Artisanal miners make a killing from ‘illegal’ gold mining as district authorities, government cry out for more revenue From a distance, “Saigon City” in Lubaali— Kayonza, Kitumbi Sub-County in Mubende District, resembles a desperately crowded refugee camp. Here, hundreds of congested makeshift tents and lodging structures are mostly dressed or …
Read More »Uganda’s rich and the rest
Special Report on the future of poverty in Uganda Ugandans often jokingly say people from western Uganda “are eating” to mean that they are economically prospering. It is also often a jibe at westerners because they are the “ruling clan” since President Yoweri Museveni hails from western Uganda. So when …
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 »ANALYSIS: Massacre on Masaka road
Are the rampant deaths on this highway a result of undisciplined motorists only? This is the car in which Bukomansimbi Woman MP died. It is a navy blue saloon car whose face is punched-in from colliding head-on with an oncoming car. That one over there is where the NTV …
Read More »Uganda Army killings
What is driving soldiers to kill, commit suicide? Recently, on June 6, Sergeant Isaac Obua, a UPDF soldier attached to Makindye Military Barracks in the southeastern division of Kampala sent the nation in shock when he shot and killed seven people including children. He was shot and killed by his …
Read More »Bastille Day 2016: The ancient meets the new
The Ambassador of France to Uganda, Sophie Makame speaks to The Independent’s Ronald Musoke about the relevancy today of the 227th anniversary of Bastille Day – the day when, on July 14, 1789, an angry mob marched onto the Bastille prison and triggered the French Revolution. Why is the storming …
Read More »Dadaab Camp closure will worsen Uganda’s refugee situation
The imminent closure of Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp will stretch Uganda’s already meagre resources for refugees, Hilary Onek, the country’s minister of relief, disaster preparedness and refugees has said. “Uganda is experiencing an influx of refugees who have been living in neighbouring countries but have now been chased,” Onek said. …
Read More »Entebbe Road madness
One of the temporary inconveniences that are making branding Uganda more complicated Amos Wekesa, arguably the face of Uganda’s tourism industry and self-confessed ‘brand ambassador’ for the country, rarely, if ever, makes negative comments about his country in public. He travels around the world marketing the country in his ‘I’m …
Read More »The Independent’s Musoke wins Uganda’s best journalist award
The Independent’s Ronald Musoke wins Exceptional Journalism Award It was an unforgettable day for The Independent when Ronald Musoke scooped the Nile Breweries Award for Exceptional Journalism at the Uganda National Journalism Awards organised by African Centre for Media Excellence. Musoke had earlier been presented with the award for …
Read More »Uganda’s opportunism and Israel’s pragmatism
By Ronald Musoke Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit shines a new spot-light on secret dealings between Kampala and Tel-Aviv Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Uganda has not yet been confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kampala but already interest in it has peaked. It started …
Read More »