In The Magazine

The report finds African governments impose average export tariffs of more than 13% on finished consumer goods, compared to under 4% for primary goods  ANALYSIS | JOHN BASQUILL |   Tariff structures in developing markets are holding back efforts to add value domestically and export finished goods, limiting firms’ access …

The government seeks to create 150,000 jobs for the youth Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | US based Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firm, Helpware, has welcomed the government’s newly launched BPO policy, saying it will boost the country’s global competitiveness and attract foreign investment to the sector. The policy, developed by …

Sex workers have been twice victimised, first by the virus and then by the stigma, but advocates hope the government will prioritise their safety Kampala, Uganda | ESTHER NAKKAZI | When Brian Lubega, a 30-year old resident of Kawempe in Kampala, heard a radio announcement about mpox vaccine distribution in his …

How continent is navigating decades-old obstacles to build robust vaccine industry ANALYSIS | The African Union has embarked on one of its most audacious health security missions: Ensuring that the continent manufacture 60% of its own vaccines by 2040. It currently manufactures a lowly 1% of the vaccines. However, since April …

The youthful artist’s series of paintings of different personalities wearing sunglasses interrogate how these fashionable objects empower self esteem. ART | DOMINIC MUWANGUZI | He’s shy and an introvert. If you’re in a room with him, you may miss him out save for his glasses which he never takes off. “I …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Just three months after its launch, the National Social Security Fund’s (NSSF) flagship voluntary savings product, Smartlife Flexi, has surpassed Shs5 billion in savings, with informal sector micro-savers leading the charge. Praised for its flexibility, the product targets informal sector workers and the self-employed, while …

The workshop urged regional governments to accelerate policy alignment to extend affordable mobile services to all member states Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Telecommunications experts have called for urgent policy changes to cut the cost of cross-border mobile services in Africa, as the continent moves towards a seamless digital market. …

The oil and gas industry is inherently high-risk, involving massive investments, operational hazards, and environmental concerns.   Kampala, Uganda | JULIUS BUSINGE | The Insurance Consortium for Oil and Gas Uganda (ICOGU) has emerged as a critical player in Uganda’s rapidly evolving energy sector, providing tailored insurance solutions to address the …

They say soldiers used Kawempe by-election to instill fear but this is a job they signed-up for ANALYSIS | RONALD MUSOKE | Abubaker Lubowa, a senior photojournalist at Daily Monitor, has over the last decade distinguished himself in photographing some of the most tumultuous political events. Even as many of those …

However, critics have raised concerns about the government’s capacity to manage the distribution network efficiently Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | In a significant move that marks the end of an era, the Ugandan Parliament has approved a $190 million buyout of Umeme Limited’s concession, effectively paving the way for the …