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Mirinda Uganda has partnered with Glovo to launch “Mirinda Send a Smile,” a new consumer experience aimed at delivering 2,000 smiles to people across Kampala over four weeks.

The initiative is part of Mirinda’s “Sip a Mirinda, Spread the Smile” campaign and is designed to turn the brand’s message of happiness into a real-life experience by giving Ugandans an opportunity to surprise friends, family members and loved ones with unexpected gestures of joy.

Mirinda launched the global “Sip a Mirinda, Spread the Smile” platform in November 2025, with Uganda among the first markets to activate the campaign.

The platform is built around the idea that life can be busy, stressful and unpredictable, encouraging people to create small moments of happiness for themselves and those around them.

Through Send a Smile, Mirinda is taking the idea further by allowing consumers to actively brighten someone else’s day.

The experience is open to Kampala residents who want to surprise someone who could use a little encouragement — whether they are dealing with work pressure, school stress, having a difficult day or simply deserve a surprise.

To participate, consumers can message Mirinda Uganda on WhatsApp at +256 791 131 122.

They then nominate a friend or loved one and place an order through Glovo, including a personalised message for the recipient.

Glovo delivers the surprise package, which includes a Mirinda, the personal message and an additional gift, at no cost to the recipient.

The campaign is expected to create thousands of spontaneous moments of happiness across Kampala while demonstrating how digital platforms can be used to facilitate personal experiences.

‘We want Mirinda to be that trigger for a smile’

Pearl Kitimbo, Brand Manager for Mirinda at Crown Beverages Limited, said the initiative was designed to make spreading happiness simple and accessible.

“Mirinda has always been about bringing colour, energy and fun into people’s lives. With Send a Smile, we wanted to take that a step further and give people a simple way to brighten someone else’s day.”

Kitimbo said the campaign recognises the pressures many people experience in their daily lives and the impact that a small, unexpected gesture can have.

“Whether you are stuck in traffic, coming out of a long day at work or dealing with the pressures of school, sometimes a small unexpected gesture can completely change your mood. We want Mirinda to be that trigger for a smile.”

Glovo expands beyond conventional deliveries

The partnership also brings together two brands focused on convenience, digital engagement and everyday consumer experiences.

Clifford Mugerwa, Senior Brand Ads Analyst at Glovo Uganda, said the partnership demonstrates how delivery platforms can be used for more than food and grocery deliveries.

“Glovo is thrilled to partner with Mirinda to power the ‘World’s First Smile Delivery Service’. At Glovo, our mission goes beyond delivering food and groceries; this campaign proves our platform’s ability to deliver emotional connection, surprise, and joy directly to doorsteps.”

By combining Mirinda’s proposition around fun and happiness with Glovo’s delivery infrastructure, the campaign allows consumers to turn a simple thought or message into a physical experience delivered directly to someone’s doorstep.

Rather than simply asking audiences to engage with a campaign message, Send a Smile gives consumers a direct way to participate by creating an experience for another person.

Mirinda is now calling on Kampala residents to nominate friends, colleagues, family members and loved ones who deserve a surprise and take part in the four-week campaign.

The initiative carries a simple proposition: one message, one free delivery and one smile at a time.

Government has restored monthly facilitation for medical interns, with both government-sponsored and privately sponsored interns set to receive Shs1.2 million per month, subject to tax.

The decision was announced by Minister of Health Dr Chris Baryomunsi in Parliament on Tuesday as Cabinet reviews the national policy governing medical internship training.

Baryomunsi said the Cabinet resolution is to continue facilitating the current cohort of interns while government analyses the provisions of the internship policy.

“The resolution of Cabinet is to continue facilitating the current medical interns as government continues to analyse the provisions of medical interns in the internship policy,” Baryomunsi told MPs.

The decision effectively suspends the contested arrangement that would have differentiated facilitation for government-sponsored and privately sponsored medical interns.

2,490 interns to be placed

Baryomunsi said government has expanded the number of accredited internship centres to 77, allowing all 2,490 medical interns expected to begin their training this year to secure placement and supervision.

“This expansion is to ensure that all the 2,490 medical interns who will be starting this year have placement and supervision,” he said.

The announcement comes after weeks of tension between medical interns and government over their welfare and the proposed changes to internship facilitation.

The dispute had seen interns raise concerns about the proposed policy and their ability to meet costs associated with accommodation, transport and feeding during their mandatory training.

Eight pre-interns to have charges dropped

Baryomunsi also addressed the arrest of eight pre-interns who attempted to access Parliament last week to petition against changes to internship facilitation.

The Minister said the Health Ministry would engage the Judiciary and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to have the charges against the students dropped.

“As a Ministry, we will engage both the Judiciary and the DPP to have the charges against the eight students dropped,” he said.

Cabinet reviewing internship policy

The Minister also tabled the National Internship Policy before Parliament.

He said the policy is intended to streamline the training of medical professionals while establishing standards and competencies for internship training across the country.

“The National Internship Policy is intended to streamline the training of medics, set standards and competencies for medical professionals in the country,” Baryomunsi said.

The policy review comes against the backdrop of concerns raised by medical interns and their representatives over welfare, facilitation and the conditions under which internship training is conducted.

President raises tax exemption proposal

Baryomunsi further told Parliament that President Yoweri Museveni is of the view that salaries of medical professionals should be exempted from taxation, similar to the arrangement for security personnel.

“The President is of the view that salaries for the medical people should not be subjected to taxes like their counterparts in the security organ, but this is subject to discussion by the responsible stakeholders,” Baryomunsi said.

The proposal would, however, require discussions among the relevant stakeholders before any changes are made.

The restoration of the Shs1.2 million monthly facilitation and the decision to review the internship policy were welcomed by Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi and the Chairperson of Parliament’s Committee on Health.

The developments are expected to ease the standoff between medical interns and government as the Health Ministry and other stakeholders continue discussions on the future of internship training in Uganda.

Dancer and entertainer Ritah Danchall has opened up about her private life, revealing that she can go for years without romps despite her energetic and provocative performances on stage.

Speaking on Galaxy TV, Ritah said people often mistake her wild stage persona for a reflection of how she behaves in her personal life. According to the dancer, her performances are strictly part of her profession and should not be interpreted as an indication of her private desires.

“I can even make two years. Don’t take my stage antics for sexual appeal because that’s what my job requires as a dancer,” Ritah said.

The entertainer explained that while audiences have come to associate her with bold and energetic performances, she knows how to adjust her act depending on the occasion.

“People embraced me and they know I’m wild, but I also do it where necessary, especially in bars. I can’t appear the same way at corporate events,” she explained.

Ritah further revealed that she has previously gone as long as three years without s3x, saying she is capable of controlling her desires when she makes a personal decision to remain celibate.

She attributed her ability to stay celibate to mental discipline and commitment to her choices, saying that having sexual urges does not necessarily mean she has to act on them.

The dancer also shared that loyalty has played a role in some of her decisions. She recalled a past relationship in which her partner moved abroad, but she chose to remain faithful while waiting for his return.

“I had my guy and he went abroad, and I’m so loyal to the point that even if you leave for abroad, I stay faithful with the thought that you’ll return,” she said.

Ritah also stated that she does not masturbate, maintaining that her ability to go without sex has never been dependent on finding an alternative outlet.

Her revelations offer a different glimpse into the life of a performer whose public image is built around confidence, sensuality and high-energy stage shows, while showing that her private choices can be considerably more restrained.

Enock Mugabi aka iWitness is a Journalist, Seasoned Writer and Music Analyst with a passion for sports.
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Maj. Gen. Abel Kandiho, one of Uganda’s most visible and controversial intelligence chiefs of the last decade, formally retires from active military service tomorrow, Thursday, 20 August 2026.

Kandiho is among 19 senior UPDF Generals due for retirement at a ceremony in State House, Entebbe, presided over by President and Commander-in-Chief Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni; they form part of a wider August 2026 exit of 1,817 personnel.

Born in Gomba District, Kandiho rose through the ranks of the UPDF. In the early 2000s, he served at the Uganda High Commission in Kigali, Rwanda, but his posting ended amid reported disagreements with Rwandan security forces. These disagreements reportedly centered around accusations of interference and mistrust between the two countries’ intelligence services, with each side suspecting the other of covert activities and espionage.

Kandiho was subsequently recalled to Uganda. Before May 2014, as a Lieutenant Colonel, he commanded Makindye Military Barracks. On 30 May 2014, he was replaced by Col. Emmanuel Kanyesigye, and he remained Deputy Commander.

His defining chapter began in January 2017 when he was appointed head of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI, currently Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS). Still a Colonel, he was promoted to Brigadier in November 2017 while serving in the same role, and later rose to Major General.

While serving as head of CMI, Kandiho became the public face of military intelligence during a turbulent period that included urban killings, opposition activity, and regional tensions. He was among the senior officers who interrogated former Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura after his 2018 arrest.

Under his tenure, CMI also had clashes with ISO then under Col.Kaka Bagyenda.

It had become business as usual for CMI to arrest ISO operatives on several occasions.

His tenure at CMI ended abruptly in January 2022 when Maj. Gen. James Birungi replaced him. His replacement came shortly after Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba met Rwandan President Paul Kagame amid efforts to ease bilateral tensions, as Rwanda had long accused CMI under Kandiho of arresting and mistreating its citizens.

His removal was widely interpreted as a gesture aimed at restoring diplomatic relations, helping pave the way for renewed engagement and the subsequent reopening of the Gatuna border post.

Kandiho was briefly posted to South Sudan as a Special Envoy, but the assignment was reversed, and on 9 February 2022 he was appointed Chief of Joint Staff of the Uganda Police Force, replacing Maj. Gen. Jack Bakasumba.

In that role, he oversaw directors and brought an intelligence-led approach to police operations.  On 17 May 2024, President Museveni recalled him from the police and named him Senior Presidential Advisor, a position he has held until retirement.

The Sanctions That Defined His Public Image

What many Ugandans remember most is the U.S. sanctions imposed on 7 December 2021, when the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control designated Kandiho under Executive Order 13818 for serious human rights abuse during his time as CMI commander.

The Treasury stated that under his leadership, CMI officers had arrested, detained, and physically abused suspects due to their nationality, political views, or critique of the Ugandan government.

The sanctions froze any U.S. assets he holds and barred him from entering the U.S. or any U.S persons from dealing with him, which Kandiho dismissed as politically motivated and inconsequential.

“I am not bothered by the so-called sanctions. I have no business with the US. My focus is on security threats in the region, not politics.” Kandiho said.

Upon leaving CMI in early 2022, he pushed back against speculations that his transfer was related to US sanctions, saying he had left without any bad record.

“I want to clear that this is a normal transfer, and I have left without any bad record. Thank you, President, for the new appointment, and I will perform to the best of my knowledge and ability.” Kandiho said.

Even in the recent weeks leading up to retirement, Kandiho has been in the public eye when his lawyers issued a notice of intention to sue The Independent magazine for defamation, seeking one billion shillings.

The suit relates to articles that allegedly linked him to a man named Stephen Nuwagaba, who was described as a serial fraudster who fabricated military and intelligence credentials.

Kandiho’s side contended that false reporting implied he had introduced and vouched for the individual to the President, damaging his reputation.

To some Ugandans, he represents an era of muscular intelligence operations that prioritised security amid threats including urban crime. To others, he embodies unresolved questions of accountability in security agencies.

Whether viewed as enforcer or scapegoat, his decade at the centre of Uganda’s intelligence architecture ensures he will remain one of the most discussed military figures of his generation even in retirement, with the U.S. sanctions still in force.

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Pope Leo XIV has appointed a Ugandan priest, Fr Emmanuel Katongole, as a Consultor to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, the Vatican body that guides the Catholic Church’s work on peace, migration, health and ecology. The appointment, announced by the Holy See Press Office on August 18, is part of a list of 12 new consultors named by the Pope. They take up their roles on September 1.

Fr Katongole is a priest under the Kampala Archdiocese and Professor of Theology and Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame in the United States, where he also directs the Ansari Institute for Global Engagement with Religion. He is the second Notre Dame faculty member on the new list, alongside Prof Clemens Sedmak, director of the university’s Nanovic Institute for European Studies.

Consultors are experts called upon periodically to advise the dicastery’s leadership. They are drawn, according to Vatican guidelines, “from among the faithful who are distinguished by their expertise, proven ability and prudence.” The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development was created by Pope Francis in 2016, merging four pontifical councils into a single office responsible for justice and peace, migrants and refugees, health care, and Catholic charitable and ecological initiatives.

Its leadership was recently renewed, with Sr Alessandra Smerilli appointed Prefect and Cardinal Fabio Baggio Pro-Prefect, both taking office on September 1. Also named as consultors were Msgr Peter Klasvogt, Fr Francesco Coluccia, Fr Joseph Jeyaraj Swaminathan, Omer S. Combary, Lucy Afandi Esipila of Caritas Africa, Paolo Foglizzo, Peter G. Kirchschläger, Kathryn A. Koch, Jacqueline Remond and Caren Rodrigues. Fr Katongole was ordained a priest of Kampala Archdiocese in 1987 and was immediately appointed assistant parish pastor of Christ the King Parish in Kampala, where he served for a year before moving into seminary formation and academic life.

From 1988, he taught at National Seminary Katigondo in Masaka, rising over more than a decade to the rank of Assistant Professor of Philosophy before leaving the seminary in 2000 to pursue further studies and teaching abroad. That academic path had already taken him to Rome and to the Catholic University of Louvain in Belgium, where he earned a doctorate in philosophy, laying the ground for the international career that would follow his years at Katigondo.

Before joining Notre Dame, he taught at Duke University Divinity School, where he was a founding co-director of the Duke Center for Reconciliation. He is the author of several books on theology and politics in Africa, including The Sacrifice of Africa and Born from Lament. In Uganda, he is known as co-founder and President of Bethany Land Institute, a training centre in Kasana-Luweero Diocese that offers a two-year residential programme in regenerative agriculture and economic entrepreneurship.

Founded in 2012 with two fellow priests on a plot of land in Luweero, the institute has grown into a 400-acre campus that combines agricultural training, forest restoration and pastoral formation for young Ugandans.

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Uganda will gather in Kijabijjo, Gayaza, on August 20 to bid farewell to veteran theatre practitioner Alex Edward Kabangala Mukulu.

Mukulu died on August 15 at the age of 72, and President Yoweri Museveni has now granted him an official burial.

Minister for the Presidency Milly Babalanda announced the decision on August 17 as preparations for the final send-off got underway.

Dear friends, I wish to inform you that the President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Gen. Kaguta Museveni, has granted an official burial to the fallen statesman, Mr. Alex Edward Kabangala Mukulu.

The National Organising Committee (NOC) has begun working with Mukulu’s family to prepare the ceremony.

Babalanda confirmed that Kijabijjo, Gayaza, will host the burial on August 20.

Accordingly, the NOC is engaging with the bereaved family to organise a befitting send-off on August 20, 2026, in Kijabijjo, Gayaza.

She also offered her condolences to Mukulu’s family, friends and colleagues in the performing arts, describing his death as a loss to the country.

Mukulu’s passing has prompted tributes from political leaders, musicians and other figures in Uganda’s creative industry.

A Legacy That Spanned Four Decades

For more than four decades, Mukulu worked as a playwright, actor, director and musician, becoming one of Uganda’s notable theatre practitioners.

His productions often tackled Uganda’s political, social and cultural realities.

They included “30 Years of Bananas”, “Wounds of Africa”, “The Guest of Honour”, “Muzukulu wa Kabangala” and “Journey to Self-Realisation”.

“30 Years of Bananas” became one of his best-known works after he staged it in 1992, when Uganda marked 30 years of independence.

The play used humour, symbolism, and political satire to examine the country’s post-independence journey.

Mukulu also contributed to major national productions.

His “Journey to Self-Realisation” featured during the opening ceremony of the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala.

He also influenced younger performers, with several artists crediting him with creating opportunities and helping shape their careers.

On August 20, family, friends and fellow artists will gather in Kijabijjo, Gayaza, to pay their final respects to Mukulu.