In The Magazine

By Muganwa Gonzaga Paul Kagame is re- elected easily on his record The Rwandan Patriotic Front’s (RPF) Chairman, Paul Kagame, and his well-placed campaign machine drew unprecedented crowds wherever they went this election season. It opened on July 20 at Amahoro stadium in Kigali and got bigger in the countryside. …

By Rukiya Makuma Independence babies that wont grow up 2010 is the year for Africa as 17 countries celebrate 50 years of independence since colonial rule. Africans resisted the colonialists on grounds of segregation, slavery, exploitation and domination. But 50 years after, how have these countries performed? Are they still …

By Haggae Matsiko Independent reporter buys birth certificate for Shs 35,000, offered passport for Shs150,000, no questions asked It is Thursday afternoon when I arrive at the reception of the Registrar of Births and Deaths office at Amam House near the Central Police Station in Kampala. I tell the receptionist …

By Timothy Kalyegira Africa has become important not just as an intelligence listening post and army and naval base for counterterrorism originating in the Middle East, but also as a haven and breeding ground for home-grown terrorism ranging from the Al-Qaeda in the Maghreb that acts to destabilise North Africa, …

By Mubatsi Asinja Habati & Isaac Mufumba Voter expectations give Parliamentary Scorecard a reality check While officiating at the launch of the Parliamentary Scorecard 2008-2009 on July 28, Prime Minister Apolo Nsibambi amused attendees. He narrated how a group of wailing people approached him during the Constituent Assembly and asked …

By Haggai Matsiko During the NRM National Executive Council (NEC) meeting early this year, Angela Kebba, a staunch supporter of the ruling NRM from Adjumani district, accused politicians from northern Uganda of hypocrisy. She said members of parliament, LCV chairpersons and other top local politicians pretend to support President Museveni …

By Andrew M. Mwenda Iam currently in Rwanda witnessing their presidential election campaign. The campaign lacks the usual drama of many African general elections: the rallies of opposition candidates are not broken up by the police, their supporters are not beaten by private militias, candidates do not appeal to ethnic …

By Andrew M. Mwenda   Francis Gakwerera is one of the people arrested for the June 19 shooting of former Rwanda Defence Forces Chief of Staff, Gen. Kayumba Nyamwasa, in Johannesburg, South Africa. He spoke to The Independent’s Andrew M. Mwenda. Where do you live and what do you do …

By Dicta Asiimwe The venue for Buganda’s 17th coronation anniversary celebrations of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, Kabasanda, Butambala County is one of eighteen counties of Buganda. As the bevy of female traditional dancers, in colourful kikoyi wrappers and tight-tops, gyrate to the din of royal drums being beaten in …

By Timothy Kalyegira These new discoveries of oil have increased Africa’s strategic importance on the world stage, but there is even more to this than these mineral deposits. The last 15 years have also seen countries like China, Brazil, Russia and India registering strong economic growth and with that lifting …