The Minister of Works and Transport, Gen Edward Katumba Wamala has unveiled a countrywide road safety campaign aimed at curbing the surge in road crashes typically recorded during the festive season.

Speaking during the launch on Thursday, Katumba warned that the end-of-year period remains the most dangerous time on Uganda’s roads due to increased travel and reckless behaviour by motorists.

Katumba Wamala cautioned that this time of the year is a period of high mobility and travel demand across all corners of the country. The downside during this period is that it is associated with increased levels of exposure to road crashes.

The Ministry is rolling out a national campaign focused on vehicle safety under the theme “Safe Vehicles for a Safer Uganda.” 

Katumba appealed to all players in the transport and motor industry to take an active role in the drive.

“As this campaign gets underway, I would like to call upon all stakeholders in the safe-vehicle space to join the Ministry. Especially vehicle dealers, suppliers of genuine spare parts, fuel companies, servicing providers, local manufacturers, UNBS, the Police, fleet managers, the media and all road users,” he said.

He revealed that the Ministry has intensified stakeholder engagements on the rollout of mandatory motor-vehicle inspections, which are expected to be implemented in phases to ensure Uganda’s vehicle fleet meets minimum safety standards.

While emphasising mechanical safety, the Minister also warned that reckless human behaviour remains a major contributor to fatalities.

“Let us not forget to address road indiscipline and the key risky factors that include speeding, drink-driving, inconsiderate manoeuvres, non-use of motorcycle helmets, non-use of seatbelts and child restraints, and distracted driving,” he said.

Katumba also urged Ugandans to be cautious during the ongoing political campaign season as the country moves towards the 2026 general elections. He appealed to supporters of all political candidates to avoid chaotic road behaviour and ensure their vehicles are in proper working condition.

He further advised public-transport users not to keep silent in the face of reckless driving, noting that many avoidable deaths occur due to drivers ignoring basic safety measures.

Uganda currently loses an average of 14 people every day to road crashes, a figure that spikes during the Christmas period. Katumba described this trend as unacceptable and reaffirmed government’s target to reduce road-crash deaths and serious injuries by half by 2030.

The Minister announced that government will soon unveil a range of new interventions for the next financial year and the medium term, including heightened public-awareness efforts, targeted Police enforcement, stakeholder engagements, media campaigns and the painting of pedestrian crossings.

He also wished all Ugandans a safe and happy Christmas and New Year.

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Uganda Electricity Generation Company Limited (UEGCL) has recorded one of its strongest financial performances to date, posting a 40% revenue increase for the Financial Year 2024/25 driven largely by the first full year of commercial generation from the 600 MW Karuma Hydropower Plant.

The state-owned power generator disclosed the results during its 15th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development headquarters in Kampala.

The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, Ruth Nankabirwa, and the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Matia Kasaija. The session was chaired by Eng. Proscovia Margaret Njuki, who presented a comprehensive review of UEGCL’s financial performance, operational progress, and strategic direction for the year ending June 30, 2025.

Eng. Njuki revealed that the company’s revenue rose to UGX 492.345 billion up from UGX 350 billion the previous year, mainly due to improved dispatch from hydropower facilities and the strong contribution of Karuma’s first commercial year.

“UEGCL reported revenue of Shs492.345 billion for FY2024/25, primarily driven by improved dispatch across our hydropower plants and a successful first year of commercial operations at the 600 MW Karuma Hydropower Plant,” said Eng. Njuki.

Despite the revenue jump, profit after tax declined to Shs25.02 billion, attributed to increased depreciation, higher operating expenses, and interest obligations related to the Karuma on-lent loan.

However, UEGCL’s balance sheet strengthened significantly following the Government of Uganda’s conversion of Shs566 billion in accrued interest on Karuma into equity, boosting the company’s solvency and long-term financial sustainability.

Eng. Njuki noted that the year marked an important turning point for the utility.

“This financial year was a defining year for UEGCL. We strengthened our operational performance, consolidated the full commercial operation of the 600 MW Karuma HPP, and advanced key hydropower projects,” she said.

She added that despite liquidity constraints and sector-wide challenges, the company remains focused on disciplined operations, safeguarding assets, and supporting Uganda’s socio-economic transformation through reliable electricity generation.

“The Company remained resilient with growing revenue, reinforcing our commitment to transformation and dependable power supply for Uganda,” Eng. Njuki emphasized.

With Karuma now fully online and contributing well to national generation capacity, UEGCL projects continued revenue growth and improved efficiency in the years ahead as it aligns its strategy with the National Development Plan IV.

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President Yoweri Museveni has appointed Brig Gen Richard Tukachungurwa as the new head of the General Court Martial.

In a letter seen by Eagle Online dated November 25, and addressed to Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces, the President confirmed the new leadership following the advice of the Judicial Service Commission. 

The appointment also reconstituted the members of the General Court Martial together with chairpersons of division and unit court martials across the country.

Part of the statement reads, “In accordance with Section 192, 193 and 195 of the UPDF Act as amended and acting on the advice of the Judicial Service Commission, I have appointed persons below as Head and members of the General Court Martial and Chairperson of Division and Unit Court Martials respectively.”

Tukachungurwa, who previously served as the Judge Advocate of the Court Martial, brings extensive experience from years of engagement within the UPDF’s legal and disciplinary structures. He was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General during the 2024 promotions announced at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Mbuya, where he was recognised for his role in guiding military court proceedings. His legal career has also been demonstrated in several high-profile military trials, including earlier cases where he defended the mandate of military courts to handle firearm-related offences.

The General Court Martial, which handles disciplinary and criminal matters involving UPDF personnel has been under increased scrutiny following court decisions that questioned its jurisdiction over civilians. Tukachungurwa’s appointment is therefore seen as an effort to stabilise the court’s operations and reinforce adherence to the revised legal framework governing military trials.

Members appointed to serve under the new leadership include senior officers such as Col Wankandya Simon Tusah, Col Asha Patra, Col Kangwamu Fredrick, Col Mugisha Raphael and Lt Col Igambi Mohammedie Nasser. Others are Maj Amodoi Samuel Moses, Maj Ariahahi Emmanuel, Maj Nyombi Abubaker and Maj Chemtai Denis.

The new division court martial chairpersons include Lt Col Drani Epalu David for the Forth Division and Lt Col Mulyanti Yaqoub Hassan for the One Special Forces Group.

The appointments take immediate effect and the officers are expected to assume their roles once the Judicial Service Commission finalises its administrative clearance.

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Parliament has approved over Shs8 trillion in supplementary funding for the financial year 2025/2026 to support key development projects, including road infrastructure, health and agriculture services, among others.

According to the State Minister for Finance, Planning and Economic Development (General Duties), Henry Musasizi, said that the funding for the activities under Supplementary Schedules 1, 2, and 3 is over and above the budget of the financial year, but falls within three percent of the total approved budget of about Shs2.376 trillion.

“We have incurred expenditures that had been unforeseen and unavoidable at the time of budgeting. These fall within the three percent requirement and we are requesting parliament to consider these expenditures and approve them in order to regularize the process,” said Musasizi, while seeking the Parliamentary approval during a plenary sitting chaired by Speaker Anita Among, on Tuesday.

According to the report presented by the Chairperson of the Budget Committee, Patrick Opolot Isiagi, the supplementary schedules will be funded through non-tax revenue (Shs42.96 billion), local revenue (Shs13.03 billion), domestic borrowing (Shs3.7 trillion), and external financing (Shs4.27 trillion)

Under Supplementary Schedule I, Shs1.65 trillion is expected to facilitate, among other things, the funding of shortfalls created by the withdrawal of US funding for essential health services in Uganda, thereby avoiding drug stockouts and other health-related crises.

Further, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will receive Shs3 billion to host the 18th Ministerial mid-term review meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), whereas Shs6.92 billion will support recruitment expenses for the newly created grant-aided Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Program Project for Uganda (UgIFT) seed secondary schools.

A total of Shs1.69 trillion is to be availed to the Ministry of Works and Transport under Supplementary Schedule II, to facilitate 395km of seven suspended projects, including the Kampala-Jinja Highway (72 kilometres); 533km of 11 projects under reduced progress; and nine bridge projects affected by financing constraints.

Under Supplementary Schedule III, Shs4.75 trillion will be provided to, among others, enable the Commission of Inquiry into the Apaa land dispute to carry out its duties with funding of Shs7.95 billion, following a Presidential directive on the matter.

The supplementary schedule will also provide up to Shs422.26 billion to purchase additional aircraft under Uganda Airlines, including two Dreamliner Boeing passenger aircraft, one Boeing freighter, and two mid-range Airbus aircraft, as well as associated bridge leasing costs.

Construction of community access roads in 81 district local governments will be supported with Shs37.5 billion under the national oil seeds project, whereas the national ambulance system will be facilitated with Shs10 billion, noting that most ambulances are not operational due to inadequate fuel and mechanical breakdowns.

However, in a minority report to the House, Kira Municipality legislator Ibrahim Ssemujju, challenged the proposed supplementary schedules over their size and character, noting repeated supplementary financing for long-standing obligations in the sectors of agriculture, works, energy, health and defence.

“Parliament is being asked to approve more than Shs6 trillion in supplementary funding. If this continues, we will soon reach a point where the annual budget is treated as a ceremonial event while the real spending happens through supplementary schedules,” Ssemujju said.

He further noted, “Road contracts that have been running for years cannot be classified as emergencies. These are predictable matters that should have been foreseen in the main budget.”

Ssemujju called for a detailed report on Uganda Airlines aircraft purchases before approval, as well as mandated quarterly implementation reports to Parliament for all approved supplementary expenditures.

“The Ministry is requesting more than Shs400 billion to purchase new aircraft for Uganda Airlines, yet the country has not recovered from the Bombardier deal, where we purchased aircraft that were already being phased out. Before the government buys any new aircraft, a thorough due diligence process must be presented,” Ssemujju added.

The Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, also challenged the proposed supplementary schedules while alluding to Regulation 18(5) of the Public Finance Management Regulations 2016.

It states; “Parliament may approve a supplementary appropriation or the Minister may approve a supplementary budget, as the case may be, where the supplementary expenditure is unabsorbable, unavoidable and unforeseeable.”

“When we were here planning for the budget process, why did you not bring these issues then, why now? This is a bad planning issue,” Ssenyonyi said.

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A Kampala-based businessman has been remanded to Luzira Prison after being charged in connection with a fraudulent procurement scheme that defrauded suppliers of goods worth nearly Shs800 million.

Ashiraf Muyomba, the Executive Director of Hongera Saana Uganda Ltd, was on Tuesday arraigned before the KCCA Chief Magistrate’s Court following a joint operation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Criminal Investigations Directorate. 

He faces charges of obtaining goods by false pretence, forgery, and uttering false documents. He will return to court on December 10, 2025.

According to investigators, the alleged scam took place between December 2024 and April 2025 at Minister’s Village, Ntinda, in Nakawa Division. Hongera Saana Uganda Ltd is accused of falsely presenting itself as a Presidential Mobilization Body for Peace and Development under the Office of the President and placing a misleading bid notice in newspapers inviting suppliers to deliver various goods.

The suspect reportedly identified and contracted suppliers, including Ms. Nasali Shillo of Kisco International Limited and Mr. Kezimbira Isaac of K.K.N Enterprises Limited, to deliver items valued at close to Shs800 million.

The supplied goods included thousands of kilograms of maize, soya, groundnut and rice seeds, as well as posho, cooking oil, sugar, mattresses, metallic double-decker beds, farmate spray pumps, knapsacks, tear drops, branded T-shirts, umbrellas, caps, and backdrops, among other assorted items.

However, after delivering the items to Hongera Saana Uganda’s offices in Ntinda, the affected suppliers were never paid. All their attempts to obtain payment reportedly failed, raising suspicion and prompting a formal complaint.

Further investigations revealed that Hongera Saana Uganda Ltd had no affiliation or working relationship with the Office of the President, contradicting the claims used to lure suppliers into the bogus procurement process.

The State House Anti-Corruption Unit said the prosecution of the case reflects ongoing efforts to dismantle fraudulent networks targeting businesses and government-linked processes.

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