Blog

“A tree is known by its roots.” Likewise, a political party is best judged not only by its performance at the national level but also by the confidence it enjoys among ordinary citizens in villages, parishes/wards. The recently concluded Women Council and Administrative Unit elections have once again ignited political debate across Uganda. While every political player is entitled to interpret the outcome differently, one fact remains difficult to ignore: the National Resistance Movement (NRM) emerged with an overwhelming majority of victories across many parts of the country.

Following the recent general elections, some critics argued that President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the NRM no longer enjoyed genuine grassroots support. Allegations of electoral malpractice dominated political discussions, with some opposition voices insisting that the ruling party’s popularity had significantly diminished. Such narratives, however, have now been challenged by the outcomes of these lower-level elections, where NRM candidates reportedly secured the lion’s share of positions in many districts.

To me, these elections demonstrate an important political reality. The strength of the NRM has, over the years, largely been built from the bottom upwards. Unlike many political organizations that become active only during parliamentary or presidential campaigns, NRM has invested heavily in village structures, parish committees, district leadership, and community mobilization. It is these grassroots structures that have remained the party’s engine for nearly four decades.

As the African proverb says, “The stream that abandons its source soon runs dry.” The NRM’s continued investment in village-level leadership appears to have helped sustain its political presence where it matters most among ordinary citizens.

For several years, elections for Administrative Units and Women Councils had been delayed, largely due to financial constraints cited by government. During that period, many Ugandans questioned the delays, while opposition leaders interpreted them differently, arguing that government was reluctant to organise elections because it feared losing public support.

Whether those concerns were justified or not, the eventual holding of these elections has provided another opportunity for voters to express themselves. In many areas, the electorate entrusted NRM candidates with leadership responsibilities, suggesting that the ruling party still commands considerable support at the grassroots, at least in those locations. In politics, numbers often speak louder than rhetoric.

However, victory alone should never become a sleeping pillow. There is a saying that “Winning an election is easier than winning the people’s hearts every day thereafter.” Elections provide a mandate; performance determines whether that mandate will be renewed.

The overwhelming support received by NRM candidates should therefore be viewed not merely as a celebration but as a renewed contract between leaders and the people. Every elected leader from the village committee member to the President must appreciate that public office is a trust, not a personal possession. As another African proverb reminds us, “The one who carries the people’s basket must not steal from it.”

President Museveni has repeatedly declared that this term will be a “Kisanja of No More Sleep and No More Corruption.” Those words now place an even greater responsibility upon newly elected leaders. The electorate expects active leadership, visible service delivery, accountability, and integrity. Leaders who become inaccessible after elections, neglect community concerns, or misuse public resources risk betraying the confidence that voters have placed in them.

One of the greatest expectations from Ugandans today is the effective implementation of government programmes aimed at improving household incomes. Initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, and the GROW Project, which supports women entrepreneurs, were designed to create economic opportunities, reduce poverty, and empower communities. Their success will depend not only on government funding but also on honest implementation, proper monitoring, and accountability at the local level.

Where these programmes have been managed well, communities have begun to experience tangible benefits through increased access to capital, enterprise development, and improved livelihoods. Conversely, where implementation has been undermined by poor supervision, political interference, or mismanagement, intended beneficiaries have been left disappointed. This underscores the importance of ensuring that public resources serve their intended purpose.

Corruption remains one of the greatest threats to Uganda’s development agenda. It diverts resources from schools, hospitals, roads, agricultural programmes, and other essential public services. It is therefore encouraging to see renewed emphasis from government on strengthening accountability and fighting corruption. However, the fight must remain impartial, consistent, and guided by the rule of law. Corruption has neither tribe nor political party; it is a national challenge that demands a national response.

The newly elected grassroots leaders also have a critical responsibility to strengthen communication between citizens and government. Village and parish leaders are often the first point of contact for ordinary people seeking government services. Their effectiveness will influence how communities perceive government programmes and whether public concerns are addressed promptly.

Political competition should never become a source of division. Democracy flourishes when different political actors compete peacefully, respect electoral outcomes, and continue serving the interests of citizens regardless of party affiliation. Uganda’s development requires constructive engagement from both the ruling party and the opposition. As the saying goes, “Iron sharpens iron.” Healthy political competition can inspire better policies, stronger accountability, and improved service delivery.

For NRM, the recent victories present both an opportunity and a challenge. They affirm that many Ugandans continue to entrust the party with leadership, but they also raise expectations. Citizens will judge this renewed mandate not by campaign slogans but by improvements in roads, schools, healthcare, security, job creation, and household incomes.

The old English proverb reminds us that “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” Likewise, the true test of these electoral victories will not be the margins by which candidates won but the quality of leadership they provide over the coming years.

As a patriotic Ugandan, I believe these elections send an important message to every leader, regardless of political affiliation: the people are always watching. Today’s applause can become tomorrow’s criticism if promises remain unfulfilled. Trust, once earned, must be protected through humility, transparency, hard work, and selfless service.

The road ahead therefore calls for less politics of self-interest and more politics of service. If newly elected leaders remain faithful to their responsibilities, support government programmes, uphold accountability, and place citizens at the centre of decision-making, the confidence expressed by voters in these elections may well translate into stronger national development.

After all, “A leader’s greatest campaign is good service.”

For God and my Country.

Ongadia Robert Phillip

UCAFNET Coordinator – Jinja City 

Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at Submit an Article

The Government has moved to resolve the delayed release of academic certificates and transcripts for former students of St. Stephen Nursery Teachers’ College (SSNTC), with the majority already receiving their academic documents from Ndejje University.

State Minister for Sports, Hon. Peter Ogwang, told Parliament on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, that the university had also processed 50 certificates and transcripts that are pending verification and collection.

However, he said some academic documents had not yet been printed because the Teachers’ College was yet to provide outstanding information required by the university.

Minister Ogwang was presenting a statement to Parliament on allegations that Ndejje University had withheld academic transcripts and certificates belonging to former SSNTC students.

He said his interaction with Ndejje University established that the college had accumulated significant arrears, contributing to delays in processing and releasing the students’ academic records.

“An MOU between the two institutions indicates that SSNTC was responsible for remitting students’ tuition to the University. Ndejje states that it has engaged SSNTC on several occasions to recover the outstanding funds and facilitate release of students’ academic records,” Ogwang said.

The Minister’s statement followed a directive by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa on August 5, 2026, requiring the Minister to intervene in the matter concerning the delayed release of transcripts and certificates.

The matter came before Parliament following a petition presented by Hon. Eunice Otuko (UPC, Oyam County North) on behalf of Ms. Tamali Okao, the former Director of St. Stephen Nursery Teachers’ College in Lira.

Okao stated that 102 students who completed their studies between 2017 and 2022 under Ndejje University had not received their academic documents.

The petitioner asked Parliament to compel the university to release the documents without further delay and establish an inquiry into similar cases affecting other students.

Minister Ogwang said Ndejje University had also identified inconsistencies in figures provided by SSNTC, making it difficult to establish the exact number of affected students and determine the outstanding academic documents requiring processing.

He said the university remained committed to resolving all outstanding cases and fulfilling its statutory obligations.

“I want to implore my colleague to follow up this matter with me so that we can solve it administratively once and for all, if there are other students who have not received their documents,” Ogwang told Hon. Otuko.

The Minister’s intervention is expected to facilitate the verification and release of the remaining academic documents for former SSNTC students.

Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at Submit an Article

The Commander of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) 4 Infantry Division, Major General Felix Busizoori, has directed security agencies, ministries, departments, and government agencies in Northern Uganda and West Nile to fully enforce the 2023 Executive Order banning tree-cutting and charcoal burning.

Maj Gen Busizoori issued the directive during a meeting at the 4 Infantry Division headquarters in Gulu, where he reminded stakeholders that the Executive Order remains in force and must be implemented to the letter.

He said five forest reserves in the region, including the highly treasured Zoka Forest, had been degraded by charcoal burning and illegal timber activities.

Maj Gen Busizoori said the fight against charcoal burning should not be viewed solely as enforcement of the Executive Order, but as a national and regional environmental concern requiring concerted efforts from all stakeholders.

He directed that no charcoal dealer should be allowed to operate in Northern Uganda and West Nile with immediate effect.

The Chairman of the Charcoal Dealers Association in Uganda, Mr Eria Ssenyonjo, however, told the meeting that charcoal entering Northern Uganda and West Nile was imported from South Sudan, arguing that the dealers were engaged in legitimate trade.

In response, Maj Gen Busizoori said the South Sudan government outlawed charcoal burning and its export in 2019, making the importation of the product into Uganda illegal.

He further directed that any charcoal impounded by security agencies should be handed over to nearby communities for use.

The meeting brought together charcoal dealers, officials from the UPDF, the Ministry of Water and Environment, the Uganda Revenue Authority, the Uganda Police Force, the Internal Security Organisation, and other stakeholders.

The directive comes amid growing concerns over deforestation and environmental degradation in Northern Uganda and West Nile, where illegal logging and charcoal burning have contributed to the destruction of forest reserves.

Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at Submit an Article

Uganda’s A-Level grading system is set to change once the ongoing curriculum reform process is completed in 2028, according to the Executive Director of the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), Mr. Dan Odongo.

The proposed changes to Senior Six candidates’ grading come a year after government overhauled the O-Level grading system in 2024, moving away from the old numerical distinctions, credits, passes, and failures toward a letter-based grading system.

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking during an interview at his office in Kyambogo earlier this month, Odongo explained that A-Level, unlike O-Level, has not yet gone through the same reform into a competence-based syllabus. He said proposals had already been tabled before the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) board, with a circular expected to guide schools and other stakeholders once the changes are finalised.

He added that while the current A-Level curriculum and teaching approach have already been aligned to account for learners coming from the competence-based O-Level system, the curriculum itself has not yet been fully reformed, meaning grading will largely stay the same until that reform is complete around 2028.

According to Odongo, the current letter grades will remain in place, but their meaning will change, with each grade set to carry descriptors explaining exactly what a candidate has demonstrated.

Mr. Gilbert Gift Siima, Manager of the Secondary Department at NCDC, explained that the grading scale will shift from the current A, B, C, D, E, O, F system down to simply A, B, C, D, E, with descriptors attached to each grade carrying the real weight. He said two candidates could both score an A in a subject like Fine Art, but the accompanying descriptors would distinguish their actual levels of achievement, since what matters is not the letter itself but what the candidate can demonstrably do.

Siima noted that the exact procedure for arriving at final grades is still being worked out, with UNEB continuing to pilot and test the system and make adjustments as needed, a process expected to run until results from the first cohort under the aligned A-Level curriculum are released.

Under the existing system, students typically sit three principal subjects, graded from A, B, C, D, E as passes, down to O as a subsidiary pass and F as a fail. Subsidiary subjects, including the mandatory General Paper and Subsidiary Mathematics or ICT, are graded on a separate scale where distinctions and credits earn a point and lower passes or fails earn none.

Principal grades currently map to points under a system where A equals 6 down to E equals 2. The proposed new system would adjust this to A equals 5 down to E equals 1, blending school-based continuous assessment, weighted at 20 percent, with end-of-cycle national exams weighted at 80 percent, with a maximum scoring ceiling of 20 total points including subsidiaries.

Odongo said A-Level assessment itself has already shifted toward being scenario based, with UNEB recently distributing sample questions to schools so that both teachers and learners are aware of the kinds of tasks students will be expected to handle going forward.

CampusBee will continue to follow developments on Uganda’s A-Level curriculum and grading reforms as they progress toward the 2028 rollout.

The Local Council II chairpersons across the country were elected yesterday, August 10, 2026, completing an important stage in rebuilding Uganda’s grassroots leadership structure.

I congratulate all Ugandans who participated in these elections and, in particular, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) for once again recording an overwhelming victory, as was the case with the LC1 polls.

This victory is not merely a political achievement. It presents us with an opportunity and, more importantly, a responsibility. We now have elected grassroots leaders who are in direct contact with the wananchi and who can work closely with the NRM leadership and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the country’s champion of wealth creation and socio-economic transformation.
The time has therefore come for our Local Council leaders to move beyond elections and politics and get down to the serious business of transforming the lives of our people.

Why LCs are important
As I have written earlier in these pages, Local Council leaders occupy a unique position in Uganda’s governance structure because they are the first point of contact between Government and the ordinary citizen.

When Government launches a programme in a village or parish, it is the LC leader who is expected to know who the beneficiaries are, where they live, what they are doing and whether the intervention is producing the intended results.

Of particular importance is the fact that the Parish/LC2 is the key implementation structure for government’s wealth creation programmes, most notably the PDM. This means the success or failure of Government’s efforts to move households into the money economy will, to a significant extent, depend on what happens at parish level. Therefore, LC2 leaders must understand that their role is much bigger than presiding over meetings, settling local disputes or mobilising people for community activities. They must become active agents of socio-economic transformation and honestly tell Government what is working and what is not.
Their work ethic must also reflect Government’s current working message, i.e. “No sleeping, no corruption”.

Government introduced PDM, Emyooga, GROW and related programmes to help Ugandans, especially those at the lower end of the economic ladder, access capital without cumbersome conditions. LC leaders must therefore help wananchi understand that such money is not consumption tokens, but development capital.

When a household receives PDM funds, the leader’s responsibility does not end when the money reaches the beneficiary’s account. The leader should follow up to establish what happens next and ensure that both Government and the beneficiary obtain maximum value from the intervention. The ultimate measure of Government’s success is not the amount of money released, but the number of households whose lives and incomes have been transformed

LC2s can help solve unemployment
Government’s wealth-creation programmes were introduced, among other objectives, to tackle unemployment. This is where the work of the LC2 becomes even more important because wealth creation and employment creation go hand in hand.
Uganda’s labour challenge is simply too large for Government to solve through public-sector recruitment alone.

According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Uganda’s working-age population aged 15 years and above was estimated at 26.4 million in 2025, representing 58.1% of the population.

In contrast, the Auditor General’s report of December 2025 showed that there are only 681,000 established jobs across the public sector. This means that very few Ugandans can work in Government even if all these positions were filled.

We, therefore, cannot tell every young Ugandan that their future lies in waiting for a Government job. Our young people must be encouraged to see themselves not only as job seekers, but also as job creators.
This is why we should appreciate the millions of Ugandans who have already taken the initiative to create economic activity for themselves and others. According to UBOS, roughly 11.8 million Ugandans hold jobs — although nearly 88% to 90% of these jobs are informal, with only 12.4% formal.

A boda boda rider, carpenter, tailor, mechanic, farmer, shopkeeper, food vendor, builder, hairdresser, artisan or small trader who has created an income stream is already earning a living and contributing to the economy. That is a good starting point.
Our responsibility is to help such people grow. This is why Government is pursuing formalisation through initiatives such as the Trade Order and interventions by institutions such as the Uganda Registration Services Bureau and Uganda Revenue Authority.

The objective is to help small enterprises graduate from survival businesses into stronger, formal and sustainable enterprises that can access finance, markets, technology and larger opportunities.

Solemn appeal to our youth
I appeal particularly to Uganda’s young people, including university graduates, to understand that while education remains extremely important, a university degree should not become a certificate for waiting indefinitely for a white-collar job.

Every year, our universities produce thousands of graduates, but it is obvious that all of them cannot work in Government. Public-sector jobs are few, and even those who obtain them may remain in their positions for many years before retiring, given that Uganda’s average retirement age is 60 years.

We must therefore change the mindset from “I am looking for a job” to “What can I do with the opportunities and resources available to me?”

If Government provides capital, use it productively. If it provides skills, use them. Those with land should use it maximally, and where Government creates a market opportunity, seize it.

If you have acquired a degree, combine your knowledge with enterprise. The country needs engineers who can establish engineering firms, accountants who can establish businesses, agricultural graduates who can commercialise farming, ICT graduates who can build digital enterprises and teachers who can establish education-related enterprises.

I commend President Museveni for consistently emphasising vocational and technical education, including through the industrial hubs and other skilling initiatives.
This addresses one of the weaknesses in our education system: producing large numbers of academic certificate holders without necessarily equipping all of them with practical skills that can immediately translate into economic activity.

Industrial hubs and other skilling programmes provide young people with practical skills they can use to earn a living, establish enterprises and employ others.
This complements university education rather than competing with it. Uganda needs lawyers, doctors, engineers, teachers and other professionals, but it also needs welders, electricians, mechanics, builders, tailors, plumbers, farmers, technicians, artisans and entrepreneurs.
President Museveni has spent decades articulating his socio-economic transformation vision for Uganda, and Government has established programmes to actualise this vision. Now that the grassroots implementation structure is in place through LC1s and LC2s, what we need are results.

My monitoring work continues
As Minister for the Presidency, I will continue with my monitoring tours of PDM and other Government programmes, resuming with other parts of Buyende District before extending the exercise to other districts across the country.
These tours are not intended to replace the work of local leaders. Rather, they are intended to strengthen accountability, identify challenges and ensure that Government programmes reach the people for whom they are intended. I wish to re-emphasise to all Ugandans that now that elections are over, the real work begins.
Let us make PDM and other Government programmes work. Let us promote production, enterprise and employment and also protect Government resources and fight corruption. With this, we shall all build the Uganda we desire for ourselves and the future generations.

The author is the Minister for the Presidency and MP for Budiope West.

Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at Submit an Article

Kampala – Food lovers and lakeside diners are in for a treat this month as Speke Resort Munyonyo rolls out its Indian Spice Trail culinary promotion at the scenic Nyanja/Lake Terrace Restaurant.

Running throughout August 2026, the special menu offers a carefully curated selection of authentic Indian à la carte dishes that celebrate the country’s rich culinary heritage. Guests can expect bold regional flavours, aromatic spices and traditional recipes designed to deliver a true taste of India in an immersive dining experience.

Set against the tranquil backdrop of Lake Victoria, Nyanja/Lake Terrace provides both elegant indoor seating and open-air terrace options, making it an ideal spot for everything from casual meals to special occasions. The restaurant, known for its multi-cuisine offerings including continental, African and Indian fare, continues to operate with extended hours and a smart-casual dress code.

Complementing the Spice Trail promotion are the resort’s popular Friday Band Nights. Every Friday from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm, live music fills the lakeside venue, creating a relaxed yet vibrant atmosphere perfect for winding down the week.

Located about 12 kilometres from Kampala city centre and approximately 42 kilometres from Entebbe International Airport, Speke Resort Munyonyo remains one of Uganda’s premier luxury destinations. The property boasts 477 rooms across nine categories, extensive conference facilities, multiple restaurants and bars, swimming pools, a spa, and leisure activities such as boat rides and horse riding.

Management encourages guests to make reservations in advance, particularly for weekend evenings, by calling +256 752 711 868 or emailing [email protected].

Whether seeking an authentic Indian feast or a memorable evening by the lake with live entertainment, the Indian Spice Trail at Nyanja/Lake Terrace promises a flavourful highlight of August at Speke Resort Munyonyo.

Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at Submit an Article

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has welcomed the launch of MTN TV by AfroMobile, describing it as an important milestone in Uganda’s digital communications landscape and a reflection of the growing demand for innovative, locally relevant digital content.

Representing the Executive Director at the launch on 7th August 2026, UCC Director for Corporate Affairs Fred Otunnu congratulated MTN Uganda and AfroMobile on the partnership, noting that the platform demonstrates the convergence of digital media, communications, and financial technologies in ways that expand consumer choice and open up new opportunities for Ugandan content creators and the wider creative economy.

ADVERTISEMENT

UCC Ties The Launch To Uganda’s Digital Transformation Agenda

Otunnu said innovations that widen access to digital content support Uganda’s digital transformation agenda by promoting economic growth, creativity, and entrepreneurship. He also stressed the importance of responsible innovation, urging industry players to uphold consumer protection, safeguard user privacy, respect intellectual property rights, and comply with Uganda’s regulatory framework as they roll out new digital products.

He reiterated UCC’s commitment to maintaining an enabling regulatory environment that promotes innovation, fair competition, investment, and quality of service, while continuing to work with industry stakeholders to advance a more inclusive and dynamic digital economy.

What This Means For The Industry

UCC’s endorsement of the MTN Uganda and AfroMobile partnership signals continued regulatory support for convergence between telecom and media players in Uganda, an area the Commission has repeatedly flagged as central to expanding access to digital content while creating new distribution channels for local creators.

The economic future of the Afro-Arab region will not be built solely on oil and traditional commodities, but increasingly on lines of code, digital platforms and innovation ecosystems designed and driven by its young people.

From the vibrant technology hubs of Cairo and Casablanca to emerging innovation centres across East Africa, the Afro-Arab region is home to one of the world’s youngest and fastest-growing populations. Yet, despite this enormous demographic advantage, many corporate and political institutions continue to treat young people primarily as consumers of digital tools rather than as strategic leaders of structural transformation.

To secure our place in the global digital economy, we must urgently shift from viewing youth as passive participants in technology to deliberately placing them at the centre of digital governance and decision-making.

In today’s digital landscape, young people are often among those best positioned to understand emerging technologies and anticipate where the future is heading. Excluding them from decision-making tables risks leaving our digital strategies outdated, reactive and disconnected from the realities of a rapidly changing world.

Across parts of Africa and the Arab world, deeply rooted cultural frameworks have traditionally associated age with leadership and authority. While respect for elders remains an important societal value, rigidly applying seniority-based hierarchies to the fast-moving technology sector can create institutional bottlenecks.

Successful digital transformation requires technological adaptability, agility, experimentation and openness to new ideas—qualities often associated with younger, digitally native generations.

When corporate executives or government officials restrict young innovators to entry-level IT roles, they underestimate the scale of modern digital transformation. Digitalisation is no longer simply about purchasing computers or creating websites. It is about redesigning business models, public services and institutions through artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data analytics, cybersecurity and emerging financial technologies.

As leadership expert John C. Maxwell observed, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”

In today’s digital economy, young people frequently possess an intuitive understanding of the technological terrain. Forcing them to navigate slow, paper-heavy bureaucracies without giving them meaningful authority can undermine competitiveness and encourage talented innovators to seek opportunities elsewhere.

Empowering young technology leaders across our diverse and interconnected region requires structural reforms rather than tokenistic youth forums. To transform our demographic advantage into sustainable economic power, governments, educational institutions and the private sector must collaborate around three key pillars.

1. Re-engineering Education for the Digital Economy

Our education systems must evolve to reflect the realities of the modern labour market. Many universities continue to produce graduates with theoretical qualifications that do not always match the skills demanded by industry.

Educational institutions should therefore establish stronger partnerships with the technology and private sectors and introduce practical, project-based curricula.

Memorisation-driven learning should give greater way to hands-on education focused on areas such as artificial intelligence, software development, cloud computing, cybersecurity and data analytics.

Students should be encouraged to develop solutions to real-world challenges facing traders, farmers, municipalities and communities. Classrooms should become spaces for experimentation and innovation, where young people learn by solving practical problems.

Accessible virtual training and regional knowledge-sharing platforms can also help bridge technical skills gaps across national borders.

2. Promoting Digital Inclusion and Infrastructure Equity

We cannot speak meaningfully about digital leadership when reliable internet access remains unaffordable for millions of people.

The digital divide between major cities and rural communities continues to exclude talented young people who lack access to the connectivity, electricity, devices and digital resources required to participate in the modern economy.

Governments must therefore treat reliable broadband infrastructure and stable electricity as essential foundations for inclusive development. Public-private partnerships should help reduce the cost of internet access and digital devices.

A young developer in a rural district such as Buyende in eastern Uganda or Kitagwenda in western Uganda should have a reasonable opportunity to access the basic digital tools available to innovators in major urban technology hubs such as Kampala.

Digital transformation will only be truly inclusive when geography and income no longer determine who gets to participate.

3. Giving Young Leaders Real Strategic Authority

True empowerment means more than inviting young people to conferences or consultations. It means giving them meaningful responsibility and a voice in decisions that shape their future.

Young leaders should have opportunities to participate in digital transformation budgets, innovation programmes, policy development and corporate strategy.

Initiatives such as the African Union Tech Fellowship Programme demonstrate the potential of integrating young innovators into institutional structures and exposing them to major governance and technology challenges.

Such models should be expanded across ministries, public institutions and private-sector organisations throughout the Afro-Arab region.

The greatest obstacle to youth-led digital transformation is not necessarily technology—it is institutional culture.

Some established leaders remain sceptical about the capacity or maturity of young people to lead major initiatives. Such paternalism overlooks the fact that young innovators are already developing solutions to some of the region’s most pressing challenges.

From mobile-money solutions designed for underserved communities to agritech platforms helping smallholder farmers improve productivity and market access, many of the region’s most promising innovations are being developed by young people, often with limited resources.

As Steve Jobs famously observed, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and tell them what to do; we hire smart people so they can tell us what to do.”

Institutions that fail to recognise and harness this potential risk losing relevance in a global economy that rewards speed, innovation and adaptability.

The Afro-Arab region shares deep cultural ties, common challenges and interconnected development aspirations. Organisations such as the have worked to strengthen cooperation and build bridges among young leaders across Africa and the Arab world.

Our regional strength lies in our interconnectedness.

By harmonising digital policies, facilitating cross-border financial technology solutions and establishing regional startup sandboxes, we can create a larger and more integrated market in which an innovative digital solution developed in Cairo can potentially scale to Kampala, Muscat, Nairobi and beyond.

Such integration would not only create new markets for young entrepreneurs but also strengthen knowledge exchange, investment and regional cooperation.

A Call to Action:

The digital transformation of the Afro-Arab region cannot be achieved through expensive foreign consultancies or rigid, top-down policies alone. It will be driven by the young developers, civic innovators, entrepreneurs and technology leaders who understand the needs of their communities from the inside.

As youth advocate Humphrey Nabimanya recently observed at the 2026 Billi Now Now Youth Summit, young people must move beyond symbolic participation and become genuine architects of development.

The message is clear: young people should not be invited into conversations only after decisions have already been made. They must be part of shaping those decisions from the beginning.

We must stop keeping our young minds in the waiting room of history.

By investing in youth-led innovation hubs, expanding digital access, strengthening practical digital education and giving young people meaningful seats at decision-making tables, the Afro-Arab region can move from being primarily a consumer of global technology to becoming a leading centre of digital innovation.

The tools are available. The talent is here. What is needed now is the political will and institutional courage to give young people the opportunity, resources and authority to lead.

Let us act now. By providing young people with the tools, capital and seat at the table they have earned, we can transform the Afro-Arab region into a global hub of digital innovation.

The author is the Programs and Projects Officer, Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC)

Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at Submit an Article

The Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) held its inaugural National Cybersecurity Conference under the theme “Securing Uganda’s Digital Future: Collaboration, Resilience and Trust,” bringing together telecom operators, financial institutions, and regulators to confront the growing threat of digital fraud within Uganda’s fast-expanding mobile money and banking ecosystem.

Speaking during a high-level panel on protecting digital financial services from social engineering, SIM swap fraud, and account takeover, Airtel Money Commerce Uganda Limited (AMCUL) Managing Director Japhet Aritho argued that the industry needs to move beyond consumer awareness campaigns and instead build fraud prevention directly into how digital financial products are designed.

ADVERTISEMENT

He explained that the three threats are rarely standalone incidents, but stages of the same attack chain, since taking over a mobile account typically requires a SIM swap first, and a SIM swap in turn requires information gathered through social engineering.

Aritho noted that telecom operators had been grappling with these challenges long before they became a mainstream public concern. He pointed to an internally built API, developed without need for sophisticated external developers, that Airtel exposed to banks and subsequently pushed Bank of Uganda to mandate industry-wide. That innovation is now known as the IMSI check API, allowing banks to verify SIM swap activity in real time before authorising transactions.

He also cited Airtel’s recently deployed AI Spam Alert Service, which uses data analytics and artificial intelligence to detect patterns in fraudulent SMS messages and warn subscribers before they fall victim to scams.

Aritho described how fraudsters often exploit the very security warnings telecom companies issue, opening scam calls by repeating official messaging to build trust before manipulating victims into isolating themselves and disclosing sensitive information such as their PIN.

To illustrate practical security by design, he recommended device-binding technology, drawing on his own experience of being temporarily locked out of financial apps after switching phones until re-verified. He said Airtel Money now automatically detects when a registered device or SIM card changes and blocks transactions until the account holder is re-verified, even if a scammer has already obtained a customer’s credentials.

Aritho was careful to push back against victim-blaming, noting that sophisticated fraudsters tend to be fluent, confident communicators who put victims at ease, making scams genuinely difficult to spot. He argued the burden of protection should sit primarily with service providers at the design stage, not solely with consumers.

Responding to an audience question on how safe personal data is when shared with service providers, UCC’s Manager for Data Protection and Legal Advisory, Macgyver Mugamba, cited Uganda’s Data Protection Act, noting that individuals have a right to ask private entities how their personal data is handled, including whether proper policies and notices are in place. He said consumers with unresolved complaints can escalate them to the Personal Data Protection Office under the Ministry of ICT, while urging the public to remain cautious about how and with whom they share personal information.

Closing the panel, Aritho urged stakeholders to embed cybersecurity into product design from the outset, telling attendees, “We are as strong as an ecosystem as the weakest link within that ecosystem.” He called for continued collaboration between telcos, banks, and regulators, both in technology and in addressing human vulnerability, as the sector works to build a safer digital future for Ugandan consumers.