News anchor and journalist Canary Mugume has shared his thoughts on why former lovers continue to follow each other on social media even after ending their relationships.
Speaking on a podcast, Canary was asked why ex-partners in Kampala often remain connected on social media. He suggested that, in some cases, the continued connection could be a sign of “unfinished business.”
According to Canary, some people end relationships on bad terms but continue following each other because they still hope something might happen between them, including the possibility of getting back together. He also believes others do it to keep tabs on their former partners and compare how they are doing after the breakup.
They ended perhaps on a bad note and feel like something needs to happen for them to maybe get back together but also want to prove a point, am I doing better than them.
He added that some people use social media to show their exes that they have moved on and are now doing better without them, a behaviour he described as “nonsensical.”
Canary, however, noted that following an ex does not necessarily mean there are still feelings involved. He warned that constantly seeing an ex’s posts can sometimes be emotionally triggering and may even affect a person’s current relationship.
I don’t know if it’s right or wrong because it doesn’t necessarily mean anything to follow your ex on social media; however, it could be triggering. You could see posts that are triggering and could take you back and could affect your current relationship.
For Canary, the best approach after a relationship ends is to truly move forward rather than remain emotionally attached through social media.
“I feel like if you’ve moved on, you should move on,” he concluded.
Socialite and businesswoman Bad Black has opened up about the pressure mature women face as they try to keep up with younger women, admitting that age is catching up but she is not ready to leave the spotlight to girls in their 20s.
Speaking on Galaxy FM, Bad Black, who is in her mid-30s, revealed that some of the body changes she has recently undergone are part of her efforts to stay on trend and remain competitive with younger women.
Age is catching up but we are competing with young children. I won’t accept to grow old. We are now competing with girls who are 20. We need to show them that we can be in their space.
Bad Black, who has started a media tour to rally support for her upcoming Beyond The Scars event next month, also explained that her relationship has contributed to the pressure she feels to maintain her appearance.
She said her man is younger and she does not want to give younger women an opportunity to win his attention.
The socialite further opened up about the physical toll of the procedures she has undergone, revealing that the past month has not been easy as she continues to recover.
Life hasn’t been easy for the previous one month since I was under medical procedures, but now I’m remaining with two weeks to be able to sit properly.
Despite the challenges, Bad Black remains determined to maintain her presence in the space she has built for herself while preparing for her Beyond The Scars event.
Six Ugandan truck drivers are missing after armed men reportedly abducted them and seized their trucks in Bor Town, Jonglei State, South Sudan.
The drivers were reportedly abducted between Tuesday and Wednesday morning at Mina Fish Port and Lew-dier docking site in Bor Town.
The two landing sites along the White Nile are major fish trading points in South Sudan, where businessmen export fish to Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other East African countries.
Isaac Katabazi, the Board Chairperson of the Alliance for Heavy Trucks Federation, told URN on Wednesday that the armed men seized six trucks from the drivers.
Some of the confiscated trucks have registration numbers UAF 901U, SSD 517E and UA 861 and were being used to transport fish.
Katabazi said reports from truck drivers who remained stranded in Bor indicate that the armed men are suspected to be soldiers of the South Sudan People’s Defence Forces (SSPDF).
He said the trucks were allegedly seized to transport local militias involved in fighting rebels mounting armed resistance against the South Sudan government in Jonglei State.
Efforts to obtain a comment from Maj. Gen. Lul Ruai Koang, the SSPDF spokesperson, were unsuccessful by press time.
Katabazi also said two other Ugandan drivers, identified only as Rasta and Ashraf, sustained injuries after they were allegedly beaten when they resisted attempts to seize their trucks.
He said the injured drivers were receiving treatment at health facilities in Bor, while several other truck drivers had gone into hiding for fear of being attacked.
One of the drivers, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed that he was in hiding after allegedly being severely assaulted and having his truck taken.
The driver said he escaped on foot after his attempt to drive away failed, despite having been assigned a security guard.
“The attackers assaulted me severely. When I moved out and moved a short distance, I found my boss, who asked me to park. I had been allocated a security person who moved out with my big phone to speak with my boss. I used the chance to get out of the car and fled into hiding. But my back is hurting because of the assault,” he said.
Katabazi said he had contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the incident and called for urgent diplomatic intervention to secure the release of the missing drivers and recover the seized trucks.
He warned that the incident could negatively affect trade between Uganda and South Sudan, particularly given the longstanding concerns over attacks, harassment and insecurity involving Ugandan truck drivers along the Nimule-Juba highway.
“I’m appealing to everybody and all stakeholders this time not to allow the drivers to get hurt because I know the circumstances that will come out. However much they want to use our trucks, they shouldn’t harm us; they should not beat us,” Katabazi said.
He urged the South Sudanese government to direct security authorities in Jonglei State to negotiate for the safe return of the seized trucks and the protection of Ugandan drivers.
“Let there be negotiations on how we are going to get our trucks back and the security of our people,” Katabazi said.
Katabazi warned that Ugandan truck drivers could lay down their tools if the South Sudanese government fails to act and secure the release of the missing drivers.
Ugandan truck drivers have repeatedly staged protests at Elegu, a border town in Amuru District, over insecurity and alleged harassment in South Sudan.
In May this year, long-distance truck drivers staged a week-long protest over alleged extortion, harassment and illegal roadblocks imposed by South Sudanese security personnel.
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Bad Black has opened up about her recovery journey after undergoing a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) surgery to enhance her figure and appearance.
During a recent interview, the mother of four was seen struggling to sit normally, spending most of the time either lying on her stomach or standing as she spoke.
Bad Black revealed that the past month has been challenging as she continues to undergo medical procedures related to her recovery. However, she says she is now making progress and expects to resume sitting comfortably in about two weeks.
“So far, for the past one month, life has not been okay or smooth. I’ve been under medical procedures. My BBL butt had become a challenge. For now, I have only two weeks left before I can start sitting comfortably.”
According to the socialite, sitting still feels strange because she has not yet fully adjusted to the changes brought about by the surgery.
“At the moment, when I sit, it feels weird. You know how it feels when something is just placed on you? I haven’t felt myself as before. I haven’t owned it.”
Despite the challenges, Bad Black remains optimistic about completing her recovery and returning to her normal routine.
Police in Tororo District have launched a manhunt for a driver who reportedly knocked to death a casual laborer at Tororo Cement Factory.
The deceased has been identified as 32-year-old Yonasan Ochwo, a resident of Ramogi Cell, Amagoro Ward, in Osukuru town council.
According to police, the incident occurred on August 16th around 11:00 pm at Tororo Cement Factory premises, where a speeding vehicle registration number KDQ 618U/ZD3857 knocked another vehicle registration number KCQ 045U/ZA 1932 that was parked at the factory premises and instantly killed Yonasan Ochwo, who was on it tying a tape line from the rear end.
Moses Johnson Mugwe, the Bukedi South police spokesperson, said that the case was reported to police and the scene was visited by the traffic police officers and other officers.
The preliminary finding indicates that the cause of the accident was due to reckless driving by the driver of the vehicle registration number KDQ618U/ZD3857.
He condemned the driver’s actions and said that they have launched a manhunt for the driver of the vehicle registration number KDQ618U/ZD3857, whose name was not disclosed, as it may jeopardize the police investigation.
The body of the deceased was still kept in the mortuary at Tororo Hospital pending postmortem reports at the time of filing this story, and the vehicle of the accused driver was taken by police at Tororo Central Police Station as police carried out investigations.
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British Afroswing group NSG has arrived in Kampala ahead of the highly anticipated Sounds of the Diaspora concert, set for Saturday, 22 August 2026, at the UMA Showgrounds in Lugogo.
The group kicked off its Kampala activities with a meet-and-greet at Club Guvnor, where fans had the chance to interact with the musicians, take photographs and get a taste of the energy expected at the main concert.
NSG, known for blending Afrobeats with UK rap, dancehall and hip-hop, will headline the concert as part of its Kampala appearance.
The Sounds of the Diaspora concert, organised by Guvnor Uganda and Bandali Manor, will bring together international and Ugandan performers in a celebration of African music and the influence of the diaspora.
Ugandan acts lined up for the event include Fik Fameica, MUN G, Aaronx and Tojo 256, who will join NSG on the main stage.
The entertainment will also feature DJ sets from DJ Alisha, DJ Vanss, DJ Linus and other DJs, with a mix of Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip-hop, dancehall and other urban sounds expected throughout the night.
The event will be hosted by Viana Indi, HYPE CARTEL, PEST MC and other entertainers.
The organisers say the concert is designed to offer a premium live entertainment experience while giving Ugandan artists an opportunity to perform alongside internationally recognised talent.
They also say the event reflects Guvnor Uganda’s efforts to bring major international acts to Kampala and contribute to the growth of Uganda’s entertainment industry.
The main concert will take place on Saturday at the UMA Showgrounds, Lugogo.
A single ticket costs Shs75,000, while a table for four goes for Shs1.5 million and a table for eight costs Shs2.5 million.
A storm has erupted around the proposed NUSAF 4 project, with senior officials at the Office of the Prime Minister facing sharp scrutiny over a project design that allocates a staggering Sh59.3 billion to project management with questions arising why too much of the borrowed money is being swallowed by administration instead of reaching poor Ugandans.
The controversy exploded last Friday when a meeting convened to brief Members of Parliament from beneficiary 104 districts on the design and implementation of NUSAF 4 ended prematurely after Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja rejected key aspects of the proposed design.
The proposed programme, worth about Sh1.02 trillion, is expected to run for five years across 104 districts covering roughly 60 percent of Uganda.
But instead of giving the project a green light, Nabbanja stormed into the meeting after being alerted to concerns raised by MPs and challenged the NUSAF team over what she described as excessive administrative expenditure and a design change that could fail to put enough money directly into productive activities.
At the centre of the controversy is the Sh59.3 billion set aside for project management.
The allocation is part of the proposed project’s four major components and has triggered questions about whether taxpayers are getting value for money from a programme being financed through borrowed funds.
The NUSAF team presented a design in which Sh504.2 billion would go towards sustainability enhancement, Sh89 billion towards transformational delivery systems, Sh370.7 billion towards strengthening safety nets for enhanced resilience and human development, while Sh59.3 billion would be consumed by project management.
Dr Robert Limlim is the NUSAF project team leader.
The figures have raised eyebrows among MPs who want to know why such a huge amount is required to administer a project whose primary objective is supposed to be lifting vulnerable households out of poverty.
Nabbanja was particularly unhappy with the proposal to target approximately 400,000 households through Labour Intensive Public Works, arguing that NUSAF 4 should put greater emphasis on productive activities capable of generating sustainable household incomes.
The Prime Minister warned officials against designing a programme in which a substantial chunk of the borrowed money could disappear into administration, coordination and other overheads.
She reminded MPs that the money is borrowed and will eventually have to be repaid by Ugandans.
“This money is going to be paid by you, your grandparents, our fathers, our children,” Nabbanja told the meeting, insisting that the funds must be put to their best possible use.
Her intervention effectively halted the meeting and sent the NUSAF team back to the drawing board.
The Prime Minister had initially been represented by Minister in Charge of General Duties Hilary Onek, but made an unexpected appearance after concerns raised by MPs reached her.
She disagreed with the presentation led by Dr Robert Limlim, the NUSAF project team leader, and questioned whether the proposed interventions adequately addressed the needs of beneficiaries.
Several MPs had already expressed dissatisfaction with the presentation, accusing the project team of giving them an inadequate summary without supplying sufficient documentation to allow proper scrutiny.
Dodoth West County MP Baatom Ben Koryang of Karenga District called for the steering team to return to the drawing board, incorporate the Prime Minister’s recommendations and reconvene Parliament with a revised proposal.
He also questioned why MPs had not been given copies of the detailed project design.
Kilak North MP Antony Akol of Amuru District said MPs could not meaningfully recommend reallocations or changes without knowing how the proposed money would be distributed among districts and activities.
He said the presentation had exposed disagreements within the Office of the Prime Minister that needed to be resolved before implementation.
The MPs’ concerns strike at the heart of the Sh1.02 trillion NUSAF 4 plan.
The project is expected to support 200,000 smallholder farmers and micro-enterprises, assist 36,000 youth and women-led enterprises and create an estimated 1.4 million jobs during implementation.
It is also expected to support 400,000 households through climate-smart and disaster-risk-financing Labour Intensive Public Works and improve nutrition among children during the first 1,000 days of life by supporting 20,000 pregnant and lactating mothers.
But lawmakers are demanding to know whether the proposed design will actually deliver these benefits or whether too much money will be consumed before it reaches communities.
Minister Onek proposed a different approach, suggesting that 70 percent of the funds should go directly towards productive activities, 25 percent towards marketing and only five percent towards software and related systems.
That proposal effectively puts the spotlight on the current structure, particularly the amount being allocated to management and systems.
The NUSAF 4 programme is being financed by the World Bank and is expected to operate across nine sub-regions, stretching from Busoga through Bunyoro and the Albertine region to West Nile, Acholi, Karamoja and Teso.
The programme officially commenced on April 20, 2026, but its implementation now faces fresh uncertainty following the Prime Minister’s rejection of the proposed design.
Some MPs warned that delaying approval could have financial consequences because the loan supporting the programme has already been approved and interest could be accruing.
But Nabbanja insisted that urgency could not be used as an excuse to approve a flawed project.
She directed that the government engage the World Bank to ensure the final design reflects Uganda’s priorities.
The controversy also comes against a background of growing scepticism over the impact of previous NUSAF phases.
Uganda launched NUSAF 1 in 2003 with about Sh370.7 billion, equivalent to $100 million at the stated historical project value, in response to the effects of the LRA insurgency in northern Uganda.
NUSAF 2, introduced in 2009, was worth about Sh500.5 billion, based on its $135 million project value, and focused on recovery, rehabilitation, basic-service infrastructure and livelihood support.
In 2016, government launched NUSAF 3, valued at approximately Sh481.9 billion, equivalent to $130 million, with a stronger focus on resilience, disaster-risk financing, productive inclusion, savings groups and livelihood support.
Now, nearly two decades after the first phase, MPs are demanding evidence that the latest trillion-shilling intervention will deliver substantially better results.
The meeting’s dramatic collapse has therefore opened a new battle over the design, priorities and management of NUSAF 4.
At the centre of the storm is the question of the Sh59.3 billion project-management allocation.
While the project team has presented it as part of the overall cost of implementing the programme, MPs want detailed justification for the amount and a clear breakdown of where every shilling will go.
They are also demanding transparency on how the remaining funds will be distributed across the 104 districts and the various interventions.
The accusations over the project design have now put OPM officials under intense scrutiny, although the available details establish a Sh59.3 billion project-management allocation, not that individual officials personally received the money.
The NUSAF team has been ordered back to the drawing board, with MPs making it clear that they will not simply rubber-stamp a Sh1.02 trillion programme without seeing precisely how much will reach ordinary Ugandans.
For Nabbanja, the message was blunt: NUSAF 4 must be designed around production, livelihoods and household incomes — not bureaucracy.
And for Parliament, the bigger question is whether Uganda is about to borrow another trillion shillings to fight poverty, only for billions to disappear into the machinery created to administer the fight.
More details to follow…
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At least two children have died and three others are receiving treatment in hospital following an alleged stabbing incident in Kalungu Zone, Ggaba, in Kampala’s Makindye Division.
The incident reportedly happened during the night, with residents alleging that the five children were stabbed by their mother during what is believed to have been a domestic dispute.
The woman was also injured in the incident and is currently receiving medical treatment.
Police and other security agencies have opened investigations into the incident and are examining the scene for evidence to establish what happened and the circumstances that led to the stabbing.
The identities and ages of the victims had not been released by Police by the time of publication.
A massive recovery crisis has engulfed the government’s youth and women empowerment funds, with billions of shillings remaining unpaid and Parliament questioning whether the programmes are still viable or have turned into expensive money-chasing schemes.
The latest revelations show that the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development had receivables worth Sh252.49 billion as at June 30, 2025, up from Sh241.93 billion the previous year.
The Auditor General attributed the increase to additional loans advanced to women and youth groups, but the recovery figures paint a grim picture of the government’s revolving-fund model.
Under the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP), Sh169.414 billion was due for recovery, but only Sh41.745 billion — about 25 percent — had been recovered, leaving a staggering Sh127.669 billion outstanding.
The Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP) performed better, but still left a huge hole. Of the Sh67.619 billion due, only Sh41.024 billion, representing about 60 percent, had been recovered, leaving Sh26.595 billion outstanding.
Together, the two programmes had more than Sh154 billion still out in the hands of beneficiaries.
The Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP) is nationally coordinated by Winfred Masiko, who serves as the National Programme Coordinator under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD).
The Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) is nationally coordinated by Paul Onapa, who serves as the National Programme Manager under the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development (MGLSD).
The revelations triggered sharp questioning by Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee, which demanded to know whether government was still getting value from programmes that continue to require money for monitoring and recovery while large amounts remain unpaid.
Wakiso Woman MP Betty Ethel Naluyima challenged officials from the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development to explain whether YLP and UWEP were still economically viable and delivering the intended impact.
The MPs were particularly concerned about the cost of pursuing beneficiaries compared to the money actually being recovered.
The committee was told that approximately Sh25.5 billion was released for the joint YLP and UWEP programme during the 2024/25 financial year, while recoveries during the period stood at only about Sh3 billion.
This raised the uncomfortable question of whether government is spending more money chasing its own money than it is recovering.
Permanent Secretary Aggrey David Kibenge admitted that YLP had suffered serious recovery challenges, with the programme recovering only about a quarter of the money disbursed.
He explained that the programme’s fortunes took a dramatic turn after government redirected resources towards the establishment of 19 youth skilling centres.
YLP’s final major funding allocation stood at about Sh39 billion, but its budget was subsequently slashed to approximately Sh3 billion.
That effectively removed about Sh36 billion that had previously supported the programme and its operations, including beneficiary follow-up and monitoring.
According to Kibenge, the budget cuts coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns, making it even harder for officials to trace beneficiaries and collect the money.
The little money that remained was largely absorbed by salaries and maintenance of the programme management unit at the ministry headquarters, leaving local government officials with limited resources to chase beneficiaries.
The ministry also blamed the nature of youth groups for the poor recovery.
Some beneficiaries reportedly moved away from their original communities, while others abandoned groups after receiving government money.
Some Chief Administrative Officers have since recommended that government consider writing off the unrecovered YLP funds.
But PAC Chairperson Patrick Oshabe Nsamba pushed back hard against the proposal, warning that a write-off could create a dangerous precedent for future government revolving funds.
Nsamba said some beneficiaries appeared to have treated government loans as political donations rather than money that was supposed to be repaid and revolved to other groups.
He questioned why taxpayers should continue funding recovery operations if the eventual collections remain small.
The ministry’s National Programme Coordinator for YLP/UWEP, Winfred Masiko, told MPs that under the programme guidelines, 80 percent of the money goes directly to beneficiary groups, while the remaining 20 percent is meant to support monitoring, verification, technical support, training and recovery by local and central governments.
The programmes currently operate through 177 local government units, including Kampala Capital City Authority.
But Masiko said inadequate operational funding had made recovery difficult.
She said the ministry currently sends about Sh400 million every quarter to local governments to support follow-up activities.
The ministry estimates that approximately Sh330 billion remains outstanding from previous beneficiaries and wants Parliament to increase funding specifically for recovery.
Masiko proposed that at least 10 percent of the outstanding money be provided to finance recovery efforts, arguing that financial institutions routinely spend heavily to recover debts.
That proposal, however, immediately raised eyebrows among MPs.
Mbale City Industrial Division MP Masaba Karim warned that government could end up spending more on chasing debts than the money it eventually recovers.
He argued that many MPs who interact directly with communities already know that some beneficiaries are unlikely to repay the money.
Kioga North MP Geoffrey Ochen also challenged claims that local governments are adequately facilitated to recover the funds.
Drawing from his experience as a former district leader, Ochen said community development officers were often facilitated merely to prepare beneficiary files rather than conduct serious recovery operations.
The Auditor General’s findings further deepen the accountability concerns.
Apart from the massive outstanding loans, the audit found that Sh826.63 million in YLP and UWEP recoveries held at the Bank of Uganda as at June 30, 2025 could not be tagged to any local government or individual beneficiary group.
In other words, even money already recovered could not properly be traced to its source.
The audit also found that domestic arrears at the ministry had ballooned by 176 percent, rising from Sh7.46 billion to Sh20.58 billion, increasing the risk of litigation.
The ministry’s overall strategic funding crisis is equally alarming.
Of the Sh12.571 trillion estimated to implement its 2020/21–2024/25 Strategic Plan, only Sh1.234 trillion was actually provided, leaving a funding gap of approximately Sh11.32 trillion — or 90.05 percent.
The result was widespread partial implementation of planned outputs.
The Auditor General found that out of 20 sampled outputs worth Sh220.4 billion, only two outputs worth Sh7.239 billion were fully implemented, while 16 outputs worth Sh212.592 billion were only partially implemented. Two other outputs worth Sh569 million could not be assessed because of missing performance targets and indicators.
Against this background, MPs are now demanding a complete assessment of the YLP/UWEP recovery model before government pours more money into the programmes.
They want the ministry to establish exactly how much is being spent on recovery, how much is being recovered and whether the exercise makes economic sense.
The committee also questioned how government expects to enforce repayment when most of the funds were advanced without conventional collateral.
The controversy comes as government continues to roll out the Parish Development Model, which was partly designed to consolidate and streamline interventions aimed at increasing household incomes.
Kibenge told the committee that government had previously considered collapsing YLP and UWEP into the Parish Development Model.
Cabinet, however, allowed some funds to remain under the two programmes to facilitate recovery and replenish revolving funds for local governments that perform well.
Since 2022/23, YLP and UWEP have therefore been managed under a joint programme management arrangement.
But with more than Sh154 billion in YLP and UWEP loans officially outstanding, and the ministry estimating that total outstanding obligations from previous beneficiaries could be as high as Sh330 billion, Parliament now faces a difficult choice.
Government can either spend more money chasing the unpaid funds, write off some of the debts, or overhaul the entire revolving-fund model.
For the PAC, however, simply writing off the money is not an option.
MPs warned that treating public loans as political gifts would destroy the revolving nature of the programmes and send a dangerous message to future beneficiaries: take the money today and wait for government to forgive the debt tomorrow.
The committee has consequently demanded clearer accountability for every shilling released for recovery, tighter tracking of beneficiaries and a cost-benefit analysis showing whether additional recovery spending can actually deliver more money to the public purse.
Until then, the question hanging over the Gender Ministry’s flagship youth and women programmes is blunt: is government running a revolving fund — or an expensive system for losing and chasing public money?
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The new British prime minister (yes, there is a new one) has been ubiquitous trying to sell his vision and probably avoid the missteps of his predecessors. In one of the videos he shared on his social media handles, he is seen at a factory that makes trains. He says, artificial intelligence or AI won’t build them. He said AI can write a contract but it won’t make a train like the factory he was visiting or even fix your leaking roof.
Andy Burnham is probably the first political leader of a developed economy to say that on camera. His vision is of seeing technical practical jobs being created alongside digital ones. He also acknowledges the limitations of digital innovation. He called for a reboot of his country’s education system. Desktop jobs may be replaced by AI but the practical ones will still exist.
As Andy Burnham was sharing the video, the Uganda Airlines acting Chief Executive, veteran Ethiopian aviation expert Girma Wake was holding a presser at his Nakasero office in Kampala. Wake was once the top guy at Ethiopian Airlines, well known for its efficiency, safety and profitability — an exception on the continent. His video interview, in less than five minutes, was confidence building. He offered his vision, underlying briefly what is required to ensure the crane continues to soar as high as it is expected. I think it is going to be a long journey but it seems basics are now in place.
One of the things he mentioned was the cost of employment. When Uganda Airlines was collapsed in 2001, Ugandans who had aviation experience moved on. Young people saw no reason to enroll for aviation courses. Those who wanted to pursue certain careers in aviation largely had to finance their education and training outside the country. That is usually very expensive.
Today, Wake told his audience, he relies on foreign staff to operate especially the aircraft on wet leases. He says that is very expensive. He needs Ugandans in those jobs. They are affordable and due to family ties and other reasons are more likely to remain with the airline for the long haul.
Aviation employs many people. With Uganda Airlines expecting to receive its delivery of eight aircraft from Boeing in early 2030s, many people who go to aviation schools today will perhaps have gained some experience by that time. A simple google search shows that one B737 aircraft needs 10-15 pilots to operate and many others in other jobs in operations and maintenance. Broadly, it may need as many as 80 people for optimum operations.
The national carrier’s executive also talked about reviving the flying school in Soroti. I think that now we have a firm order with Boeing, this is even more urgent. So that by the time the aircraft are delivered, there would be Ugandans to operate and maintain them. And AI will not solely operate and maintain the aircraft. It won’t cook the rolex or katogo Uganda Airlines may want to serve on the flight. Though those with the right AI skills will have a bigger chance of landing a job.
But it isn’t just aviation where AI, like the British Premier said, would be limited. We are constructing the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and even reviving some meter gauge ones. Are we training people to operate and maintain the line, trains or even build them? Or we will rely on experts once the SGR is built like we are doing with a simple job of managing toll gates on the Entebbe Expressway?
We are still very much a small economy that will for a long time depend on the practical physical skills of its people. Skilling in technical practical jobs is still important for the majority of people.
The automotive industry is experiencing changes as people move to electric and more advanced vehicles. Do we have repair shops that are competent to repair and maintain them? I see an increment in electric and newer model vehicles on the road every day. The garages or workshops are improving too — moving their operations from under the mango tree to somewhat fancy buildings. But are we training people in the numbers we need to do the job?
And if Britain is going back to the basics during this era of AI, what about us? To achieve our US$500b economy goal will depend a lot on many of our young people having the skills they need to find jobs with predictable regular income.
The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. [email protected]
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