NEWS ANALYSIS

As she juggles the two projects of her life; the construction of Uganda’s first ever oil refinery and the joint venture with international oil companies to construct the country’s first ever oil pipeline, Energy Minister Irene Muloni is working around some tough deadlines. The one that appears to be cast …

20% decline in supply at Mombasa auction in first 10 weeks of 2017 pushes prices up Prices of tea at the Mombasa Auction, the world’s second largest selling centre have been high this selling season – at US$3 per kg in the first 10 weeks of 2017 compared to US$2 …

Washington, United States | AFP | Eight months ago, James Comey hampered Hillary Clinton’s White House bid with a damning assessment of her email practices. On Monday, the powerful FBI chief lobbed another bombshell into the world of US politics — this time directed at the sitting president, Donald Trump. …

Expensive hotels: Top operators offer solutions to trend threatening tourism sector Build more high-end hotels and attract more international hotel chains to create competition and lower rates. Those are some of the views of experts in Uganda’s hotel sector about the high costs of hotel accommodation in Uganda which they …

Details of accusations against Isabalija emerge In what appears to be a continuing standoff between the Secretary to Treasury (ST), Keith Muhakanizi and officials of the Uganda Electricity Generation Company Ltd (UEGCL), The Independent has learnt that Muhakanizi was apparently blocked from auditing UEGCL accounts. The Independent has obtained a …

EAC member states must do something flying geese do very well: have a leader Burundi’s recent attempt to join the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has been blocked. But it raises questions about what EAC member states should do about its cold neighbour. Burundi, which has been a member of …

Bangui, Central African Republic | AFP |  With a spike in militia killings, a deepening humanitarian crisis and the army still in shambles, the Central African Republic’s bid for peace and stability remains elusive. A three-year civil war that erupted in 2013 between Muslim and Christian militias left thousands of …

Washington, United States | AFP | Stark differences between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on everything from trade to immigration were in full view during an icy first meeting at the White House Friday. In a frequently awkward joint press conference, Trump and Merkel showed little common …

Washington, United States | AFP | Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says diplomacy has failed and military action against nuclear-armed North Korea is an “option on the table,” and President Donald Trump insists a long-range nuke from Pyongyang “won’t happen.” While war with North Korea may be unlikely for now, …

Tripoli, Libya | AFP | Dozens of armed factions have battled for control of oil-rich Libya since the 2011 fall of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi. This week, four days of intense fighting saw pro-unity government armed forces expand their control in the capital Tripoli, where dozens of militias operate. Further east, …