Category: News

The World Health Organization places Uganda as the highest alcohol consuming nation in Africa. Though it is disputed, we can confidently say that Uganda is a large consumer of alcohol. Certainly, alcohol production and sales are a leading business in Uganda. Through sales, breweries are the highest tax paying corporate entities in Uganda. This is evident through the glaring billboards in Ugandan towns and cities. When travelling through the highways of Uganda we can witness many large trucks (now also the three-wheelers) transporting hundreds of beer crates across the country. Perhaps, the high profit and huge taxes base blinds the relevant authorities to see the malevolence that alcoholism brings on its people, especially on youth and school going children.

We can assuredly say that adolescents as young as 12 to 14 years of age are the most adversely affected by this social malady. Unfortunately, this social evil is escalating to a skyrocketing proportion year after year. It is high time we put an end to it for the wellbeing of growing youth on whom the future depends on.

In some regions of the country, every family is burdened with an alcoholic addict who is often considered a ‘victim’. Many education institutions frequently dismiss a considerable number of learners due to this misbehaviour. An addicted adolescent often becomes an unbearable nuisance as an adult. With alcoholic learners and young adults, institutions of learning and earning often suffer great losses which are often not quantified.

It is sad to note that this cancerous malady is not discussed and easily condoned. The more we condone, we are pushing more and more youth and families to peril. Advertising and promoting alcohol, its new products and brands, and its growing profits is a sign that we are unconcerned about the wellbeing of youth and undermine social progress. For example, in Gulu city, on the Gulu-Kampala Highway monument-like huge billboards and representations of popular alcoholic brands promoting alcohol consumption. Advertising alcohol cannot be just pushed away as ‘it is part of the business’. A right-thinking citizen should ask, ‘Where is the corporate responsibility?’

These manifestations of the society loudly say that it values profit, business, entertainment, easy-living, and leisure more important than moral upbringing of the young minds. Let us put it in a global perspective: ‘The contribution of alcohol consumption to global mortality is estimated to be 5.3 % which is higher than mortality due to tuberculosis (2.3 %), HIV/AIDS (1.8 %), diabetes (2.8 %) and road injuries (2.5 %). Alcohol use leads to about 3 million deaths globally. It is the third leading risk factor for poor health globally and harmful use of alcohol was responsible for almost 4% of all deaths in the world, according to the estimates for 2018.’

Now let us put it in our context: ‘Butabika Hospital records show that during child and adolescent clinic days that run every Tuesday and Wednesday, over 100 children (minors, those below the age of 18) are diagnosed with mental illness resulting from alcohol and substance abuse.’ Alcohol is an easily accessible substance which is cheap, easily carried, and concealed. Though it is clearly marked, ‘Not to be sold to persons below 18 years of age,’ it is sold without hindrance or guilt of conscience. Perhaps, adults send children to buy them.

Various reports and research a few years ago record that in Uganda, 23% of school-going children (12 to 24 years) use addictive substances, especially alcohol (19.3%) and Kuber (smokeless tobacco, used sublingually) at 4.4%. More recent reports mention up to 28% of Ugandan adolescents, including girls, take alcohol. In the process of addiction, early initiation is significant; it is always found that over a third begin their drinking habits before the age of 18. Alcoholism remains as a leading cause of school dropout in Uganda.

Cheap and easily accessible commercial Spirits—different brands of waragi, vodica and various flavoured and sweetened energy drinks make children and young people easily become addicted. They are easily carried in tiny bottles and sockets and pocket-friendly for high school boys and girls as little as 200 to 1,000 Uganda Shillings. Certainly, they use crude ingredients and harmful chemicals.

Without any doubt, alcohol use greatly affects a student’s quality of learning and academic performance, leading to drop out of school. They are prone to making changes to the extent that they feel socially accepted. This affects their emotional stability, making right judgment and eventually loss of self-esteem. Other eventual problems and grave mistakes such as drug abuse, sex abuse, traffic accidents, suicides and many other problems of violence are sure to come. The risk of damage to vital organs such as brain, liver, and kidneys and sexual dysfunction is highly possible.

Alcoholism is the leading cause of school and academic problems such as absenteeism, lower grades, disinterest in school, unwanted, unplanned and unprotected sexual activity, and physical harm inflicted on oneself and others. The only decision a school can take on a student with alcoholic issues is immediate dismissal, which oftentimes does not root out the problem on the minor concerned. But at the same time, the schools do not have another option, so as to safeguard the name of the school and to protect other innocent learners.

Now it is a communal task of the government bodies, educational leaders, elders in the society and above all parents to work together and fight this vice sooner than later. Priority should be given to the wellbeing of children, minors and youth in school with stricter laws and mindful supervision.

Rev. Fr. Lazar Arasu SDB

Priest and school administrator.

Government plans to rehabilitate 120 traditional secondary schools in a bid to upgrade their infrastructure and make them competitive with the newly built seed schools.

The State Minister for Education and Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, revealed this during the plenary sitting on Wednesday, 26 August 2026 while responding to a concern raised by Hon. Peter Obong Acuda.

According to Obong, traditional secondary schools are deteriorating and losing students to seed secondary schools because their structures are outdated and not up to standard.
“With the Competency-Based Curriculum [CBC] that requires fully equipped laboratories and functional structures like libraries, government should first do research before constructing new schools” he said adding that, ’schools like Akokoro SS are disadvantaged because of the old structures and attract few students yet the seed secondary schools are overwhelmed’.

Ogwang acknowledged the problem and said government has a programme to renovate traditional schools with 120 schools constructed between the 1960s and 1980s earmarked for rehabilitation.
“We will undertake renovations of Comboni College, Lango College, St. Catherine Girls School, Dr. Obote College, Adwari SS and Aloi SS,” Ogwang said.

He added that government will work with development partners to rehabilitate more schools beyond the initial 120.

Kalungu West MP, Hon. Gonzaga Ssewungu asked government to take the primary schools into consideration.

“When you talk about rehabilitation of secondary schools, key attention should be given to Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools since many of them are condemned,” Ssewungu said.

He noted that while most secondary schools charge fees, UPE schools survive on only capitation grants yet many lack basic facilities.
“I implore the minister to give key attention to primary schools. Most don’t even have toilets,” he added.

Ogwang responded that resources are channeled through local governments and urged MPs to take an active role as ex-officials in their district councils.

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Police in the Kampala Metropolitan Area have arrested five suspects and recovered 12 suspected stolen motorcycles following an intelligence-led operation targeting a network involved in motorcycle theft and disposal.

The operation was conducted on August 25, 2026, at about 5:00pm in the Ndeeba area under Katwe Division, Kampala District, following growing public concern over the theft of motorcycles in the city.

Police said the operation was triggered by the theft of motorcycle registration number UMA 330NR, which had been reported at Nabweru Police Station.

Following investigations and intelligence gathering, a police task team traced the motorcycle to Busabala in Katwe Division, where two male suspects were arrested in connection with the theft.

The suspects were identified as Mugisha Ivan, 28, and Kabanda David, 25.

According to preliminary investigations, the suspects target relatively new motorcycles and allegedly conceal them after theft while waiting for their tracking devices to be removed.

Police said the motorcycles are subsequently transported to Ndeeba, where tracking devices are removed before the motorcycles are allegedly sold for about Shs1.7 million each.

The two suspects reportedly led investigators to Ndeeba, where they allegedly identified individuals and locations suspected to have been involved in the disposal of stolen motorcycles over the past three months.

The operation subsequently led to the impounding of 12 suspected stolen motorcycles, which have been taken into police custody pending further investigations. Additional suspects were also arrested, bringing the total number of suspects in custody to five.

Preliminary findings indicate that the stolen motorcycles are disposed of through different methods. Some are allegedly dismantled and sold as spare parts, while others are reportedly modified to make them appear old before being resold.

Police said investigations are ongoing to establish the full extent of the network, identify other suspects and trace the rightful owners of the recovered motorcycles.

The operation is part of efforts by police to respond to the rising cases of motorcycle theft and disrupt criminal networks involved in stealing, altering and disposing of stolen motorcycles.

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Dokta Brain is not leaving much room for doubt when it comes to his confidence as a songwriter.

Speaking during an interview with Galaxy TV’s Rewind team, the singer and hitmaker said his creative process is built around one simple rule: a song must earn its place in the studio before he considers it a finished record.

Having written music for several artists, Dokta Brain noted that he has developed an instinct for knowing when an idea has enough substance to become a song and when it is better left as a concept.

“I killed the thought of making a bad song. Every song I write, I first make sure it’s good before I call it a track; otherwise, it’s just an idea.”

That confidence also allows him to write with different artists in mind. Rather than forcing every composition into his own catalogue, he considers the character of the song and the performer who would bring it to life.

Some songs, he explained, simply make more sense in another artist’s voice.

“For me to pick a song and sing it myself, it depends on many things. Some are feminine and I can’t sing them, so I sell them. There are some I make and are rap songs, and I see that maybe Crysto Panda can sing it. Then I can make a personal song and it touches just me.”

For Dokta Brain, songwriting is therefore not only about creating music, but also about understanding where a particular song belongs.

His experience has, over time, made that judgment almost instinctive. He says he can often recognise the potential of a composition before it has even taken its final shape.

And when inspiration strikes, the process can move surprisingly quickly.

Dokta Brain pointed to Pretty Banks’ “Insido” as one example, revealing that the song took him just 35 minutes to complete. He also recalled working on “Babandana” by Grenade Official in similarly swift fashion.

“‘Insido’ was 35 minutes, and for ‘Babandana’ of Grenade Official, it was also done in a short time. I couldn’t believe I managed that.”

For an artist who moves comfortably between performer and songwriter, Dokta Brain’s biggest strength may be his ability to recognise a song’s identity early.

Enock Mugabi aka iWitness is a Journalist, Seasoned Writer and Music Analyst with a passion for sports.
Connect with him on social media using the links below in bio.