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Education is meant to prepare young people for the future. But we need to ask an honest question: Are our schools preparing young people for life, or mainly for examinations?

Across Africa and the Arab world, many young people leave school with academic qualifications but limited knowledge of how to manage money, find employment, start a business, cope with pressure or make responsible decisions in an increasingly digital world.

These are not minor gaps. They affect how young people live, work and participate in society.

One of the biggest challenges facing formal education is therefore the limited emphasis on practical life skills.

Financial Literacy: Preparing Young People to Manage Money

Financial literacy should not be something young people discover only after making costly mistakes. Students need to understand basic concepts such as budgeting, saving, responsible borrowing, investing, inflation and simple contracts.

Consider a young person in Uganda, Ghana, Kenya or Morocco who earns money for the first time. Without basic financial knowledge, it can be easy to spend everything, fall into unnecessary debt or lose money to scams. The same challenge faces young people entering increasingly competitive job markets in countries such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Teaching young people how money works can help them make better decisions, whether they become employees, entrepreneurs or community leaders.

Having a certificate does not automatically guarantee a job or a successful business. Young people also need to know how to identify opportunities and present themselves professionally.

Schools can equip students with practical skills such as CV writing, interview preparation, professional communication, networking and identifying legitimate employment opportunities.

Entrepreneurship and self-directed learning should also form part of education, helping young people understand that learning does not end when they leave school.

This is particularly important in Africa, where many young people are creating their own opportunities through small businesses, agriculture, technology, creative industries and the informal economy.

Mental Well-being Matters Too:

Young people face pressures that academic knowledge alone cannot solve. Academic competition, unemployment, family expectations, relationship challenges, financial difficulties and social media can all affect their confidence and well-being.

Schools should therefore equip students with simple but essential tools for managing stress, communicating effectively, dealing with failure, setting healthy boundaries and seeking help when necessary.

A young person who learns how to handle failure is better prepared to try again. A young person who can communicate effectively and resolve disagreements peacefully is better prepared for leadership.

Technology is transforming how people learn, work, communicate and do business. From mobile money and online businesses in East Africa to growing digital economies in North Africa and the Gulf, young people are already part of this transformation.

But owning a smartphone is not the same as being digitally skilled.

Young people need to know how to use technology for learning and work, protect their personal information, identify misinformation, avoid online scams and develop digital skills that can create genuine economic opportunities.

Digital literacy should therefore go beyond teaching students how to operate devices. It should help them become responsible, informed and productive participants in the digital economy.

The answer is not to abandon academic subjects. Mathematics, science, languages and other disciplines remain essential. The challenge is to connect what students learn in the classroom with the realities they will encounter outside it.

Imagine a school where students learn mathematics and also learn how to prepare a personal budget; where computer lessons include online safety and digital work; where career guidance includes CV writing and interview preparation; and where students learn how to respond to failure rather than fear it.

This is the kind of education that can make learning more relevant and meaningful.

Governments, schools, universities, businesses, youth organisations and communities all have a role to play in making this possible.

Africa and the Arab world possess one of the greatest assets any region could ask for: a young, energetic and ambitious population. But young people need more than certificates. They need the confidence, knowledge and practical skills to turn opportunities into livelihoods and ideas into solutions.

Education should teach young people not only how to pass examinations, but also how to navigate life.

If we truly want young people to become entrepreneurs, professionals, responsible citizens and effective leaders, then the time has come to move beyond the classroom and make education work for real life.

The author is the Liaisons and partnerships manager at the Afro-Arab Youth Council 

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Every year, on August 12, the world pauses to celebrate young people. Governments issue statements. Organisations hold conferences. Panels are convened. Social media fills with hashtags celebrating the creativity, resilience and potential of youth.

But perhaps this year, we should ask a more uncomfortable question:

What exactly are we celebrating?

Are we celebrating the progress young people have made despite the systems around them, or are we celebrating another year of policies, strategies, frameworks, conferences and commitments that have yet to translate into sufficient change on the ground?

Because the numbers tell a different story.

Across Africa, up to 12 million young people enter the labour market every year, while only about three million new formal wage jobs are created annually. In Eastern and Southern Africa, the gap is even more striking: approximately eight million young people enter the labour market each year, yet fewer than one million secure waged employment. At the same time, an estimated 6.5 million young people in the region are neither in school nor in employment.

In the Arab States, the situation is hardly reassuring. Youth unemployment was estimated at 27.7% in 2025, more than twice the global rate of 12.8%. Among young women in the Arab States, the rate was even higher, at 39.3%. Globally, the International Labour Organization estimated that approximately 262 million young people aged 15–24 were not in employment, education or training in 2025 — roughly one in four young people.

So again, what exactly are we celebrating?

We have become remarkably good at talking about young people. We have youth policies, youth strategies, youth councils, youth conferences, youth empowerment programmes, youth declarations and youth frameworks.

Yet somewhere between the policy document and the young person standing outside an office looking for work, something gets lost.

A young graduate cannot eat a policy document.

An entrepreneur without access to capital cannot build a business from a conference communiqué.

And a young person who has spent years searching for employment does not experience empowerment through another panel discussion about the importance of youth empowerment.

At some point, celebration has to become action.

This is not an argument against Youth Day. Quite the opposite. International Youth Day is important because it gives the world an opportunity to recognise the role and contribution of young people.

But recognition without action risks becoming a yearly ritual rather than a catalyst for change.

The real measure of a society’s commitment to its youth should not be how many speeches it makes about young people. It should be how many opportunities it creates for them.

From Potential to Opportunity:

Africa’s rapidly expanding working-age population presents an extraordinary opportunity. The World Bank estimates that Africa’s working-age population will increase by about 740 million over the next three decades.

That could become one of the continent’s greatest economic advantages — but only if we act.

We need to move from youth participation to youth ownership; from consultation to investment; from policies to implementation; and from celebrating potential to actually creating the conditions in which that potential can thrive.

This is where organisations such as the Afro-Arab Youth Council (AAYC) have an important responsibility.

AAYC’s commitment to Youth, Peace, Unity and Development cannot simply remain a statement of institutional purpose. It must speak to the realities young people face today: unemployment, limited economic opportunities, skills gaps, exclusion from decision-making and the growing frustration that comes when the future appears to be permanently postponed.

The Afro-Arab youth agenda must therefore become increasingly practical.

We need partnerships that create opportunities. Programmes that build employable skills. Platforms that connect young entrepreneurs to capital and markets. Cross-border opportunities that allow young Africans and Arabs to learn from one another.

Most importantly, we need mechanisms that allow young people to participate not simply as beneficiaries, but as partners and decision-makers.

Because the greatest danger is not that young people are asking for too much.

It is that we keep asking them to wait.

Wait for the next policy.

Wait for the next programme.

Wait for the next election.

Wait for the economy to improve.

Wait for the next conference.

Meanwhile, another 12 million young Africans enter the labour market.

We cannot keep celebrating the same generation while postponing the action it needs.

Perhaps, therefore, the most appropriate way to mark Youth Day this year is not simply to congratulate young people on their resilience.

Perhaps we should ask ourselves why they have had to become so resilient in the first place.

Young people do not need another year of being told that they are the leaders of tomorrow.

They need to be given the opportunity to lead, build and prosper today.

That is what Youth Day should ultimately be about.

Not celebrating young people despite their circumstances, but changing those circumstances so that young people actually have something to celebrate.

The author works with the Afro-Arab Youth Council 

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KAMPALA, Uganda — Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government Ben Kumumanya has directed Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and Town Clerks to submit monthly reports on corruption cases involving Parish Chiefs, Town Agents and other public servants implicated in malpractices related to the Parish Development Model (PDM).

Beginning August 2026, local government accounting and administrative heads will be required to report cases handled and provide updates on the status of disciplinary and court proceedings.

The directive is contained in a July 13, 2026 circular, referenced HRM/77/147/01, in which Kumumanya instructed local government authorities to urgently institute disciplinary action against officials implicated in alleged extortion, bribery and abuse of PDM funds and other government resources.

Kumumanya notes that some officials implicated in the reported criminal activities have already been arrested and charged in courts of law.

However, for the Permanent Secretary, arrest cannot mark the end of accountability.

He has directed CAOs and Town Clerks to ensure that disciplinary proceedings are initiated against implicated officers and that those found culpable are removed from public service in accordance with the law.

Monthly Accountability

The new reporting requirement creates a formal mechanism for tracking corruption cases at the local-government level.

CAOs and Town Clerks will be expected to indicate what action has been taken, which cases remain pending and the progress of disciplinary or court proceedings.

The reports are intended to enable the Ministry of Local Government to intervene and “expedite action” where necessary.

The directive has also been circulated to Resident District Commissioners, Resident City Commissioners, district and city leaders, mayors and service commissions, extending the accountability chain beyond officials directly involved in PDM implementation.

Protecting PDM Beneficiaries

For PDM beneficiaries, the stakes are significant.

The Parish Development Model was designed to support poor households in transitioning from subsistence activities into the money economy. Alleged demands for illegal payments therefore risk undermining a programme intended to improve the livelihoods of vulnerable citizens.

Kumumanya’s directive sends a clear message to local government leaders: corruption cases must not disappear into administrative files. They must be tracked, reported and acted upon.

The first monthly reports expected from August will provide an important test of whether the directive can turn warnings against PDM-related corruption into measurable accountability and action.

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NRG Radio Uganda presenter Evelyn Mic, popularly known as Evelyn Mic, has hit back at media personality Sheilah Gashumba after the latter suggested she could have the radio presenter fired over comments she made about her relationship.

The war of words follows a recent viral interview in which Sheilah, speaking to Kasuku and Frank Ntambi, launched a scathing attack on Evelyn, accusing her of attempting to sabotage her relationship with her boyfriend, Alex, after the presenter claimed on air that the couple had separated.

But Evelyn has refused to back down, insisting that she stands by her claims and has evidence to prove that Sheilah and Alex Bidandi had, at some point, called it quits.

“I stand by my word. I have proof that Sheilah and Alex separated, but because I put it out, they are trying to make up,” Evelyn said.

The presenter explained that she was initially unaware of the backlash surrounding her comments because she had been away mourning her sister’s death.

“I had no idea what was happening. I had gone for my sister’s burial. My friends kept telling me not to go on social media, while others were sending me audios about the positive side of the story,” she said.

Evelyn also defended her claims about Sheilah’s previous relationships, particularly allegations involving musicians Grenade Official and Fik Fameica.

When asked whether she was certain about the people Sheilah had dated, Evelyn maintained that she could substantiate her claims.

“I am a journalist and I stand by the truth,” she said.

According to Evelyn, she had even planned to give Sheilah an opportunity to respond to the allegations before the controversy escalated online.

“I said sorry because I know her as my colleague, and I told her personal assistant that I was going to do another story the next day to clear the air, saying Sheilah had told me her side of the story. But they didn’t give me a chance to do that. All they did was go on social media and rant,” she said.

She clarified that her apology was not necessarily a withdrawal of the claims she had made as a journalist, but rather an attempt to maintain their relationship as colleagues.

“I apologised because I know her as a colleague,” Evelyn explained.

She also accused Sheilah of recording their private conversation without her knowledge, describing the move as unprofessional.

“I had no idea she was recording me. That shows that Sheilah has some level of unprofessionalism,” she said.

Despite the backlash, Evelyn said she was unfazed by Sheilah’s comments and appeared confident that the truth would eventually speak for itself.

“I don’t feel bad about what Sheilah said because I know the truth. It is your man going around showing people screenshots of how you are pleading to get back into the relationship,” she claimed.

Evelyn also joked that her relationship commentary could ironically help couples resolve their problems.

“By the way, people should thank me. Every time I talk about people’s relationships, they sit down, figure things out and get back together,” she said.

The escalating feud took another turn when Evelyn was asked whether she feared losing her job over Sheilah’s threat to have her fired.

Her response was brief and defiant: “I dare her.”

“Wabula I DARE YOU!” Evelyn Mic fires back at Sheila Gashumba after the socialite claimed she could get the NRG Radio presenter fired over comments about her relationship.#SqoopUpdates pic.twitter.com/aBwvGoRhiZ

— SQOOP; It’s Deep (@MonitorSqoop) August 11, 2026

Dare ku Dare ??Luno lunaggwa ? pic.twitter.com/psOu1L6b4H

— Crysto Panda (@CrystoPanda) August 11, 2026

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Ugandan singer King Saha was on Tuesday evening reportedly abducted from his home in Kyanja following a dramatic security operation that witnesses say was punctuated by gunfire and left at least one person injured.

This came just hours after the singer had been moving around Kampala mobilising fans to attend his much-anticipated concert scheduled for Friday at Kololo Airstrip.

According to eyewitness accounts and videos circulating on social media, armed security personnel raided the singer’s residence before taking him away to an unknown destination.

Shameless JATT goons armed with guns are currently at King Saha’s home. pic.twitter.com/RmJDe3yjkU

— Nahabwe Bruce (@brucenahabwe1) August 11, 2026

Witnesses claim gunshots were fired during the operation, with one man reportedly shot in the leg. The injured individual is said to have been rushed to hospital for treatment, although his condition had not been officially confirmed by press time.

Videos shared online show scenes of panic outside the singer’s apartment as people ran for safety amid the sound of gunfire.

This is how the situation looked as JATT drove away King Saha from his premises in Kyanja, amid gunfire that left several people injured. pic.twitter.com/1Z0A5gGumw

— Motiv Kasagga (@MotivKasagga) August 11, 2026

The circumstances surrounding King Saha’s arrest remain unclear, and authorities had not yet issued an official statement explaining the operation or confirming where the singer had been taken.

Earlier in the day, King Saha had been seen in Kampala city centre rallying supporters to attend his concert, which is expected to take place on Friday at Kololo Airstrip.

This was King Saha before he was arrested, he was in the City Center rallying people to attend his concert that is due to happen this Friday at Kololo Airstrip.

He later left and headed to his apartment in Kyanja and this is where he was arrested. pic.twitter.com/ukbbL3klQD

— THEEGREATBANTA101 (@theegreatbanta) August 11, 2026

His arrest has since sparked concern among fans and members of the entertainment industry, with many demanding clarity over his whereabouts and the reasons behind the operation.

The incident comes just days before what is expected to be one of the singer’s biggest concerts, throwing uncertainty over preparations for the show.

More details are expected as the situation develops.

King Saha before he was arrested?? pic.twitter.com/1ER9c6yzAA

— mbale’s finest?? (@mbales_finest) August 11, 2026

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KAMPALA— A committee of Ugandan MPs has called on the government to urgently release the $430m that the biotechnology firm Dei BioPharma says it needs to finish its drug and vaccine plant near Kampala, arguing that the money would create jobs, cut the country’s medicine import bill and eventually put treatments for diseases such as cancer and sickle cell within reach of ordinary patients.

Members of Parliament’s Presidential Affairs Committee toured the plant at Matugga, in Wakiso district, on 10 August, where the company’s founder, Dr Matthias Magoola, walked them through production lines already running and buildings still under construction on the 250-acre site. Several MPs said afterwards that the visit had convinced them the project deserved faster and fuller government backing.

The committee’s chairman, Simon Peter Okwalinga, who represents Kanyum County and refers to himself as “the Guardian of the People”, was emphatic. “We need, as government, we need Dei BioPharma more than they need us,” he said, arguing that the plant’s projected profits could “triple the development of Uganda” and describing it as the only manufacturer of its kind on the continent — a claim the company itself has long made. Okwalinga said the committee would press the government on two points: electricity, because the plant needs about 100 megawatts, which he compared to the output of a dam, and the outstanding $430m. “Those are some of the issues that we shall definitely recommend for government to quicken,” he said.

Ofwono Opondo, who now sits as the Older Persons representative for eastern Uganda after more than a decade as government spokesman, went further, aligning himself with President Yoweri Museveni’s drive to protect strategic local firms. He argued that the state should not merely fund the plant but should also commission it to supply the public health system. Opondo proposed that the health budget be arranged so that the National Medical Stores buys directly from Dei, and set out a phased target — asking whether the company could meet 10%, then 30%, of the essential drugs the government needs over three to five years — while linking its output to the military’s hospital, the national specialised hospital and lower-level health centres. He said the government currently held a 9.8% stake, praised a young, largely Ugandan workforce that he said was mostly under 30, and pressed for the industry to be tied to farmers, noting that cassava starch is imported from India and maize starch from China even though Uganda grows cassava that struggles to find a market. On accountability, Opondo said the company’s books had been audited by Ernst & Young and passed to the finance ministry, and would be examined by the Auditor General before any recommendation was acted upon.

Dr Magoola said a feasibility study by Ernst & Young put the total cost of the campus at $1.1bn (about 4.1tn shillings), of which roughly $700m had been spent — $500m raised by the company through banks and partners, and $194m from the government — leaving the $430m balance to complete construction, buy equipment and connect production.

He said six facilities were already producing, that about 70% of the works were finished, and that the campus could be completed before the end of 2027 if the money arrived in time.

Dr. Magoola added that the company intended to list on the stock market so that Ugandans and foreign investors could buy in—noting that the medicines Dei Biopharma makes at Matugga match the quality of those sold in New York or London.

For Rose Mutonyi, the woman representative for Manafwa district, the appeal was personal as well as economic. She welcomed local starch production as a way to lower drug prices, pointed to the foreign exchange the country would save by buying at home, and said she was moved by the plant’s focus on cancer and sickle cell — disclosing that a niece of hers faced surgery after the disease attacked her pelvis.

“If he is telling us the truth, and I feel he is telling the truth, I am sure he can do a great deal for us Ugandans,” she said, adding that she did not want the site to become “a white elephant”.

Denis Amere Oneka, the MP for Kitgum Municipality, called Dei Biopharma a bit exceptional among the science and technology projects he had visited in five years in Parliament.

He urged the company to buy cassava and create jobs beyond the east, including in the northern Acholi sub-region, and argued that it should perfect a handful of medicines and begin earning before expanding.

“The economy of the country at the moment might not sustain us to give very many billions to one institution,” he said, noting that other state-backed ventures such as the vehicle maker Kiira Motors were competing for the same limited funds.

Founded by Dr Magoola in 2014, Dei BioPharma has become one of the largest facilities of its kind in the region and a recurring test of the government’s willingness to back local manufacturing.

The company says it has filed more than 100 patent applications with the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for treatments and vaccines targeting cancer, HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, sickle cell disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.

Several have moved beyond filing. In January 2025 the USPTO accepted its application for what the company calls the world’s first universal vaccine against foot-and-mouth disease.

On 6 February 2025 the office published a patent, numbered US 2025/0043258, for a guided-RNA cancer therapy that the firm says strikes defective genes common to many tumours rather than a single patient’s, and which it projects could cost under $100 a patient, against more than $500,000 for some existing cell therapies.

In July 2025 the USPTO accepted two further applications — a universal mRNA cancer-vaccine platform and an affordable single-chain antibody-fragment therapy — and in May 2026 the company filed for a broad-spectrum mRNA vaccine platform against Ebola and mpox, an announcement made at an Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) meeting in South Africa.

Its natural-source anti-malarial drug is also awaiting a US patent.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted Dei’s development plans for several biosimilars — a darbepoetin product for anaemia and kidney failure, and the GLP-1 diabetes and weight-loss drugs liraglutide and semaglutide — and has sent preliminary comments on PSI-033, a proposed lower-cost version of the cancer drug Yervoy. The company also says the FDA agreed to waive clinical-efficacy trials for its planned biosimilars of the cancer drugs pembrolizumab and trastuzumab.

Within Uganda, the National Drug Authority has licensed the Matugga plant and cleared it to make a range of products; it is already producing around nine generic medicines.

Dei says it builds to FDA, European Medicines Agency and World Health Organization standards and is in talks with the WHO, the vaccine alliance Gavi and the research body CEPI over future supply, though those discussions have not yet produced WHO prequalification or an Africa CDC manufacturing designation.

The government has already invested about 700bn shillings ($190m) and has been converting the spending into an equity stake.

Opposition MPs, including the Leader of the Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi previously visited the plant commended the progress but questioned whether the shares the money was meant to buy were ever acquired.

When Parliament approved earlier funding, the then Speaker, Anita Among, ordered that the company’s assets be valued and its land titles held by the Treasury before disbursement.

The finance ministry has since said a panel of bankers and scientists will vet future rounds of funding before more money is released.

The Presidential Affairs Committee says it will now table a formal recommendation for the government to fast-track both the $430m and the additional power the plant needs.

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By Our Reporter

Uganda’s new national ID rollout has hit another embarrassing snag, with farmers enrolled under a major World Bank-funded agriculture project complaining that the project’s systems cannot read their newly issued NIRA identification cards.

The development has left some beneficiaries frustrated and asking how a national identification system can issue new cards that government-backed digital platforms are unable to recognise.

The affected farmers are beneficiaries of the Uganda Climate-Smart Agricultural Transformation Project (UCSATP), a $350 million project — about Shs1.3 trillion — funded by the World Bank and implemented under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.

They are now cursing the project officials for not finding a solution.

The project leadership team is headed by National Project Coordinator Eng. Boniface Okanya.

The project, which became effective on June 25, 2024, was designed as a major intervention to transform Uganda’s agricultural sector by increasing productivity, improving market access and helping farmers withstand climate-related shocks.

It covers 69 districts and promises interventions including modern irrigation, mechanisation centres, climate-smart seeds, better roads and improved access to markets.

But some of the farmers expected to benefit from the ambitious project are now facing a bizarre problem.

Their new NIRA IDs cannot be read by the UCSATP systems.

Farmers who have gone through the national ID renewal process say they are being asked to produce their old IDs because the project’s systems reportedly fail to recognise the new cards.

The situation has raised fresh questions about coordination between government agencies as Uganda moves towards a new generation of national identification cards.

For farmers, the problem is particularly frustrating.

They have complied with NIRA’s demand to renew or obtain new identification cards, only to reach another government programme and be told that the new document cannot be accepted.

“Why are we being given new IDs if government systems cannot read them?” one frustrated beneficiary asked.

The farmers want answers.

They are asking whether government agencies adequately tested their systems before the new IDs began circulating.

They also want to know how quickly the UCSATP systems will be upgraded to recognise the new cards.

The problem comes at a time when NIRA itself is struggling with a nationwide ID collection nightmare.

Ugandans are currently lining up in huge numbers to collect their new national identity cards, with long queues reported at collection centres.

In some areas, citizens are also complaining about confusing collection arrangements.

People who registered in Wakiso District say they are being directed to different locations to collect their cards.

Some are reportedly sent to Kira.

Others are directed to Nansana, Makindye-Ssabagabo, Entebbe and other areas.

The result is a frustrating journey from one collection point to another.

The queues, according to citizens, are becoming as long as the River Nile.

And the pressure is particularly heavy because many old national IDs expired around the same period.

At the same time, children who were registered years ago have now grown into adults and are joining the queues to obtain their first cards.

This has created a huge rush for the new IDs.

But for some Ugandans, getting the new card is proving to be only half the battle.

Once they finally obtain the new card, some discover that the very systems they need to use cannot read it.

For UCSATP beneficiaries, this means a farmer can successfully obtain a new national ID from NIRA and still be told to produce the old card when accessing services under the agriculture project.

WHY NOT PARISHES?

As the ID collection crisis grows, citizens are also questioning why NIRA cannot decentralise collection points further.

Instead of requiring people to travel to district-level collection centres, citizens argue that IDs should be distributed through parishes.

This would bring the service closer to the people and reduce congestion.

The Wakiso experience has particularly exposed the challenge.

A person who registered in Wakiso can reportedly be directed to Kira.

Another may be sent to Nansana.

Another to Makindye-Ssabagabo.

Another to Entebbe.

For citizens, the experience means more transport costs, more time away from work and hours spent in queues.

And after all that effort, they may still discover that the new ID is not recognised by a government system they need to access.

SHS1.3TRILLION PROJECT

UCSATP is a major national investment.

The $350 million project, worth approximately Shs1.3 trillion, is intended to help transform Uganda’s agricultural sector.

Its interventions include modern irrigation, mechanisation centres, climate-smart seeds, improved roads and better access to markets.

The project is being implemented in 69 districts.

It is also designed to help farmers adapt to climate shocks while improving productivity and market access.

For beneficiaries, therefore, the project is expected to provide important opportunities to improve agricultural production and livelihoods.

But the ID problem risks creating unnecessary barriers for farmers who are already expected to navigate a complicated agricultural support system.

The farmers now want the Ministry of Agriculture, UCSATP managers and NIRA to resolve the apparent incompatibility.

They argue that citizens should not be forced to carry expired or old identification documents simply because a government system has not been updated to recognise the new cards.

A DIGITAL COMPATIBILITY CRISIS?

The problem has also raised a wider question about Uganda’s digital transformation.

As more government services become dependent on digital identification, institutions must be able to communicate with the national identification system.

If one government programme recognises the new NIRA ID while another does not, ordinary citizens are left carrying the burden.

The UCSATP experience could therefore be an early warning of a much bigger problem.

If similar incompatibility exists in other government programmes, banks, agencies and service platforms, the new NIRA rollout could become more than a national ID collection crisis.

It could become a national digital compatibility crisis.

For now, farmers under the Shs1.3 trillion smart agriculture project are demanding answers.

They have their new IDs.

They simply want government systems to recognise them.

---

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ENTEBBE — President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Tuesday presided over the official swearing-in ceremony of three newly appointed ministers at State House, Entebbe.

The ceremony marked the formal assumption of office for diplomats and legislators tasked with heading key dockets across foreign affairs, micro-finance, and internal security.

Key Appointments

• Hon. Amb. Adonia Ayebare — Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Hon. Shartsi Kutesa Musherure — Minister of State for Finance, Planning, and Economic Development (Micro-Finance)
• Hon. Witonze Juma — Minister of State for Internal Affairs

Strengthening Foreign Policy and Local Enterprise

Amb. Adonia Ayebare takes over the Foreign Affairs docket following a distinguished career as Uganda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Ayebare pledged to advance Uganda’s strategic interests, regional peace, and bilateral relations globally.

Hon. Shartsi Kutesa Musherure steps into the Ministry of Finance to oversee the Micro-Finance portfolio. Her focus is expected to center on expanding grassroots access to capital, strengthening community-based financial cooperatives (SACCOs), and driving wealth creation initiatives under government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM).

Hon. Witonze Juma assumes duties as Minister of State for Internal Affairs, where he will support the administration of internal security, immigration services, and national registry frameworks.

President Museveni congratulated the new ministers and urged them to serve with dedication, integrity, and focus on national development priorities.

Museveni Swears In Ayebare, Musherure, Witonze

 

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The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has established a Project Execution Unit to strengthen implementation of loan-funded projects and ensure that borrowed funds deliver the intended results.

This was revealed before the Committee on National Economy on Tuesday, 11 August 2026, where the Minister, Hon. Henry Musasizi, led a team of technical officers to present the ministry’s report on public debt, grants, guarantees and other financial liabilities.

The move comes amid persistent concerns from members over low utilisation and absorption of borrowed funds, which they say undermines the intended benefits of loans while increasing the country’s debt burden.

The Ag. Commissioner for Development Assistance and Regional Cooperation Department, Juvenal Muhumuza, said the Project Execution Unit will closely monitor implementation of projects and ensure that challenges affecting their performance are addressed.

“The unit will follow up issues affecting project performance on a regular basis and flag them to management for action,” said Muhumuza, who represented the Permanent Secretary.

Muhumuza also revealed that the ministry has tightened management of counterpart funding following cases of misuse by government entities. He said monitoring, approval and utilisation of counterpart funding has now been centralised under the Office of the Accountant General.
“This reform is aimed at addressing diversion of funds from intended purpose under, under budgeting, inadequate accountability and oversight of counterpart funding,” said Muhumuza.

He observed that poor performance of some loan-funded projects arises from delays in procurement, clearance of environmental reports and payment of contractors, among other implementation challenges. These bottlenecks have been addressed under new Standard Operating Procedures approved by Cabinet in March 2025, Muhumuza said.

He supported Musasizi’s position that Uganda can sustain its public debt if challenges affecting the performance of borrowed funds are addressed. In this he cited a facility established at the National Planning Authority to support timely preparation of feasibility studies and project designs.

Hon. Patrick Wakida (NRM, Kabweri County) expressed concern that government was not investing borrowed funds wisely, warning that the country could be heading towards a debt trap.

“If you look at how much of the debt we actually have, you realize it eats in the national budget, we are paying more to clear debts than investment,” he said.
Hon. Hassan Kirumira (NUP, Katikamu South) criticised government’s increasing reliance on borrowing from commercial banks, saying it was crowding out private sector borrowers.

Hon. Boniface Okot (NRM, Kole South) asked the ministry to address duplication of projects, where government entities operating within the same sector acquire loans to implement similar projects.

“The commercial banks prefer lending to government, as it is less risky. This makes access to credit for the private sector expensive. We need to minimize domestic borrowing in order to boost the private sector,” Kirumira said.

The committee asked the ministry to assess government entities with a history of poor loan utilisation and prioritise borrowing for institutions with demonstrated capacity to implement projects within agreed timelines.

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