By Molly Lister Fighting the stereotype, two wazungu experience the lesser-known side of Goma. It was around 11am on August 5 when a friend and I crossed the border into the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo city of Goma from Rwanda. It was the start of roughly eight hours that …
Read More »Is the executive killing independence of Africa’s parliaments?
By Bob Roberts Katende It was Uganda’s turn last week to host a conference that brings together Commonwealth speakers and presiding officers of parliament in Africa. Over 20 speakers and officials turned up for the six-day event at Speke Resort Munyonyo. The delegates were here to share experiences with their …
Read More »Why mass exam failures at LDC?
By Bob Roberts Katende Its many students dream to pursue one of the traditional courses at university: medicine or law. The lucky ones have seen their dreams come true. And many others are still in pursuit of their dream careers. Emmanuel Kiwanuka, 19, finished his Advanced Level education last year …
Read More »Kenya shifts position on Migingo
By Mubatsi Asinja Habati Three weeks after Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa wrote to his Kenyan counterpart, Moses Wetangula, seeking a meeting over the latest hurdle in the ownership dispute over Migingo Island, a solution remains elusive. In fact, according to Fred Opolot, the executive director of Uganda Media Centre …
Read More »Besigye, Otunnu reign top on oppositions 2011 plan
By Odoobo C. Bichachi Kenyan lawyer-cum political consultant Erastus wa Mugo was the centre of attention at the Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC) meeting at the Paradise Hotel in Jinja last week as Uganda’s opposition parties struggled to find common ground ahead of the 2011 presidential and parliamentary elections. A renowned governance …
Read More »A tale of two presidents, two nations and two revolutions
By Andrew M. Mwenda For sometime now, my articles comparing Uganda and Rwanda have generated the most intense debate on our website, my private emails and my phone’s SMSs. President Yoweri Museveni’s supporters accuse me of doing PR for President Paul Kagame. Many people ask why I compare the two …
Read More »WFP seeks to lift Uganda out of famine
By Roberts Katende In light of the endemic famine in Uganda and the need for sustainable solutions to the problem, the Deputy Director of World Food Programme in charge of Hunger, Sisulu Sheila visited Uganda last week. The Independent’s Roberts Katende talked to her about the new strategies. Below are …
Read More »Kyeyune humbled over bad road
By John Njoroge LC V boss’ ordeal shows how unfulfilled promises endanger public officials At first, he is hit with a bottle top but within seconds, stones, sticks, dirty water and dust are hitting him from all directions. A crowd numbering in the hundreds has steadily gathered around him and …
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 »AIDS patients face a future without drugs
By Bob Roberts Katende Patience we use one name to preserve her anonymity – faces a gloomy future. For the past one year, she has been suffering from incessant malaria, headache, and an irritating skin rash. She is HIV positive and has been advised to start taking anti-retroviral drugs. Unfortunately, …
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