Princess Elizabeth Bagaya has described the death of Omukama Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV as a painful loss to a kingdom that was beginning to see the late king emerge as a pillar of development. Bagaya who is currently 90 years is a paternal aunt to Omukama Oyo and was the Batebe (Chief Princess) during the reign of her brother Omukama Patrick Mathew David Olimi III. While speaking to Journalists at Karuzika Palace on Saturday, Bagaya said Oyo had many plans for Tooro and died at a time when he was still optimistic about what he could achieve for his people. Bagaya said she would have preferred that God took the older members instead of the young king. “Oyo died when he had just started,” she said. “He loved his people so much and had high hopes of the things he was going to do for his people, but...

PDM thieves have been put on notice! The long arm of the law is coming for anyone who dipped their hands into money meant to lift poor Ugandans out of poverty, with the Director of Crime Intelligence, AIGP Major General Christopher Damulira, telling suspects to surrender to Police before detectives catch up with them. Damulira issued the chilling warning during a week-long review of the Police-led Operation Rejesha Tumaini, the crackdown targeting individuals accused of stealing or mismanaging Parish Development Model (PDM) funds. His message was blunt: if you touched PDM money illegally, your days are numbered. “Report yourselves to Police before we come for you,” Damulira warned those involved in the alleged theft and abuse of the programme. The General was speaking during PDM operation review meetings in Eastern Uganda attended by Resident City and District Commissioners, Internal Security Officers, Regional Police Commanders, prosecutors from the Directorate of Public...

KAMPALA — The leadership drama at the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) has taken another twist after Energy Minister Dr Monica Musenero said a substantive successor to outgoing Executive Director Ernest Rubondo has already been selected — but stopped short of revealing the name. Instead, Musenero has appointed Otonga Michael Ochan, the Authority’s Director of Finance and Corporate Services, as Acting Executive Director, leaving the oil regulator in the unusual position of having an allegedly identified successor whose identity remains under wraps. The big question now doing the rounds in petroleum and energy circles is simple: If the new boss has already been picked, why can’t Government name him or her? The silence has fuelled fresh speculation that the battle over who should take over from Rubondo may not yet be completely over. PAU Board Chairperson Lynda Biribonwa confirmed that the transition to a new Executive Director is underway but...

By Amos Tayebwa For Uganda’s growing army of young developers, the journey from an idea to a digital product used by thousands can be long, expensive and uncertain. Across the country, innovators are developing solutions in agriculture, transport, finance, health and commerce. Startups such as SafeBoda, Numida, Emata and XENO have demonstrated the potential of home-grown technology. But having a good idea is only the beginning. For many young entrepreneurs, the bigger challenge is turning code into a commercially viable business. Access to payment systems, technical support, customers and digital skills can determine whether a promising prototype remains an idea or becomes a sustainable enterprise. This is where MTN and MTN MoMo Uganda are increasingly playing a role, providing platforms that help innovators move from development to commercialisation. At the centre of this opportunity is the MTN Mobile Money Open API platform. Launched first in Uganda in November 2018, the...

KAMPALA – The death of Tooro King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV has left a deep void, with MTN Uganda Board Chairman Charles Mbire paying an emotional tribute to the fallen monarch and pledging Shs100 million towards his burial arrangements. Mbire on Thursday visited the late King’s residence in Buziga, Kampala, where he joined the royal family and the people of Tooro in mourning the passing of the young monarch. Speaking on behalf of the MTN Uganda Board, management and staff, Mbire described King Oyo’s death as a major loss not only to the Kingdom of Tooro but to the entire country. “On behalf of the MTN Uganda Board, management and staff, I extend our deepest condolences to the royal family, the people of Tooro and all Ugandans. King Oyo diligently carried the hopes of his people, and his passing is a great loss to the nation,” Mbire said....

KAMPALA – The long-delayed construction of Parliament’s new chambers has entered a decisive phase after Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth gave ROKO Construction a strict 10-month deadline to complete the project. The Speaker announced the ultimatum during Wednesday, September 2nd plenary sitting, saying the Parliamentary Commission had resolved to enforce June 30, 2027 as the final completion date. The decision followed a comprehensive inspection of the new parliamentary chamber site by the Parliamentary Commission on August 26, 2026. ROKO officials who attended the meeting with the Commission and project consultants reportedly committed in writing to deliver the project within the new deadline. “The completion of the Chamber shall be achieved by June 30th, 2027. The contractor has made a commitment in writing, and we shall closely monitor execution to ensure this deadline is strictly honoured,” Oboth said. The Speaker said the Commission had reviewed the causes of the delays, including structural...

KAMPALA – Uganda is staring down a potentially turbulent rainy season after the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned that El Niño is set to intensify into a very strong event, raising the risk of floods, landslides, extreme heat and other weather disasters into 2027. The WMO says there is an “exceptionally high likelihood of nearly 100%” that El Niño will persist through February 2027, with the phenomenon expected to strengthen further before reaching its peak towards the end of this year. The warning comes as Uganda prepares for increased rainfall between September and December, with the Ministry of Water and Environment forecasting near-normal to above-normal rains across most parts of the country, accompanied by warmer-than-average temperatures. The Ministry has warned that the intensifying El Niño, combined with an expected shift to a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) around October, could enhance rainfall particularly across central, northern and eastern Uganda. And...

KAMPALA – Uganda has secured a massive $1.7 billion (about Shs6.42 trillion) health financing package from the United States to strengthen the country’s health sector over the next four years. The deal was sealed on Thursday through a Strategic Objective Agreement (SOAG) covering the period 2026 to 2030, opening a new chapter in the longstanding health partnership between Uganda and the US. The agreement gives Uganda direct access to US government support for the prevention, detection and response to emerging and existing infectious disease threats. It also marks a major shift in how American health assistance will be delivered, with more funding expected to flow directly to the Government of Uganda rather than predominantly through non-governmental organisations, private charities and community groups. The agreement operationalises the Memorandum of Understanding signed on December 10, 2025, under which the US committed the $1.7 billion support package. Finance Minister Henry Musasizi welcomed the...

For a company that revolutionised how Ugandans moved around Kampala, Uber’s sudden departure may look like an ordinary business decision. But beneath the official language of a “thorough review” lies a more complicated story about cash, commissions, driver behaviour, cheap fares, fierce competition and a business model that struggled to fully control the market it created. Uber switched off its Ugandan operations on September 2, 2026, ending about a decade of operations in Kampala. The company has not publicly blamed competition, driver behaviour or profitability, saying only that it had reviewed its business priorities and decided to wind down operations in Uganda and Nigeria. Yet the Ugandan experience exposes one of the biggest problems facing global ride-hailing platforms: an app can connect the customer and driver, but it cannot always control what happens after they meet. UBER BECAME THE MATCHMAKER, NOT THE MARKETPLACE The original promise was simple. A passenger...