on …
Read More »Inside the Umeme power tariff scandal
By Andrew M. Mwenda & Molly Lister Did minister Onek touch a live wire? Sometime early this year, then minister of state for micro finance, Gen. Salim Saleh, went to meet the Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Keith Muhakazi. He had a couple of documents with him …
Read More »Will Museveni yield to Buganda’s demands?
By Melina Platas In my constituency,” says Gilbert Bukenya, “no one listens to Mengo.” It is late Thursday morning and the Vice President has just strolled in to his third floor Parliament office. Wearing a pale yellow shirt and slacks, he looks relaxed as he eases in to his chair, …
Read More »Mengo’s New Vision boycott tests Kabaka’s popularity
By Joseph Were Since President Museveni announced on July 12 while appearing on WBS television that he would never grant Buganda Kingdom the federal system of government, the sense of the Rubicon being crossed has become pervasive. A headline story in the government-run Sunday Vision newspaper the same day did …
Read More »Mengo-Museveni: Who needs the other most?
By Joseph Were Museveni has not spoken publicly on it, but a common anecdote tells how in February 1993, President Museveni held an Army Council meeting in Gulu and high on the agenda was the proposal to restore kingdoms in Uganda. These had been abolished by president Milton Apollo …
Read More »Bashir blocked but is Museveni off the hook?
By Rosebell Kagumire Govt drafts law to save the President from prosecution Uganda has officially become the second African country after South Africa to block a visit by Sudanese President Gen. Omar al-Bashir. Bashir faces a similar situation in 28 other African countries and more than 90 others worldwide which …
Read More »Eritrea’s entry changes face of Somalia conflict
By Obed K. Katureebe Why does America expect 4,000 AU troops to do what 38,000 UN troops failed to do? Sometime in late February 1995, 2,400 Pakistani and Bangladeshi peacekeepers made the now famous amphibian retreat from the Somali capital, Mogadishu. They were the last of 38,000-strong UN peacekeeping force …
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