Prosecutors want to continue the murder trial without the missing suspect Bruhan Balyejusa. They asked judges on Monday for time to file papers allowing the case against seven other defendants to move forward. The court gave them until May 9 to submit their request. Defense lawyers raised concerns about fair representation for people facing possible death sentences, but did not block the motion.
Justice Susan Okalany warned against more delays as she extended jail time for the remaining suspects until May 29. The main suspect, Sheikh Yahaya Mwanje, allegedly made threats against the victim, Major Muhammad Kiggundu, before the killing. Prosecutors claim Mwanje was seen near the murder site along the Northern Bypass. The former mosque...
SADC troops started leaving North Kivu in Congo after M23 rebels beat them in Goma. They pulled out on Tuesday through Rwanda at the Rubavu border crossing with trucks full of weapons. Rwandan soldiers escorted them to unknown places inside Rwanda. M23 sources told reporters the departing forces asked to leave quietly without media around. Neither side made public statements about the exit.
The withdrawal comes after Goma fell to rebels in January. SADC forces from Tanzania and South Africa stayed at bases in Goma and Mugunga until this week. Earlier this month, both sides agreed to a ceasefire that let SADC keep their weapons and use the damaged Goma airport for departure. Peace talks continue in Qatar despite new fighting that broke...
HIV cases keep falling in Uganda, but not fast enough. The country sees about 38,000 new infections each year instead of the 10,000 target. Around 20,000 people die from AIDS yearly despite efforts to cut deaths below 10,000. Uganda aims to match the world goals of reducing new cases and deaths by 90 percent before 2030.
The Uganda AIDS Commission wants everyone to help fight the disease. The government spends 320 billion shillings on HIV services annually. All state agencies must use 0.1 percent of their budgets for AIDS programs. American funding freezes hurt clinics and cost thousands of jobs, though some money came back later. Uganda has battled HIV since the 1980s, when almost one in five people had the virus.
Today, just 5.1...
A security guard told police they planned to rob Diamond Trust Bank because they had not been paid after months without wages. Justin Okello came forward after police shot his partner Emmanuel Okao during their Sunday break-in attempt at the Kavumba branch where both men worked. The guards hid on the ceiling with loaded guns when officers arrived based on a tip. They removed their uniforms, hoping people would think outsiders had robbed the place.
Police found Okao had sent his family to their village before the crime. He told relatives he would travel to Congo for a long time after the heist. Officers recovered two guns with five bullets each from the scene. Okello admitted they planned the robbery because of money problems from...
A phone battery blast killed student Immaculate Ayo at Ngai Senior Secondary School. She died from injuries after the weekend accident at Anyeke Health Center. The explosion happened when someone put a rubber-band-wrapped battery into a wall socket. This caused fear among students who ran, leaving 30 others hurt.
Uganda bans phones in all primary and secondary schools. Students caught with them face immediate expulsion under school rules. District official James Shilaku said many schools fail to enforce these bans properly. Education secretary Beatrice Auma Okello noted the hard task of keeping banned items out of schools.
Peer pressure makes students bring phones to school despite the ban. Okello asked for more student education...
Women have taken over Uganda's movie scene. They work as directors, writers, actors, producers, and makeup artists. The Uganda Communications Commission says films add about 250 billion shillings to the economy each year. Women lead much of this growth through their hard work behind the cameras.
Female filmmakers win top prizes at the Uganda Film Festival. Tracy Kababiito grabbed Best Actress in 2023 for her role in Mukisa. Doreen Mirembe won Best TV Drama Actress in 2024 for playing Damalie. She also wrote the award-winning script for Kafa Coh with her partner last year.
The Women in Film Uganda group started recently to help female movie makers. They offer training, legal help, and job leads. They want safe workplaces for all women...
PlayMatters leaders celebrated their success at the Fairway Hotel on Wednesday. Through play-based learning programs, they have helped more than 400,000 children in Uganda. The group started its work in 2020 with a goal of reaching 350,000 youngsters. They surpassed this number with almost a year left before the project ends. Teams work across nine areas where refugees live in Uganda.
The project teaches children aged 3-12 through active learning instead of passive listening. Over 5,000 teachers learned new skills that put students at the center of lessons. Students lead classroom activities rather than just following the teacher. The Education Ministry plans to release national guidelines about learning through play soon. Officials...
Rwanda struck a deal with Spanish soccer club Atletico Madrid on Wednesday. The agreement runs through June 2028, making Rwanda the team's official training and tourist destination. The Visit Rwanda logo will appear on warm-up kits for the rest of this season and on game jerseys starting next season. This marks the first African sponsor in Atletico Madrid's history, adding to existing partnerships with Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Arsenal FC.
Rwanda saw 1.6 million visitors last year, earning $620 million from tourism, up 36% from 2022. These sports partnerships have proven effective, with a reported 15-to-1 return on investment. The Atletico deal aims to boost awareness among wealthy European and Asian travelers who watch...
Unknown gunmen shot dead Kaspul Kabondo lawmaker Charles Ong'ondo Were on Ngong Road after he left Parliament Wednesday evening around 6:15 pm. The Orange Democratic Movement party expressed shock about their member's killing, asking police to catch those responsible. Were served his second term as a vocal MP who focused on education issues. He had warned about threats to his life just two months ago.
The MP previously led the Parliamentary Committee on Education, where he pushed for more money for schools in poor areas. His death has alarmed many politicians across Kenya who want fast action from security teams. Several elected leaders have recently reported safety concerns, especially in cities. Former Deputy President Rigathi...
