Uncategorized

Lira, Uganda | Speaker of Parliament and NRM 2nd National Vice Chairperson (Female), Anita Annet Among, urged President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to reconsider offering political support to what she described as opposition politicians who regularly criticise the government despite benefiting from it. Addressing thousands of NRM leaders and flagbearers at Lango College on Sunday, Among said some politicians who received opportunities and support from the NRM are now attacking the president and the ruling party. She told the gathering that such behaviour amounted to betrayal and that the party needed to take a firmer stance against what she called political hypocrisy. Among said, the issue had caused concern among grassroots cadres and emphasised the need to prioritise loyal party mobilisers as the country heads toward the 2026 elections. She urged residents of Lira City to re-elect Dr Jane Ruth Aceng Ocero, adding that political leaders should respect community roots and boundaries. She noted that a politician could not, for example, leave her birthplace of Minakulu in Oyam to contest in Lira City, and she expected the same principle from others. She argued that President Museveni’s ministerial appointment of several leaders from Lango, among them Dr. Aceng, Hamson Obua, Betty Amongi, and MPs serving on key parliamentary committees demonstrated the President’s continued trust in the region. She also praised the government for raising LCI chairpersons’ monthly pay from 10,000 to 100,000 shillings, saying it addressed long-standing concerns and would strengthen local administration. She said further arrangements are underway to support NRM party chairpersons to improve oversight of government programmes. Government Chief Whip and NRM Vice Chairperson for Northern Uganda, Denis Hamson Obua, welcomed the president to what he described as a historic engagement with grassroots party structures. He said the 2026 general election should provide an opportunity for Lango to demonstrate overwhelming support for the president. Obua pointed to major government achievements in the subregion, such as Lira University, the Soroti-Lira–Kamdini Road, the upgrade of Lira Regional Referral Hospital, and the construction of Akii-Bua Stadium, as evidence of continued government investment. He said that mobilisation for 2026 would rely heavily on locol to district NRM chairpersons, whom he referred to as the frontline commanders of the party. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni began his remarks with a moment of silence in honour of the late cultural leader, Won Nyaci Yosam Odur Ebii. He said the NRM’s first achievement had been the restoration of peace, recalling the instability under Idi Amin and the insurgencies that later affected northern Uganda. He said collaboration between the NRM, the Arrow Boys, and the Amuka militia had helped stabilise Lango, and he criticised those who moved around making loud claims despite having made no contribution to peace. On infrastructure, Museveni cited the Soroti–Lira–Kamdini Road and the Rwenkunyu–Lira–Puranga Road as key achievements. He said the government needed to prioritise projects instead of scattering resources and argued that, much like the army’s need for better weapons before better housing, infrastructural needs required careful sequencing. Museveni said he intended to send auditors to verify whether districts are using road maintenance funds properly, and he expressed readiness to allocate up to 3 billion shillings per district if it is confirmed that additional support would lead to better-quality roads. He outlined progress in electrification, disease control, and wealth creation efforts through the Four-Acre Model, EMYOOGA, Youth Livelihood Programme, and the Parish Development Model, noting that 30% of PDM resources were reserved for youth initiatives. The president also said job creation extended beyond government employment and mentioned that he would review a proposal to place NRM chairpersons on the monthly payroll. He added that he had accepted a plan proposed by Obua to shorten the travel route between Amolatar, Alebtong, and Otuke through a Dokolo-Bata-Abako-Aloi 43km road connection. Source The post Speaker Among Warns Museveni Against Backing ‘Ungrateful Opposition’ as Lango Meeting Turns Heated Over Politicians Who ‘Eat and Insult’ NRM appeared first on Dokolo Post.

Lira, Uganda | President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged to consider upgrading the 42.4km Dokolo–Bata–Abako–Aloi Road to tarmac, describing the project as vital for trade, connectivity, and tourism in Lango. The promise was made during a meeting with NRM leaders from across the sub-region at Lango College on Sunday, 7 December 2025. The meeting, attended by all NRM district and city chairpersons, LC1–LC5 leaders, Members of Parliament, and security officials, aimed to review development progress in Lango and mobilise support ahead of the 2026 general elections. Northern Uganda NRM Vice Chairperson and Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua, who represents Ajuri County in Alebtong District, urged the President to annex the Dokolo–Bata–Abako–Aloi Road to either the Dokolo–Namasale or Lira–Aloi–Alebtong Road corridors. Obua highlighted four key justifications for the project: improving connectivity by shortening travel distances from Lango to Acholi and Karamoja through the Amolatar and Kaberamaido ferries, promoting trade by easing the movement of goods to markets, boosting tourism by linking the sub-region to attractions such as Kidepo Valley National Park and enhancing regional integration through stronger transport links between districts. Obua noted that Lango remains at less than 5 per cent tarmac connectivity, the lowest in Uganda, despite leading in other social indicators such as schools and health centres. He also requested similar engagement meetings in West Nile and Acholi, describing the current outreach in Lango and Bukedi as “unprecedented.” Speaker of Parliament and NRM Second National Vice Chairperson (Female) Anita Among, who is also the Woman MP for Bukedea District, applauded the President for bringing stability to Lango. She welcomed leaders from all districts, noting attendance of over 15,000 youth, who are now actively participating in party mobilisation. Among also emphasised the importance of increasing facilitation for LC1–LC5 leaders to improve monitoring of government programmes and called for a “wheel of unity” from the President down to village structures to ensure consistent support for NRM candidates in 2026. President Museveni responded to Obua and Among, highlighting the government’s commitment to development and NRM manifesto pillars, which he outlined as: Peace, development, wealth creation, jobs, service delivery, markets and political federation (East African Federation/Strategic Security). On the Dokolo–Bata–Abako–Aloi Road, Museveni endorsed Obua’s proposal for consideration, stating that the road would boost trade and mobility within Lango. He also indicated that the project could start with first-class maram construction, followed by eventual tarmacking. He assured leaders that NRM would continue rewarding effective mobilisation efforts, noting plans to increase LC facilitation from 10,000 to 100,000 shillings, with flexibility to adjust based on performance. Museveni further underscored the need for electoral unity, stressing that votes for the President must be followed by votes for parliamentary and local government NRM candidates. “You cannot vote for Members of Parliament when you are not voting for the President,” he said, urging a seamless chain of support from grassroots structures upwards. During the meeting, leaders noted several development milestones delivered since the 2012 Lango Conference, including: Establishment of Lira University, upgrading of Lira Regional Referral Hospital, construction of Akiibua Stadium, initiation of several strategic roads, including Rwekunye–Lira–Puranga, Dokolo–Kaberamaido-Amolatar–Namasale, and Aboke–Ngai–Bobi. Museveni reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continuing these projects and ensuring equitable development across the sub-region. He also acknowledged the contributions of NRM MPs and ministers from Lango who oversee major government budgets in health, trade, and agriculture. The meeting demonstrated the NRM’s strategy of direct engagement with village-level leaders, aiming to consolidate electoral support while addressing developmental concerns. Leaders and participants lauded the President for listening to grassroots voices and for pledging to tackle key infrastructure gaps, particularly road connectivity, which remains a significant enabler of trade and regional integration in Lango Sub-region. Source The post Museveni Promises to Consider Upgrading 43km Dokolo–Bata–Abako–Aloi Road appeared first on Dokolo Post.

By Dr. Bob Marley Achura “I went to the clinic for help, but the doctor told me I could die tonight, and when I asked for my medical form, they told me to come back tomorrow, leaving me terrified, confused, and powerless in a system that treats fear and secrecy as medicine.” I will never forget the look in her eyes. Let me call her Amina, a mother of three from a village just outside Lira. Her story is not unique. In fact, it is one of the most common and most painful patterns in our health system: a patient frightened nearly to death by a careless statement, then discharged without the one thing that could protect her, her medical form. This is her story. But it could be mine. It could be yours. “You could die today.” Those were the words that changed everything. Amina had gone to a small clinic in Lira one evening after feeling dizzy and short of breath. She expected a blood pressure check, perhaps malaria testing, nothing dramatic. She had left her children at home waiting for supper. The doctor barely looked up from the file. He wrapped the blood pressure cuff around her arm, frowned, scribbled something, and without lifting his head said: “Your condition is very critical. You could die today. If you don’t get admitted now, anything can happen.” The room closed in on her. Her vision blurred. She could hear her heartbeat pounding in her ears. “Die?” she whispered. “Now?” Her blood pressure shot even higher, not because of disease, but because of terror. She called her sister in tears. The sister rushed over, thinking she was coming to collect a body. That is the power of these reckless words; they destabilize families, raise panic, and traumatize patients long after the illness is gone. The tests came back. She was not dying. After several hurried checks, the clinician admitted she had “severe hypertension, but manageable.” Within two hours, her pressure had stabilized with medication. She was told to go home. But when Amina asked for her medical form, the record of her diagnosis, the drugs given, and the instructions for her follow-up, the nurse closed the file and slid it away. “We don’t give out original forms. Come back tomorrow. Or next week. We keep the file.” Amina tried to insist. The nurse shook her head. She left the clinic with nothing but fear, not a single sheet of paper saying what had happened to her that night. That night, she sat awake imagining her heart stopping. Every sound in her chest felt like a warning. The doctor’s words echoed louder than her children’s breathing. Amina is not alone. In Kabale, a primary school teacher told me the same story: after being hospitalized for pneumonia, she begged for her discharge form. A clerk told her, “We keep them for safety. Patients lose them.” She travelled to Mbarara the next week for further care without any documentation. They repeated all tests, expensive, unnecessary, and preventable. In Kumi, a boda rider I met during fieldwork showed me a stack of receipts from three clinics, but no medical forms. He said, “Every time they tell me to return next week if I want the copy. But next week I am back on the road. I can’t waste transport.” Across East Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, similar tales abound: patients frightened into admission, patients denied their files, patients left vulnerable because someone decided “the hospital keeps the paper.” Yet every health rights charter in the region says the opposite: The patient has the right to access their medical information. The right is clear. The practice is not. What withholding a medical form really means We often think of medical forms as “mere papers.” But in places like Lira, Kabale, and Kumi, they are far more: They are continuity of care: Without them, the next clinician must guess, sometimes wrongly. They are protection: If treatment fails or complications occur, the patient has proof of what was done. They are memory: In systems where electronic records are rare, the paper is the patient’s entire medical history. They are dignity: A person has the right to understand their own body, illness, and treatment. When hospitals refuse, they are not “keeping the file.” They are keeping the patient in the dark. The unseen injury: the fear we plant inside people I have sat with patients who broke down not because of their illness, but because of the words used at the bedside: “If you delay, you will die.” “We cannot guarantee you will reach tomorrow.” “Yours is very bad… very bad.” These phrases, when delivered without context or compassion, are not medical advice, they are psychological wounds. A hypertensive woman in Lira Barracks told me her blood pressure has never stabilized since a doctor once said, “Yours is a walking-dead case.” A young man in Kabale Municipality said he stopped seeking care because a clinical officer told him, “Your kidneys could collapse any minute.” A mother in Kumi miscarried after collapsing from fear when a health worker said, “If you don’t buy these drugs now, you might not see tomorrow.” Fear is not treatment. Fear is harm. Why does this keep happening? Several reasons, all fixable: Poor training in communication: Medical school teaches how to diagnose, not how to speak to frightened human beings. A culture of withholding records: Some facilities believe giving forms exposes them to complaints or lawsuits. Convenience over patients’ rights: Printing is slow, photocopiers broken, staff overwhelmed, so they simply refuse. Lack of enforcement: Professional bodies rarely act unless a complaint is filed, and many patients do not know their rights. Power imbalance: Patients feel inferior. Health workers hold the information, and the fear, in their hands. The cost of these habits When patients are frightened, they deteriorate. When they leave without forms, they repeat tests, waste money, suffer avoidable complications, or receive the wrong treatment. When health workers use fear casually and hide

How Uganda’s Northern Hub Risks Degenerating into a Vertical Slum Despite Its High-Rise Ambitions! By Dr. Bob Marley Achura The high-rise buildings sprouting across Lira city present a deceptive narrative of progress. Behind the facade of concrete and glass lies a more troubling reality: Uganda’s newest city, elevated to municipal status barely five years ago, is developing the infrastructure of modernity while simultaneously nurturing the DNA of a slum. Unless city leaders adopt bold, transformative planning measures now, today’s “new” Lira will inevitably become tomorrow’s “Old Lira”, a cautionary tale of squandered opportunity and haphazard urbanization. The Colonial Legacy: Planning for Exploitation, Not Habitation To understand Lira’s current predicament, we must excavate its urban planning genealogy. When British colonial administrators established Lira as a district headquarters in 1906, their planning philosophy was extractive, not developmental. Colonial urban planning in Uganda prioritized administrative control and economic extraction over livable communities. The town layout served to facilitate the movement of resources, cotton, copper, and labor, not the flourishing of human settlements. This colonial imprint manifests in Lira’s contemporary geography: a centralized administrative core with organic, unplanned settlements radiating outward. The 1912 planning schemes that shaped early Kampala, covering Old Kampala and Nakasero hills, never extended their vision to secondary towns like Lira. The result? A century-old planning deficit that persists today. The Post-Colonial Trap: Independence Without Infrastructure Vision Post-independence Uganda inherited colonial urban frameworks but lacked the resources, expertise, or political will to reimagine them. Lira’s development trajectory mirrors this national pattern. After 1962, the town grew reactively rather than proactively, responding to immediate pressures, displaced populations from regional conflicts, rural-urban migration, commercial expansion, without comprehensive spatial planning. The 1979 civil strife that engulfed Lira and the subsequent Lord’s Resistance Army insurgency further disrupted any nascent urban planning initiatives. By the time Lira achieved city status on July 1, 2020, it carried decades of accumulated planning debt. Today’s population of approximately 250,000 (with a day population reaching 500,000) inhabits an urban space never designed for such density. The Contemporary Crisis: High-Rise Buildings on a Crumbling Foundation Walk through Lira city today and witness the paradox: gleaming multi-story buildings rising from streets plagued by chronic flooding surrounded by neighborhoods lacking basic sanitation infrastructure. The UGX 800 billion five-year development plan unveiled by city leaders sounds impressive until you examine what it’s trying to fix: power blackouts, water scarcity, bad roads, poor waste management, and non-functional street lights, problems that should have been addressed before city status was conferred. Recent infrastructure projects reveal the depth of this crisis. The Shs 1 billion Olwol road, completed under the USMID program, immediately faced criticism for design flaws, inadequate drainage causing flooding, and missing safety features. This is not just poor execution; it’s symptomatic of development without comprehensive physical planning frameworks. Most alarmingly, parliamentary reports reveal that Lira city, like most of Uganda’s newly created cities, lacks an approved Physical Development Plan, the very document that should guide all construction, zoning, and infrastructure investment. Building a city without an approved physical development plan is architectural Russian roulette. Regional Evidence: The Slum of Vertical Development Uganda’s urban trajectory provides sobering warnings. Kampala, the nation’s capital, exemplifies what happens when vertical growth outpaces horizontal planning. Despite its gleaming high-rises, 38.9% of Kampala’s residents live in extreme poverty, concentrated in informal settlements like Namuwongo, Masese, and Katanga. The city’s annual population growth rate of 5.6% far exceeds its infrastructural capacity, creating what scholars call “the urbanization of poverty.” The newly created cities of Mbarara and Gulu mirror this pattern. Research documents how rural areas have been integrated into Mbarara city without proper planning, creating pockets of underdevelopment surrounded by new construction. Parliament froze the creation of additional cities in 2025 after finding that only four of Uganda’s ten active cities have approved physical development plans. The pattern is clear: vertical buildings do not equal vertical development. Without comprehensive planning, they become monuments to dysfunction, expensive infrastructure serving poorly planned, under-serviced neighborhoods. The Regional Success Story: Lessons from Kigali Contrast Uganda’s struggling cities with Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, which implemented its 2050 Master Plan with remarkable discipline. Kigali’s transformation wasn’t about building tall; it was about planning smart. The Rwandan government designated specific zones for different functions, created planned city extensions for Rubavu and Nyagatare, and enforced building codes with zero tolerance. The results speak volumes: Kigali has successfully reduced informal settlements while accommodating rapid urban growth. The Green City Kigali initiative demonstrates how environmental sustainability can be integrated into urban expansion from conception, not retrofitted as an afterthought. Nairobi offers another instructive example. While its old CBD faced congestion and decay, planners deliberately developed Westlands and Upper Hill as alternative business districts with modern infrastructure, adequate parking, green spaces, and proper utilities. Today, Old Nairobi CBD handles traditional commerce while Westlands attracts multinational corporations, tech startups, and premium residential developments, precisely because it was planned intentionally for 21st-century needs. The Imperative: Identify Virgin Land for New Lira Now Lira’s leaders face a defining choice: continue patching the current city center until it inevitably degenerates into “Old Lira,” or exercise transformative vision by identifying and planning a new urban core on virgin land within the city’s boundaries. This isn’t radical, it’s pragmatic. The current city center, with its tangled land tenure issues, organic growth patterns, and infrastructure deficits, will never achieve world-class standards through incremental improvements. Attempting to retrofit comprehensive planning onto this legacy landscape is like trying to perform heart surgery on a marathon runner, theoretically possible but practically catastrophic. Instead, city leaders should: Immediately Commission a Comprehensive Physical Development Plan: Before approving another building permit, Lira needs an approved, detailed physical development plan that projects 30 years forward. This plan must identify a virgin area, currently agricultural or lightly inhabited, suitable for developing a New Lira City Center. Designate Functional Zones with Precision: The new center must separate residential, commercial, industrial, and recreational zones with adequate buffer spaces and green belts. Study Kigali’s zoning discipline and Nairobi’s CBD-to-Westlands model. Invest in Trunk Infrastructure Before Buildings: Water reticulation systems, sewerage networks, storm water drainage, electricity substations, and fiber optic networks

Dokolo, Uganda | The NRM camp in Dokolo North Constituency received a wave of new momentum on Saturday after several local leaders and former supporters of rival candidates publicly declared support for the party’s flagbearer, Joseph Jones Ogwal. Speaking to residents during a mobilization meeting in Atabu and Barlela Parishes, Bata Subcounty, community leader Ogwal Joseph Jones stated that seven out of every ten families in some villages are grappling with Gender-Based Violence (GBV), adding that many men in the constituency had fallen into alcoholism. He noted that these challenges required the intervention of community psychologists to restore social stability. Nancy Enon, Bata Subcounty Female Coordinator for Joseph Jones Ogwal and a strong NRM supporter, dismissed claims that an independent candidate would perform better than the NRM flagbearer. She argued that such narratives are misleading and pointed to the incumbent Woman MP Sarah Aguti Nyangkori, who won on a UPC ticket, saying constituents had not felt her impact. She urged voters to unite behind Joseph Jones Ogwal for the 2026–2031 parliamentary term. Maxwell Okello, once a supporter of incumbent MP Moses Ogwal Goli, announced that he has returned to the NRM fold. He explained that although Goli is running as an independent after losing the NRM primaries, the party remained bigger than individual ambitions, and he would now support Joseph Jones Ogwal. Another resident, Adea Bonny, previously associated with Ogwal Kasimiro and recently seen around Democratic Front candidate Alfred Junior Okello, clarified that he only visited their events as a boda-boda rider seeking income. He said he remains committed to the government and to Joseph Jones Ogwal’s candidature. Bosco Okello, Male Subcounty Coordinator for Bata, welcomed defectors from other political camps. He appreciated Ogwal’s task force for responding quickly when he had earlier expressed concerns about the state of development in the area. He maintained that with Ogwal carrying the NRM flag, development would come because the government would listen to him through the NRM caucus. He urged defectors to support the campaign wholeheartedly. Atabu Parish NRM Chairperson Morish Emuku Ekuju encouraged Joseph Jones Ogwal to find ways of bringing back supporters who had drifted to other candidates, saying they had only gone in search of small financial handouts. Bata Subcounty NRM Chairperson Obote Ben warned residents not to be misled by anti-NRM propaganda. He thanked supporters who ensured the party flag remained with Joseph Jones Ogwal. He cited infrastructure projects championed under President Museveni, including Lira University, Akii-Bua Stadium, Lira–Soroti Highway, and the Rwenkunye–Lira–Puranga road, and expressed confidence that government would soon compensate Lango’s lost cattle. He urged voters to protect these gains by supporting President Museveni, Joseph Jones Ogwal, and all NRM flagbearers. Ocero Parish NRM Chairperson Moro Sam said the community had made a mistake in electing Moses Ogwal Goli in 2021, arguing that the incumbent had performed poorly, including distributing cassava stems in November, which he described as an inappropriate season. He pledged to mobilize overwhelming support for Joseph Jones Ogwal, predicting that Goli would struggle to secure even a handful of votes in his parish. Addressing supporters, NRM flagbearer Joseph Jones Ogwal compared politicians to medical officers, saying they use different approaches to solve community challenges. He told residents that President Museveni still has a clear vision for Uganda and Lango subregion and urged voters to give the president and himself full support so that he would be empowered to lobby for development. He outlined his priorities if elected, which included championing legislation, following up on government programs, elevating education standards, improving health services, and ensuring clean water, reliable electricity, and functional road networks. He noted that the government had already improved the welfare of senior citizens by lowering the SAGE beneficiary age to 65 and increasing the stipend to 35,000 shillings. Ogwal said he would push for increased PDM funding and extended repayment periods, while warning residents against what he described as misleading rhetoric from NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi, whom he accused of seeking to dismantle PDM and divide the country. He revealed that he had secured land for an adult learning and youth skilling centre and promised to work with the Lango Presidential Zonal Skilling Hub to enroll youth from the constituency. He added that initial discussions on electricity expansion had begun and would continue if elected. He criticised the incumbent MP for failing to reach the right offices to bring development to Dokolo North. Ogwal said he would support women’s groups, promote peace, improve education standards through scholarships for P7 graduates joining secondary school, and lobby for the elevation of health centres. Wealth creation, infrastructure development, improved education, peace and stability, and international cooperation, some of the core pillars of the upcoming NRM manifesto, were highlighted as central to Ogwal’s 2026–2031 parliamentary agenda. Source The post GBV Crisis Deepens in Dokolo North: Ogwal Joseph Jones Says 7 in 10 Families Affected, Calls for Community Psychologists appeared first on Dokolo Post.

Otuke, Uganda | Otuke District Youth Council has inaugurated a new leadership team, following a handover ceremony held on Friday at the Office of Human Resource. The event marked the end of Boniface Ouni’s tenure and the beginning of Haron Odongo’s leadership. During the ceremony, the outgoing leaders handed over key office equipment, including a table, chair, stamp, ink, council files, and a motorcycle. The District Community Development Officer, Sylvesto Ocen, commended the outgoing leaders for their support to the district’s development initiatives. He noted that the youth had played a significant role in mobilising participation in programmes such as the Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP), Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP), Emyoga, and the Parish Development Model. He urged the incoming leadership to continue engaging young people in these initiatives and to unite the youth for the common good. The outgoing Secretary, Thomas Ocen, reflected on the former team’s achievements, highlighting the funding of 23 youth groups across subcounties, the training of 84 youths at the Lango Presidential Zonal Skilling Hub in Lira City, and the opening of a bank account for the council. He also mentioned their efforts to raise awareness on crime prevention, malaria, and other health issues. He acknowledged challenges such as limited funding, lack of office space, and low recovery of YLP funds. The newly elected Chairperson, Haron Odongo, expressed his commitment to collaborating with district officials and the outgoing team to ensure a smooth transition and effective service delivery. He requested ongoing support from the DCDO office, noting that youth in Otuke face multiple challenges requiring coordinated interventions. Speaking on behalf of the District LCV Chairperson, Acio Collins advised the new team to focus on teamwork, perform their duties diligently, avoid power struggles, and encourage responsible lifestyles among the youth. The new leadership team comprises Haron Odongo (Chairperson), Ongany Bonny (Vice Chairperson), Jolly Joe Alengo (Publicity Secretary), Amuge Monica (General Secretary), Amongi Sharon (Secretary for Female Youth), Aguti Sarah (Secretary for Student Affairs), Ereng Ronald (Secretary for Finance), Omaraa Issac (Secretary for Labour Affairs), and Ocen Ronald (Secretary for Sports & Culture). Source The post New Otuke Youth Council Leadership Inaugurated Amid Calls for Active Youth Engagement appeared first on Dokolo Post.

Lira, Uganda | Police in Lira-City West Division are investigating a serious accident in which a Kenyan truck driver allegedly drove through a road construction site, injuring a security guard and triggering chaos among residents. The incident happened on Friday, 5 December, at around 17:00. local time at Jinja Camp, where a white Howo truck, registration KDB 102N/ZE 1502, was approaching an active Mota-Engil construction zone. According to police, the driver, Muteti Alexander Mutuku, is suspected to have been speeding and ignored signals from a flagman who attempted to stop him using a red flag. Investigators say the truck knocked down Apita Boniface, a security guard assigned to the site. They alleged the driver then began reversing towards the injured guard, prompting a colleague to fire four shots at the vehicle in an attempt to stop it. The situation escalated when a crowd of residents surrounded the truck and beat the driver and his turn-man before officers arrived. Police later rescued the pair and took them into custody. Senior officers, led by ASP Okello Allan, visited the scene alongside investigators. The injured security guard was taken to hospital for treatment, while the vehicle was impounded and transferred to Lira-City West Division headquarters for inspection. Police say it is not the first time they have responded to incidents involving impatient road users at construction sites. They urged drivers to exercise caution and respect workers as improvement works continue across the division. The driver remains in police cells as investigations continue. Source The post Security Guard Injured, Truck Driver and Turn-Man Beaten by Residents at Lira Roadworks appeared first on Dokolo Post.

Kampala, Uganda | The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has arrested two men accused of orchestrating a complex export fraud scheme that allegedly cost a Congolese businessman more than UGX 36.8 million and US $15,000. Frank Mugisha and Muhumuza George are facing charges of obtaining money by false pretence, falsifying customs declarations, and manipulating export documentation with the intention of defrauding investors. According to URA investigators, the arrests followed a complaint by Masereka Musavuli, a businessman from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), who said the pair convinced him to pay for 15,000 cartons of “Super Match” cigarettes they claimed were being held at the URA customs warehouse in Nakawa. Investigators said Masereka had been told the cigarettes were intercepted en route from Kenya and could be exported to the DRC once the required fees were paid. Mugisha reportedly introduced Muhumuza as the owner of the consignment and took Masereka to the customs warehouse to view sacks said to contain the cigarettes. However, URA officers explained that Masereka was never allowed inside, with the suspects claiming entry would only be possible after processing the necessary documentation. URA intelligence officials said Masereka was first issued an expired Payment Reference Number on 28 April 2025 before being given a new assessment for the same amount. He later paid UGX 36.88 million through a bank in Kampala, and investigators said he was instructed to buy packing materials for a shipment that ultimately never took place. Officials noted that the truck Masereka hired had even been weighed at the URA premises as part of the ruse, but no loading occurred because the cigarettes did not exist. The truck was reportedly impounded for three weeks before being released, and Masereka never received any goods. He later claimed that Mugisha had taken an additional US $15,000 from him as facilitation fees. URA has since opened a case file, GEF 145/2025, as investigations continue. Investigators said there was no record of any Super Match cigarettes belonging to the suspects, nor any indication that the alleged shipment had ever been declared for export. Officials concluded that the export entry appeared to have been created solely to mislead the businessman into making payments. Alfred Kyamanywa, the Acting Manager of URA Intelligence, said the public needed to be cautious of individuals claiming to sell impounded goods on behalf of the tax body. He explained that URA did not sell contraband items such as cigarettes from its headquarters and that any seized cigarettes were disposed of strictly following legal procedures. URA Commissioner General John R. Musinguzi condemned the alleged scam, saying the authority was committed to protecting business people from fraud. He urged the public to report anyone claiming to sell goods on behalf of URA to the nearest police station or URA office, emphasising that the institution remained ready to take swift action. He added that the arrests should serve as a warning to anyone attempting to misuse URA’s name for fraudulent purposes and said the authority intended to safeguard its reputation by ensuring that such offences were dealt with in accordance with the law. Source The post Fake Cigarette Deal Exposed: URA Nabs Mugisha, Muhumuza After Defrauding DRC Investor of Millions appeared first on Dokolo Post.

Lira, Uganda | NRM’s Erute South County MP flagbearer, Sam Engola, intensified his campaign on Friday with rallies in Ajia and Bar-Ober, Itek Subcounty, where several local leaders criticised the constituency’s current representation and urged voters to choose a candidate with stronger links to government. UPC Party Members Who Turned Up at Engola’s Rally in Itek Subcounty Addressing supporters, Robert Okodia, the Chairperson of the Engola’s Task Force, said this election should be a moment of accountability. He argued that voters had sent people to Parliament who had not delivered and insisted that Engola would secure a place in the NRM caucus where national decisions and resource allocations are made. According to him, this would ensure that Erute South benefits from the “national cake”. A notable group of UPC members from Amach, Itek, Bar and Wiodyek subcounties attended the rally, signalling a shift in the political mood. Oyuku Kenneth, who said he had supported UPC’s MP Jonathan Odur for a decade, told the gathering that he had seen no tangible work from the incumbent, especially regarding borehole repairs and road maintenance. He urged residents to rethink their suffering and vote for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Sam Engola to bring development to the constituency. Eng. Fred Apita, known for his work on water and road rehabilitation, criticised the current MPs, Jonathan Odur (Erute South) and Agnes Linda Auma (Lira District Woman MP), for allegedly failing to improve roads despite both serving on the national roads committee. Apita said Erute South’s long-held dream of attaining district status would only succeed through Engola’s influence at the national level. At the youth-focused segment of the rally, Lincoln, a rider, said that during Engola’s earlier term in Parliament, motorcycle loans were as low as UGX 4 million. He complained that riders were now paying over UGX 10 million for similar loans and asked Engola to restore affordable credit for young people. Lira District RDC, Lillian Eyal, described Engola as a “sure deal” for a future ministerial appointment and said he is the only candidate capable of helping President Museveni consolidate national achievements. She assured residents of maximum security during the election period and encouraged them to vote for Museveni, Engola, and all NRM flagbearers. Geoffrey Etwop, Ober Clan Chief, said at 61 years of age, he had lived through multiple governments, including the Obote era, and maintained that Museveni had given Uganda unprecedented levels of peace. He praised Engola as a respected national figure and recounted how Engola once intervened when NEMA attempted to evict him from land in Lira City. Etwop pledged to work with Engola on rehabilitating the Odit Bridge in Amach and the Pem-Aler Bridge in Itek once Engola is elected. When he took the podium, Sam Engola said he had come “in peace” and would not attack fellow contestants. He dismissed claims that he was using government machineries and resources to repair roads, calling it mere propaganda. Engola revealed that following his engagements with the Ministry of Energy, the government had allocated UGX 2.4 billion for electrification projects in the constituency, and support he said would boost local businesses such as welding and salon operations. He emphasised that with over 300 NRM MPs in a Parliament of aboùt 500, opposition legislators wield little influence over government decisions. Engola said this makes it crucial for Erute South to be represented from within the ruling party if development is to reach the constituency. Engola further disclosed that through coordination with Lira District LCV Chairperson RCM Okello Orik, he is confident that President Museveni would endorse the creation of Erute District during his campaign visits to the district. He added that his strong connections with cabinet ministers make it easier for him to secure development projects. He also claimed to have secured over 100 water projects from JJ Water NGO, and highlighted his track record of support for churches, schools, and scholarships, saying 350 Lango students had studied under his sponsorship, with at least 60 now serving as medical doctors. Engola told voters he is returning to finish the development work he had started and called on the people of Erute South to elect him and President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in January 2026. Source The post Engola Takes Command as Mass Itek Turnout Accuses Odur of 10-Year Stagnation, Welcomes UGX 2.4Bn Power Plan appeared first on Dokolo Post.

Oyam, Uganda | Two families in Otada B, Kulabura Parish, Minakulu Sub-County, Oyam District were left homeless following arson attacks that destroyed their homes in the early hours of 2nd October 2025. Daniel Ayo and Ronald Odyang, both campaign agents for Patrick Ogwang Obura, NRM flag-bearer for Oyam South, lost property worth millions of shillings, including food, clothing, and household items. Ayo’s house was set on fire around 11:00 pm, while Odyang’s home went up in flames at approximately 2:00 am. Speaking on the ordeal, Odyang said the attack left his family “without basic necessities,” but he dismissed suggestions that it was politically motivated, stating he holds no grudges with anyone in the community. Local leaders, including Johnson Okeng, LC1 of Otada B, said the cause of the attacks may be linked to a personal dispute between the two victims over a stolen motorcycle, rather than political rivalry. Francis Omara, Speaker of Minakulu Sub-County, explained that tensions had arisen a month earlier when police were called in to investigate alleged theft involving the victims. Patrick Ogwang Obura condemned the attacks, describing them as “criminal acts” and called for prompt investigations. Community leaders have urged residents to remain calm and allow authorities to handle the matter professionally. Meanwhile, both families are appealing for support as they recover from the devastating loss of their homes and belongings. The incident underscores the vulnerability of households in rural areas to criminal acts and the human toll of unresolved disputes. Source The post Oyam Families Left Homeless After Arson Attacks appeared first on Dokolo Post.