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At the grassroots level, where government meets ordinary citizens, the Local Council One (LC1) leadership remains the heartbeat of Uganda’s governance system.

For nearly 45 million Ugandans, the village council is where government becomes visible. It is the first point of contact for citizens seeking guidance, resolving disputes, accessing information on government programmes, and finding leadership solutions to everyday community challenges.

From maintaining peace and settling disputes to mobilising communities for development initiatives, LC1 leaders serve as the vital bridge between the State and the people.

As Uganda prepares for the upcoming grassroots elections, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government, Mr. Ben Kumumanya, has urged citizens to elect leaders of integrity, commitment, and competence, saying the choices made at village level will shape the country’s future.

Speaking during an interview with journalists at Peniel Beach Hotel in Entebbe on Tuesday, Mr. Kumumanya said Uganda’s development agenda depends on strong and accountable leadership at the grassroots.

“Local government at the village level needs committed leaders with integrity,” he said.

His remarks came as Entebbe Municipal Council intensified preparations for the LC1 elections, with councillors undergoing an induction programme alongside the technical team led by Town Clerk Mr. Emmanuel Gakyaalo.

Mr. Gakyaalo and the technical team reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the elections are conducted smoothly, noting that local governments have a responsibility to prepare communities and facilitate a credible electoral process.

The induction programme focused on strengthening the capacity of local leaders and equipping councillors with the knowledge required to effectively support grassroots governance and community mobilisation.

Mr. Kumumanya stressed that the LC1 elections are not merely about filling leadership positions but about strengthening the foundation of governance where citizens interact directly with government.

He explained that the LC1 structure comprises various leadership positions, including the chairperson, women representative, youth representative, representative for persons with disabilities, environmental protection leader, and communication officer—each playing a distinct role in community development.

According to Mr. Kumumanya, the LC1 chairperson is responsible for coordinating village activities, promoting peace, resolving disputes, and fostering unity among residents.

He added that women representatives ensure women’s voices are reflected in community decisions, while youth and persons with disabilities representatives advocate for the interests of their respective groups.

However, he emphasised that environmental protection and communication are increasingly becoming indispensable pillars of effective village administration.

“We have executive leaders, youth, women and disabled leaders, but what is equally important are environmental protection and communication leaders,” he said.

Mr. Kumumanya said environmental protection representatives should spearhead community efforts to conserve the environment, promote sanitation, and safeguard natural resources.

He warned that sustainable development cannot be achieved in communities where environmental conservation is neglected.

The Permanent Secretary also highlighted the strategic role of communication officers in ensuring government information reaches citizens promptly and accurately.

“Communication leaders are paramount in disseminating information to other local leaders and the community,” he noted.

He explained that citizens can only fully benefit from government programmes when they are well informed and understand both their rights and responsibilities.

Mr. Kumumanya further underscored the importance of maintaining order within communities, describing it as a prerequisite for economic growth and social transformation.

“The function of the council is to emphasise order. The creation of Trade Order is an instrument,” he said.

He explained that Trade Order seeks to organise markets and trading centres to improve business operations, public safety, and service delivery.

Drawing an analogy with household management, Mr. Kumumanya said organised communities function more effectively.

“In our homes, everything has its proper place. You know where household items are kept. Markets should also be organised and orderly,” he said.

He urged Local Council leaders to mobilise citizens to elect individuals who are genuinely committed to serving their communities rather than pursuing personal interests.

As Uganda heads into the grassroots elections, Mr. Kumumanya maintains that national transformation begins at the village level.

For millions of Ugandans, electing an LC1 chairperson, women representative, environmental protection representative, and communication officer is far more than a political exercise—it is a decision that will determine how communities are governed, how information is shared, how the environment is protected, and how development is achieved.

For Mr. Kumumanya, integrity remains the most important qualification for anyone seeking the privilege of leading Uganda’s villages.

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Health Minister Dr. Chris Baryomunsi has revealed that recent student deaths were not caused by a new deadly malaria strain.

Speaking in Parliament, Baryomunsi said Uganda’s malaria surveillance has not detected any change in the malaria parasite, dismissing fears that a more dangerous strain could be behind the recent deaths of learners.

The minister confirmed that four learners in Kampala Metropolitan Area died from severe malaria, including two students from Makerere College School, one from Mengo Senior Secondary School and one from Gayaza High School.

He said the Ministry of Health, together with the Ministry of Education, is strengthening malaria prevention in schools through faster diagnosis, emergency referral systems, health training for school administrators and plans to deploy school nurses.

Baryomunsi also revealed that government is rolling out the malaria vaccine among young people, including school-going children, as part of efforts to reduce severe malaria infections.

“This surveillance has not detected any change in the virulence of the parasites currently circulating in the country. Plasmodium falciparum remains, as it has for decades, the dominant species in Uganda, accounting for approximately 97 per cent of infections,” Baryomunsi said.

He said the recent student deaths were not linked to a new malaria strain, but rather to an immunity gap among urban learners who have had less exposure to malaria due to reduced transmission levels.

But, he explained that some people naturally attract more mosquito bites than others.

He said there are several factors that make some individuals more attractive to mosquitoes, increasing their risk of contracting malaria.

“Pregnant women attract mosquitoes compared to those who are not pregnant,” Baryomunsi told MPs

He explained that biological changes during pregnancy can make women more likely to be bitten. According to the Minister sweat, high or warm body temperatures attract mosquitoes .He explained that the science that people who emit more carbondioxide attract mosquitoes, raised body temperature, sweating which releases lactic, uric acid and amonia.

The minister also said there is evidence that people consuming alcohol, especially beer, may attract more mosquitoes than those taking non-alcoholic drinks.

He explained that if two people sit in the same place with mosquitoes around, the person drinking beer may receive more mosquito bites compared to someone taking water or juice.

Baryomunsi made the remarks while presenting a statement to Parliament on concerns over severe malaria cases among students in urban boarding schools.

Prosecution claims former Kampala mayor knew of secret meetings but stayed silent.

Former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has been committed to the High Court over allegations that he knew about a secret plot to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni’s government by force but chose not to alert authorities.

Lukwago has been committed for trial on charges of misprision of treason, a case built around claims that he had knowledge of alleged treasonous activities involving opposition figures and foreign contacts.

According to the prosecution, the alleged plot began when Joel Wakhaima, a Ugandan based in Switzerland, approached Andrew Wilson (AW)seeking assistance to acquire weapons and military training for Ugandans inside and outside the country.

The prosecution alleges that Wakhaima wanted AW to help organise firearms, training and other support to overthrow the government through armed means.

However, prosecutors say AW became suspicious and reported the matter to Ugandan authorities,through a UPDF solider in Somalia.

According to the indictment, AW was later asked to continue communicating with Wakhaima while working with intelligence officers to gather information about the alleged plan.

The prosecution alleges that AW later connected with Salam Musumba, who allegedly requested training in covert communication and intelligence gathering.

The indictment states that AW later met with opposition figures during meetings in Europe, including a gathering in Brussels, Belgium, where Erias Lukwago was allegedly present.

Prosecutors claim Lukwago was aware of discussions involving AW and others but failed to report them.

The case then allegedly moved to Geneva, Switzerland, where prosecutors say Dr Kizza Besigye held meetings with AW and other individuals.

During the October 29, 2023 meeting, prosecutors allege that Dr Besigye requested military assistance, including training in intelligence and paramilitary tactics.

The prosecution further claims that discussions included plans to obtain counterfeit Ugandan currency to finance activities and destabilise the economy.

According to the indictment, Dr Besigye allegedly provided AW with a list of military and security installations that could be targeted.

The facilities listed include Makindye Barracks, Bugembe Barracks, Gaddafi Barracks in Jinja, Magamaga Military Barracks, the Air Force Academy and other security facilities.

The prosecution says recordings of the meetings will be presented in court.

Alleged plan to kill Museveni

The biggest allegation in the case is a claim that the group discussed assassinating President Museveni using a drone.

The prosecution alleges that during a January 2024 meeting in Geneva, Dr Besigye and Wakhaima requested AW’s help to carry out the attack.

They allegedly discussed providing details about the President’s movements and security weaknesses.

The indictment further claims that promises were allegedly made regarding access to Uganda’s financial sector and other facilities if the alleged plan succeeded.

Prosecutors allege that another meeting held in June 2024 focused on training selected Ugandans in Kenya in intelligence gathering, surveillance and drone operations.

The prosecution claims Lukwago knew about the alleged activities because of his leadership position in PFF.

The prosecution alleges that on November 16, 2024, Dr Besigye and Hajj Obeid Lutale met AW and another foreign contact in Nairobi.

During the meeting, prosecutors claim discussions included acquiring advanced weapons, including missiles, and plans involving civil disobedience.

A day later, Dr Besigye and Lutale were handed over to Ugandan security officers at Malaba border with exhibits including mobile phones and firearms, according to the prosecution.

They were initially charged before the General Court Martial before the matter was later transferred following a Supreme Court decision.

Lukwago’s case will now proceed before the High Court. The allegations against are yet to be proven in court.

Court also heard that earlier directives requiring prisons authorities to take Lukwago for medical examination at Mulago National Referral Hospital had been complied with.

According to the prosecution, Lukwago was admitted to Mulago on June 25, 2026, where a team of senior medical specialists examined him.

Their report was later submitted to court on June 30, 2026, and forms part of the prosecution’s evidence.

Lukwago was represented in court by a team of lawyers led by Medard Lubega Ssegona, alongside several other defence advocates.

Lukwago was asked to file for bail in the High Court as the Chief Magistrate’s Court has no jurisdiction on granting him bail.

The High Court in Kampala has given opposition figure Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused Hajj Obeid Lutale two weeks to decide whether they will accept state-appointed lawyers or choose private legal representatives of their own preference in the ongoing treason case.

The High Court has appointed three state lawyers to represent Dr. Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajj Obeid Lutale, in their ongoing treason trial. And directed them to furnish the court with their CV’s.

The appointed advocates are Namawejje Sliver, Sarah Awelo and Serwambala Julius.

The court also gave the accused two weeks to decide whether to retain the appointed lawyers or choose alternative counsel from the over 700 advocates available under the state brief scheme.

The decision was made by Justice Emmanuel Baguma after the accused appeared before court following the state’s disclosure of evidence it intends to rely on during the trial.

State prosecutors led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Thomas Jatiko and Chief State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka had earlier served Besigye and Lutale with bundles of documents and electronic evidence, including flash disks containing the prosecution disclosures.

During the court session, Justice Baguma reminded the accused that they had earlier been provided with a list of 786 advocates available under the state brief arrangement to enable them select legal representation.

“Since you received the evidence, let us proceed to the next stage. I earlier directed that, should you maintain a difficulty with legal representation, you be furnished with the list of 786 advocates on state brief, from which you were to make your selection. Have you made your choice?” the judge asked.

However, Dr. Besigye told court that he had only received the extensive list at about 6:00pm the previous day and needed guidance on how to make an informed choice.

Besigye argued that the list only contained the advocates’ names, years of enrolment, areas of practice and telephone contacts, but did not provide information about their experience or areas of competence.

He said the complexity of the case required lawyers with specific expertise, especially given the nature of the evidence expected to be presented by the state.

“My Lord, the charges we face are grave and complex, spanning events said to have occurred across four countries. Much of the evidence confronting us is technical and electronic in nature,” Besigye told court.

He asked the court to provide a way through which he and Lutale could understand the professional backgrounds and competencies of the listed lawyers before making their selection.

Besigye further maintained that the defence team they had previously chosen remained their preferred lawyers, saying they had full confidence in their competence.

He told court that their earlier legal team was still available to represent them once concerns regarding the security and circumstances surrounding their lawyers were resolved.

“The legal team we had is one in whose competence we placed full confidence, and which remains available to represent us in this matter once the concerns touching upon its members’ security have been resolved,” Besigye said.

He referred to a pending application before the High Court, Application No. 248, which he said directly relates to issues surrounding their legal representation.

The former presidential candidate also questioned the financial burden of state-funded lawyers, arguing that he and Lutale were willing and able to meet the costs of lawyers of their own choice.

“It would be an injustice to the people of Uganda to bear the cost of counsel on our behalf when we are able and willing to meet the requirements of counsel of our own choosing,” Besigye said.

The court’s directive comes amid a dispute between the accused and the state over legal representation, with Besigye’s supporters accusing authorities of frustrating access to his preferred lawyers.

Besigye’s political camp has previously claimed that some members of his legal team faced intimidation, deportation and other challenges, allegations that have not been determined by court.

The prosecution, however, has proceeded with the case, arguing that the accused must have legal representation to allow the trial process to move forward.

Meanwhile, Besigye, Lutale and Capt. Denis Oola remain on remand after court extended their detention until July 29, 2026.

The three are accused of offences related to treason, charges they deny.

Winnie Wa Mummy has urged young people to listen to the songs of the late Paul Job Kafeero, saying they contain life lessons that remain just as relevant today.

Speaking on Sanyuka TV, the rising singer revealed that she regularly listens to the Kadongo Kamu legend because his lyrics inspire self-reflection.

You listen to Paul Kafeero’s music, and it makes you reflect on your life and feel like you need to make some changes.

Pressed on whether someone from her generation genuinely listens to Kafeero’s music, Winnie Wa Mummy insisted that good music knows no age.

She argued that many young people miss out on valuable wisdom by overlooking the late singer’s catalog, adding that his songs teach lessons about life that many people never learn while growing up.

Music is music. Music is food for the soul. It is a shame for any young person not to listen to Paul Kafeero’s music because it teaches the basics of life. Many of the people we grow up with never teach us those lessons, but our elders captured them in their music. Then, when you find yourself in a similar situation, you remember hearing about it in a song, and it does not scare you as much.

For Winnie Wa Mummy, Paul Job Kafeero’s legacy extends beyond entertainment.

She believes his songs continue to offer guidance and wisdom that every generation can learn from.

People keep spreading rumors about King Saha and me, but we only share music. We’ve worked on songs together, and he’ll write more for me in the future. – Winnie Wa Mummy #SanyukaUnCut #SanyukaUpdates #FFeBannoDdala pic.twitter.com/yWg1O8IPM7

— Sanyuka TV (@sanyukatv) July 15, 2026

Should gospel musicians collaborate with secular artists? The question has divided Uganda’s gospel music industry for years, with some believers embracing such partnerships and others rejecting them outright.

Titus Kuteesa believes the answer does not belong to fans, critics, or social media.

The Urban gospel singer and worship leader says every collaboration starts with one question: What is God saying?

I listen to the voice of God. If God tells me to work with a secular artist, then I will, even if it’s Gloria Bugie. But if He does not tell me, then it cannot happen.

His position comes at a time when collaborations between gospel and secular artists continue to attract scrutiny.

Levixone drew criticism after recording “Number Moja” with Winnie Nwagi, with some believers questioning whether a secular artist belonged on a gospel record.

Bentrom faced similar criticism after teaming up with Sheebah Karungi on the “Dance for the Lord” remix, but defended the collaboration, insisting that praising God should never be reserved for gospel musicians alone.

The same conversation has reached church platforms as well.

Pastor Wilson Bugembe has repeatedly faced criticism for inviting secular artists to Worship House Nansana and his major concerts, with some conservative Christians questioning the role of mainstream entertainers in gospel ministry.

Kuteesa, however, believes the debate often overlooks what matters most.

Rather than deciding based on whether an artist records gospel or secular music, he believes the decision rests entirely on whether God has directed it.

Casino floors are full of modest payouts, near misses and ordinary wins. Every so often, though, someone walks away with an amount large enough to make international headlines. Those exceptional wins usually come from progressive jackpots, unusually large wagers or bets where the odds of success are particularly long.

Ask which casino game pays the most and you will quickly run into a problem: there is no single answer. A slot jackpot worth millions works nothing like a large win at a baccarat table. One might begin with a relatively small stake. The other could involve risking more money on a single hand than most people earn in a year.

Why Some Casino Games Offer Bigger Payouts Than Others

The obvious place to start is the size of the prize. It is also where comparisons can become misleading.

A game advertising a million-dollar maximum win may produce that result incredibly rarely. Another might have a far lower ceiling but return smaller amounts more often. Both can be described as games with winning potential, yet the experience of playing them is hardly comparable.

Volatility plays a big part here. High-volatility games tend to have longer gaps between substantial payouts. When a major win does appear, however, it can be considerably larger. Lower-volatility games generally spread their returns across more frequent, modest wins.

Then there is the amount being wagered.

Someone placing thousands on a baccarat hand does not need an enormous multiplier to produce a sizeable payout. By contrast, a person browsing games through slots ug could encounter progressive titles capable of turning a much smaller qualifying wager into an exceptionally large jackpot.

That difference explains why the biggest casino wins cannot be ranked simply by looking at payout percentages or maximum prizes. How much was risked? How often can the result occur? Is the prize fixed, or does it grow over time?

The answers change from one game to another.

Progressive Jackpot Slots

Progressive slots have produced some of the most eye-catching payouts associated with casino gaming.

The basic idea is simple enough. A small portion of qualifying wagers contributes to a jackpot. Nobody wins it, the prize keeps growing. Eventually, someone lands the required combination and the jackpot resets.

What makes certain progressive games unusual is their scale.

Some jackpots are linked across many machines or online platforms. Instead of relying on activity from one casino floor, thousands of players may be contributing to the same prize pool. That can send the total climbing rapidly.

And it may continue climbing for months.

This creates a strange contrast. The wager required to qualify for the jackpot can be relatively modest, while the potential payout sits in the millions. Few other casino games offer that relationship between stake size and maximum prize.

The chances of winning, naturally, are another matter.

Landing a major progressive jackpot is exceptionally rare. Most people playing these games will never experience anything close to the top payout. Regular wins and smaller bonus prizes make up the ordinary experience.

Table Games Where High Stakes Can Lead to Huge Wins

The atmosphere changes considerably at a high-limit table.

There is no jackpot meter slowly ticking upwards. Instead, the potential size of a win comes largely from the amount of money placed at risk.

Baccarat is a clear example. Its relatively simple betting structure has made it a fixture in high-limit gaming rooms. When individual wagers reach enormous amounts, even an ordinary winning hand can produce a substantial payout.

Blackjack follows a similar pattern.

The game does not usually offer the enormous multipliers associated with slot jackpots. It does allow players to place large wagers, split hands and double down in certain situations. As a result, the amount won or lost can shift quickly.

Then there is roulette.

Betting on red or black offers a relatively modest payout. Put the same money on one number and the potential return rises dramatically. So does the chance of losing the wager.

How Game Variance and Betting Limits Affect Potential Payouts

Maximum win figures look impressive on a screen. They do not tell the whole story.

Consider two games. One offers frequent small payouts and a limited top prize. The other can go through long stretches without a significant return but has the possibility of producing an enormous win.

Which one pays more?

Over a single session, nobody knows.

That uncertainty is exactly why variance matters. It describes how widely results can move around the expected average over time. High-variance games can feel quiet for extended periods before producing occasional large payouts.

Biggest Win Potential vs. Your Actual Chances of Winning

There is a reason enormous casino wins become news stories.

They do not happen very often.

Progressive jackpots can reach extraordinary amounts, but the probability of winning the largest prize is usually extremely low. High-limit table games can produce similarly impressive figures, although the player generally needs to risk substantial amounts of money first.

Roulette sits somewhere in the middle. Its higher-paying wagers are easy to understand, but the odds become longer as bets get more specific.

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The Minister of Health, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, has dismissed reports that recent student deaths are a result of a new malaria strain, saying the fatalities are linked to an immunological gap among learners rather than a change in the malaria parasite.

Baryomunsi made the clarification while presenting a ministerial statement before Parliament on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, during a plenary sitting chaired by Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth.

His statement followed concerns raised by Hon. Andrew Kaluya (NUP, Kigulu County South) over suspected severe malaria cases affecting students in urban boarding schools.

The minister said Uganda has continued to conduct genomic surveillance of malaria parasites through the National Malaria Control Division in collaboration with research partners, and no evidence has been found of a more dangerous malaria strain.

“This surveillance has not detected any change in the virulence of the parasites currently circulating in the country. Plasmodium falciparum remains, as it has for decades, the dominant species in Uganda, accounting for approximately 97 per cent of infections,” Baryomunsi said.

He said available genomic and clinical surveillance data do not support claims that a new malaria strain is responsible for the recent deaths.

The minister confirmed that four learners in the Kampala Metropolitan Area died from severe malaria, including two students from Makerere College School, one from Mengo Senior Secondary School and one from Gayaza High School.

He, however, clarified that other recent student deaths reported at Naalya, Ndejje, Katakwi and Kakiri secondary schools were caused by suicide, trauma and road accidents, and were unrelated to malaria.

The increased vulnerability among urban learners, the minister said, is linked to reduced exposure to malaria due to declining transmission levels in Kampala and other urban areas.

He said children raised in low-transmission areas do not develop the same level of immunity against malaria as those in high-transmission areas, making them more vulnerable to severe disease when infected.

To address the challenge, the Ministry of Health, together with the Ministry of Education and Sports, is implementing measures including rapid diagnostic guidelines, training of school administrators on emergency referrals and strengthening health services in schools.

The Government is also planning rapid malaria risk assessments, confidential inquiries in affected schools, issuance of a ministerial circular on malaria prevention and treatment, and phased deployment of school nurses.

He said government is committed to ensuring that no learner dies or suffers prolonged disruption of education due to delayed prevention, diagnosis or treatment of malaria.

Responding to the statement, Hon. Kaluya welcomed the Government’s intervention, saying the measures had provided reassurance to parents and leaders.

“It gives us a lot of comfort both as parents and leaders not to worry so much about what is going on. However, we must improve how we combat malaria,” he said.

Hon. Frederick Angura (NRM, Tororo South County) urged the ministry to address gaps in health service delivery by ensuring sub-counties without Health Centre IIIs are provided with the necessary facilities.

Hon. Ethel Naluyima (NUP, Wakiso District Woman Representative) called for the inclusion of mental health programmes in schools.

“Honourable Ministers of Health and Education, you will need to formulate a plan,” Speaker Oboth said in response.

Gen. Samuel Kavuma (UPDF Representative) raised concerns over the low number of Ugandans seeking routine medical check-ups and challenges in accessing accurate diagnosis.

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Lawmakers are calling on government to increase the coverage of road networks across the country, in the infrastructure agenda highlighted by President Yoweri Museveni during his State-of-the-Nation Address on 04 June 2026.

According to Hon. Onesimus Twinamasiko (NRM, Bugangaizi East County), critical oil roads in the Albertine region, which had been earmarked for development, have remained pending.

He cited the Nalweyo-Kisiita-Mpasana-Nkoko-Masode Road in Kyankwanzi District, that connects to Kakumiro District, which he said will be critical during the monitoring of progress on the oil pipeline.

“This is a very critical oil road because the oil pipeline crosses this road three times. Feasibility studies and schematic designs were made in 2017, however, UNRA abandoned this road, yet it is very important for oil exploration,” Twinamasiko said.

Hon. Edward Makmot (NRM, Agago County), brought forward the Moroto road which he noted is being considered in the National Development Plan (NDP4), and urged government to solicit funding to expedite its construction.

“This is a security road that has existed since colonial times. This road crosses over 10 districts in the Acholi and Karamoja sub-regions. It is also a mineral and tourism road that takes us to Kidepo but has been ignored for years. We have made some progress, but we need to tarmac this road,” Makmot said.

Bududa District Woman Representative, Hon. Agnes Khainza, called on the Ministry of Works and Transport to prioritise works on the Bubulo-Bududa circular road, noting that it has often been alluded to by the President, but has not been worked on.

“This road is in the NRM manifesto, and when President Museveni campaigned in Bududa, he made promises on this road. We do not have a tarmacked road in the area yet this road has the potential to link many communities and markets,” said Khainza.

The legislators made these appeals during the plenary sitting on Wednesday, 15 July 2026, whilst considering a motion for a resolution of Parliament to appreciate the President’s State-of-the-Nation Address.

Hon. Ivan Kyeyune (NUP, Nakasongola County) asked government to fulfill presidential pledges on development of road infrastructure in the district.

“If the President could fulfill his pledge to tarmac the road of Nakasongola through Kalungi, Bamugolodde to Kikyusa, our farmers would transport their products easily to other markets,” Kyeyune said at the sitting chaired by Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth.

Hon. Joy Waako (NRM, Female Older Persons’ Representative), appreciated government’s efforts in extending the road network in the country, which she said has enabled the elderly to access critical services.

“For many years, older persons, especially in rural Uganda struggled to reach health centres because roads were impassable, with many being carried on bicycles or stretchers over long distances. Today, they can access health centres quickly and safely. Ambulances reach villages faster and medicines are delivered easily to remote communities,” Waako noted.

Hon. Shyam Jay Tanna (Indep., Tororo Municipality) called for expedited works on the standard gauge railway, noting that Kenya has progressed extensively on the Kisumu-Malaba project, which is supposed to continue through Uganda.

“Despite getting Euros 650 million in funding, we are missing out. Six major towns are supposed to get workshops which will improve employment rates, and there will be a 40 per cent decline in transportation costs. This infrastructure will create a regional hub for business in Central and East Africa,” Tanna noted.

He also urged government to compensate project affected persons timely and improve the road network near the railway.

In his 04 June 2026 address to the nation, President Museveni said government is working with Kenya and Tanzania on the pipelines for crude petroleum products and refined products, which will reduce pressure on the road networks.

“This will move heavy cargo away from the roads to the railway, and the petroleum products from the road to the pipeline. That leaves the roads for only passengers and light cargo. The murram roads must also always be maintained,” Museveni said.

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