By Patrick Kagenda When Orange Telecom, the fifth telephony company on the Ugandan market, launched its operations on Tuesday Mar 10, existing players reacted in different ways. MTN (Uganda) Chief Marketing Officer, Mr Isaac Nsereko, told The Independent that five operators are too big for the Ugandan market which is …
Read More »Social health insurance: who benefits?
By Patrick Kagenda The government is pushing for compulsory National Health Insurance policy amidst widespread public skepticism. The Independent’s Patrick Kagenda spoke to the World Bank’s Senior Health Specialist Peter Okwero who says it could take 15 years before tangible results are seen on the ground. What is a National …
Read More »Capital market jittery as NSSF fears to invest
By Patrick Kagenda As stockbrokers and punters eagerly wait for the return of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) to trading on the Uganda Securities Exchange in Kampala, regional financial markets experts are concerned about its management. Company Secretary Martin Bandebire, who is NSSF’s acting managing director, has not said …
Read More »Bujagali people have all been compensated “ Minister D’ujanga
By Patrick Kagenda The Independent’s Patrick Kagenda talked to the minister of State for Energy, Eng. Simon D`ujanga about the power sector and Umeme’s announcing major increases in connection fees. What is the future of the Karuma power project after Nopak pulled out? Is it likely to become a white …
Read More »Inflation steady at 13%
By Patrick Kagenda So why is BoU celebrating? Even if we might not bring inflation down, we will keep it steady and predictable. That is the message Bank of Uganda appears determined to send out as it struggles to anchor economic expectations amid fears of the global economic meltdown hitting …
Read More »Syda Bbumba’s burden
By Patrick Kagenda Traders say Finance ministry should not stick to blue skies strategies in the global financial storm On February 16, the Ministry of Finance had five ministers: top minister Ezra Suruma and his four ministers of state: Salim saleh (micro- finance); Semakula Kiwanuka (Investment); Kagimu Kiwanuka (Economic Monitoring), …
Read More »Securities Exchange wants NSSF back in the market
By Patrick Kagenda Simon Rutega, CEO of the Uganda Security Exchange, tells The Independent’s Patrick Kagenda that the absence of the National Social Security Fund distorts and depresses the long-term funds market How has the Uganda Securities Exchange been faring under the global economic slowdown? A global recession will obviously …
Read More »Global crisis affecting revenues – Dr Suruma
By Patrick Kagenda Finance Minister Dr Ezra Suruma tells The Independent’s Patrick Kagenda and Joseph Were why, despite the closure of GTV attributed to the global economic crisis, the Uganda economy is still sound. Has the closure of GTV led you to change your earlier position that the global crisis …
Read More »Foreign competition threatens indigenous insurance companies
By Patrick Kagenda After failing to take over the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) in 2005 in the teeth of competition from Nigeria’s Industrial and General Insurance (IGI), the Kenyan firm Apollo Pan African (APA) Insurance has at last made its way on to the Ugandan financial market. APA, which owns …
Read More »Uganda rail at crossroads as attention shifts to Dar
By Patrick Kagenda US gives Shs 1.8 trillion for rail link from Dar to Kigali Businessmen and women importing and exporting goods into Uganda often complain about high taxes. But they complain more about the high cost of transport. They say transport costs are the single leading cause of high …
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