UEGCL: Company injects Shs 500bn into Karuma, Isimba dam construction The Uganda Electricity Generation Company Ltd (UEGCL) has finally broken its longstanding loss-making trend and registered a substantial profit. According to their 2015 performance report issued at the annual general meeting on Sept.15, the company announced a net profit of …
Read More »Oil jobs: Partakers or Spectators?
Foreigners could take lion’s share of oil and gas jobs as Uganda lags behind in building local capacity The government recently issued eight production licences to Tullow Uganda Operations Pty Ltd and Total E&P Uganda BV, a development that gives the oil companies the green light to finally proceed with …
Read More »Crane Bank courts ‘strategic investor’
There were ripples in the financial services sector recently when reports emerged that Crane Bank is in negotiations with a buyer. This is the second biggest indigenous bank and the country’s fourth largest bank by assets. ‘It’s owner and founder, Sudhir Ruparelia, is arguably the region’s richest man. Why would …
Read More »Reality behind `greed’ of MPs
OPINION: By Andrew Mwenda Why criticising MPs for demanding more benefits is misguided and what can be done about it Our MPs want Shs200 million each to buy cars. They want their wages and allowances increased. They also want Shs68 million spent on their funeral when they die. The public is …
Read More »Uganda’s ambitious first oil chase
NEWS ANALYSIS: Experts dissect the government’s target of oil finally flowing by 2020 The government of Uganda on Aug. 30 finally issued oil production licenses to Tullow Uganda Operations Pty Ltd and Total E&P Uganda B.V. The move ended a long wait for the oil companies caused by disagreements with the …
Read More »Roshani’s Mehndi flair
Roshani Madina Siliban is a Uganda-Indian artist who has been actively practicing painting since 2014 when she graduated with a diploma in Industrial Art and Design from the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Kampala Uganda, writes Nathan Kiwere. Her specialty is painting and textile design. She is likely more …
Read More »Rwanda fast-tracks Bugesera airport
Rwanda Govt enters $818m boot deal with Portuguese firm for biggest airport Rwanda is set to finally get its new international airport at Bugesera, 25km south east of the capital city, Kigali. The new airport will feature a 4,200-meter runway and have initial capacity to handle three million passengers per …
Read More »OBITUARY: The last cartoon – Balagadde (1973-2016)
Illustrator Moses ‘Mozeh’ Balagadde dies (1973-2016) The last cartoon that Moses Balagadde drew for The Independent magazine showed the embattled former commander of Kampala Central Police Station, ASP Aaron Baguma who is accused of complicity in a murder, contemplating his fate in the High Court. Baguma’s case has attracted attention …
Read More »When patients flee hospital without paying
As Ugandan private hospitals lose millions, some are considering assessing patients ability to pay before offering treatment When relatives of Patrick Obiga, a patient who had been detained at Uganda’s top private hospital; the International Hospital Kampala (IHK), over failure to clear a Shs19 million medical bill sued and was …
Read More »Rethinking infrastructure contracts
THE LAST WORD: By Andrew Mwenda Why East African governments need to involve local firms in big infrastructure projects The East African nations of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda are involved in massive investments in infrastructure. They are contracting companies to build roads, railways, bridges, airports, seaports, dams, electricity lines, …
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