In The Magazine

By Patrick Kagenda Political opposition leader, Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, spoke to The Independent’s Patrick Kagenda about why he has formed a militia-like force called the TJ Team. What prompted you into raising a militia force? In the first place it is a misnomer to call it a militia. I …

By Agather Atuhaire 2016 parliament election cycle tosses planning into the unknown Who will pass Uganda’s next budget? That is the question on the lips of finance policy makers since unforeseen procedures related to the new budgeting cycle in an election year started emerging.  Under the old budgeting cycle, the …

By Flavia Nassaka An evening of juggling regulators, advertisers, and audiences What a day it has been! I sigh as I put the key into the lock at my house. The warm air from inside hits me first, competing with smells from the fruit basket and the newly cleaned carpet.  …

By Flavia Nassaka Experts blame self-prescription, partial treatment In July when Northern Uganda was hit by unusual malaria, thousands were hospitalized and some died. The malaria was severe and caused convulsions even in adults. The malaria parasites were able to survive and multiply despite the administration and absorption of drugs …

By Haggai Matsiko When on Aug.14 Research World International released an opinion poll showing that majority or 55 percent of the respondents would vote President Yoweri Museveni if elections were held, many were quick to dismiss it.  Patrick Wakida, RWI’s executive director says that this shows two things—that people do …

By Andrew M. Mwenda Ugandans seem unhappy with Museveni but they don’t seem to be willing to accept his opponents either. Here is why We are exactly six months away from elections and recent opinion polls are already giving us a glimpse of things to come. The polls reveal that …

By Agnes E. Nantaba Lilly Ajarova, the executive director of the Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Wildlife Conservation Trust talked to Agnes E. Nantaba. Any three things we do not know about you? I like relationship building. So outside of work I normally engage in counseling as more of a vocation to …

By Alvin Cheng-Hin Lim Facts belie America’s critique that China is in Africa for resource extraction only In his recent state visit to Kenya and Ethiopia—his fourth presidential visit to the African continent—US President Barack Obama argued that Africa’s economic engagement with the US offers the best opportunity for economic …

By Mike Ibrahim Okumu The culture of earning without effort leads to low productivity, more shirking and theft at work Corruption can be categorised as grand, bureaucratic/petty, and legislative. Grand corruption involves the executive undertaking public policy choices that do not necessarily benefit the general public but rather are in …

By Agather Atuhaire How politics defeated financial logic In the run-up to the last presidential and parliamentary elections in 2011, Irish Times reporter Jody Clarke wrote a story under the headline “How to keep winning elections –Uganda style”. It reported on the frustration caused by last-minute demarcation of new electoral …