UGANDA CALLS FOR STRONGER WORKPLACE MENTAL AWARENESS AHEAD OF THE WORLD DAY FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH 2026

By Kakumba Ramlah The Minister of State for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, Hon.Esther Anyakun Davinia, has called on employers across Uganda to prioritize mental health and safety at work. Speaking at the Uganda Media Centre ahead of the commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2026, the Minister warned that modern workplace pressures negatively affect employees' mental health and productivity. Hon. Anyakun also highlighted the challenges such as heavy workloads, job insecurity, long hours, and workplace harassment as key contributors to stress, anxiety, and depression among workers. “A healthy workforce is the backbone of national development. Psychosocial resilience is not only about individual coping mechanisms, but also about creating supportive work environments where workers feel valued, protected, and empowered,” she said. She urged employers to integrate mental health into workplace safety policies, promote openness, and ensure access to counseling services and employee assistance programs. She also emphasized the need for reasonable workloads and work-life balance for employees. To workers, the Minister encouraged self-care and openness. “Prioritize your mental well-being, seek support when needed, and actively participate in workplace mental health programs.’’ According to Hon. Anyakun, the ministry has not yet officially registered specific figures or detailed reports on mental health cases arising directly from workplaces. However, she emphasized that mental health challenges among workers are clearly increasing and remain a significant concern. The Minister noted that widespread job losses particularly following funding cuts from organizations such as USAID have left many workers without employment, leading to heightened stress and anxiety. Uganda will commemorate the World Day for Safety and Health at Work will be held on April 28, 2026, at St. Noah Mawagali Secondary School, Buikwe District. The official theme for the commemoration is, “Building Psychosocial Resilience: Sustaining Uganda's Occupational Safety and Health Gains through Mental Wellbeing and Organizational Strengthening.’’ Other related key activities will include, a national symposium at the Nakawa Innovation Hub on April 22, a sanitation drive in Njeru on April 24, and a safety and health run on April 26. The event is expected to bring together government officials, employers, workers, and development partners to discuss workplace safety and mental health. The event will raise awareness about occupational risks, promote better working conditions, and encourage collective action to protect the physical and mental well-being of workers across the country.

2026-04-22

GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES POSTCOM,AN ONLINE TRADE PLATFORM

By Ramlah Kakumba and Fortunate Akankunda The government has launched Postcom, a new online shopping platform operated by Posta Uganda. The platform aims to make it easier for Ugandans to buy and sell goods and services online while supporting the country’s growing digital economy. The Postcom platform was unveiled at a press conference at the Uganda Media Centre this morning. Posta Uganda Managing Director Mr. James Arinaitwe said the initiative is part of efforts to modernize the post office and keep it relevant in a fast-changing digital world. “The post office is not going away,” he said. “Even 100 years from now, it will still be there, but delivering different kinds of services.” He explained that Postcom will enable individuals and businesses to sell goods online and use the postal network to deliver them efficiently and affordably. “If you have goods to sell, even small items, put them on the platform. We will connect you with buyers and deliver them wherever they are,” he said. Postcom is an online platform where sellers list their goods and services and connect with buyers who seek them. The platform will also allow users to offer services such as consulting, making it more inclusive for different types of businesses. Mr. James Arinaitwe emphasized that the service will be free to use. “You will put your products here free of charge, meaning sellers will be charged a fee to post their goods and services on postcom,” he said. Mr. Balyejjusa Sulaiman Kirunda, the Board Chairperson of Posta Uganda, said the launch of Postcom is part of a broader government plan to grow the economy through digital transformation. “We cannot grow the economy without going digital,” he said. “This platform will help Ugandans reach wider markets, increase sales, and improve household incomes.” He encouraged entrepreneurs, small businesses, and individuals to use the platform to promote locally made products. The platform was developed with support from the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, which provided the technology required to build the system. Hon. Godfrey Baluku Kabyanga, the Minister of State for Information, Communication Technology, and National Guidance, said that Postcom will also work closely with other government agencies to improve service delivery and ensure smooth operations. Postcom will operate under the supervision of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), which will regulate the platform and ensure that only acceptable content and services are offered. The minister reassured the public that online transactions are safe as more people embrace digital services. With the launch of Postcom, the government hopes to expand digital trade, improve service delivery, and provide more Ugandans with a chance to participate in the online economy.

2026-04-21

INTER-SCHOOLS CODING COMPETITION EMPOWERS THE NEXT GENERATION

By David Muwonge The Inter-Schools Coding Competition (ISCC) stands as Uganda's largest and most impactful National Advanced Technology Initiative for secondary school students. Launched to provide young Ugandans with early exposure to advanced technological skills, the ISCC aligns closely with the nation's digital transformation agenda, inspiring a new generation of innovators and problem solvers. On Tuesday, April 21st, 2026, the journey took another significant step forward. The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of ICT & National Guidance, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, and Mr. Alan Kasujja, Executive Director of the Uganda Media Centre, met with the ISCC team at the National Innovation Hub in Nakawa. This meeting marked a key milestone, reaffirming the government of Uganda’s commitment to empowering Uganda’s youth through digital skills. The ISCC bridges the gap between formal classroom ICT education and real-world digital skills by using a structured, Competition-Based Learning approach. This hands-on model ensures that students are not only learning theory but also applying their knowledge to practical challenges. So far, ISCC and its partners have trained over 4,000 students from 120 schools across Uganda in Python programming, a foundational skill for careers in data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and web development. These numbers reflect the growing excitement and ambition among Uganda’s youth. Building on this, the ISCC leadership aims to reach 500 secondary schools this year, significantly expanding the program’s impact and bringing advanced technological skills to even more students across the country. Isaac Prince Sekatawa of ISCC shared, “Last year, we were able to reach 4,000 students. This year, we are reaching 500,000 students across the country.” This ambitious target stresses the initiative's scale and vision. At the same event, Dr. Zawedde stated that digital transformation begins with equipping young people with skills in coding, analysis, and problem-solving, noting that these competencies are now as essential as learning English and Mathematics. She stressed that infrastructure, tools, and online services are key to national progress, adding that data protection and cybersecurity are necessary to ensure digital solutions have a real impact. The Permanent Secretary noted that digital skilling goes beyond rhetoric, describing it as a key driver of innovation, entrepreneurship, and meaningful opportunities for Uganda’s youth. Alan Kasujja noted that, “so we as the Media Centre are excited to support anything that has an impact on communities. Anything that seeks to show young people where the opportunities are. We are going to support those groups.” He added, “That's why we are associating ourselves with a competition that showcases coding skills from across the country. We are giving them visibility.” Mr. Alan Kasujja said that the Uganda Media Centre aims to offer strategic support to anyone seeking assistance, ensuring individuals receive the visibility their projects require. He explained that the Centre will guide people to ensure their projects receive the attention they seek. Kasujja noted that the secondary schools project is reaching people in villages and remote schools across Uganda. He emphasized that some of the best-performing schools are in very remote areas, such as Kigezi, and expressed confidence in the initiative, emphasizing its widespread and positive impact throughout the country. Last year’s competition, held at the Kololo Ceremonial Grounds on December 12th, 2025, marked the program’s successful launch. Standard High School Zzana emerged as the champions, setting the stage for an even more exciting edition this year. “So, we are excited that this year we are happening again. It's happening again, and we look forward to seeing the permanent secretary as our chief guest at the Kololo Independence Grounds,” Prince Sekatawa remarked. In her concluding remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Aminah Zawedde, emphasized that building a generation of coders requires more than training, stressing the importance of creating pathways to jobs, competitions, and tangible rewards for young people. Testimony Daniel Mich Ogwal, a former Pine International School student, recounted his encounter with the Inter Schools Coding Competition, a unique and exciting opportunity he had only ever seen online. Forming a team with his peers, Daniel experienced the intensity of competition-based learning, regularly checking the leaderboard and finding his biggest rivals were teams from the Kigezi region. Despite these challenges, his team advanced through both regional and national rounds, ultimately securing third place at the grand event in Kololo. He observed that the ISCC inspired participants to pursue innovative technological projects, such as digital election and sign-in systems, even among teams that did not win. Daniel shared the story of his friend Joshua, who, though not a winner, was motivated to start building a Ugandan version of Amazon. For Daniel and many others, the competition was truly life-changing, instilling new confidence and ambition.

2026-04-21

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI CELEBRATES ELECTORAL VICTORY WITH LANGO SUB-REGION, WARNS AGAINST CORRUPTION

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni today joined thousands of jubilant NRM supporters in Lango Sub-region to celebrate his recent electoral victory. The event which was held at Lango College Grounds, marked a moment of appreciation and renewed commitment between the President and the people of Lango, who turned up in large numbers to show their support. In his address, President Museveni expressed gratitude to the people of Lango and the entire nation for their continued trust in his leadership. “I thank God for the unity the people of Uganda have continued to show us. It’s God who has continued making us united and that’s why I start by thanking Him.” In addition, he appreciated the people of Lango for voting wisely but also massively in the recent general elections. “Now that elections are over, make sure all households which haven’t benefited from PDM benefit in the next five years. That's why the leaders should not just talk generally but should be specific; parish by parish on how many homesteads have received because those who get support get out of poverty,” President Museveni noted. Furthermore, President Museveni called on the MPs to check how many youths have got the Emyooga money at constituency level. He also noted that the government is planning to start a fresh program of giving coffee seedlings and fruits to farmers. “I’m going to use my land in Baralegi and other government land to plant seedlings which can be given to people for free,” Museveni noted. He also emphasized the importance of maintaining peace, stability, and economic transformation as Uganda moves forward. “I thank the people of Lango for standing with the National Resistance Movement and for supporting our vision of prosperity for all Ugandans,” the President said. “We must now focus on wealth creation, job opportunities, and improving household incomes.” More importantly, President Museveni cautioned Ugandans against corruption. “Don’t be kind to corrupt people, nobody should deduct any money from your PDM, there is enough space in Luzira,” he warned. President Museveni further encouraged Lango people to be very hard working, noting that if people have money it’s easier to progress. He concluded by expressing gratitude again to the people of Lango for their support for the NRM. “Thank you very much for the massive votes you gave me,may God bless you,” President Museveni said. Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng, Lira City Woman Member of Parliament, who also serves as the Minister for Health, warmly welcomed President Museveni to Lango and thanked him for advancing national transformation. She appreciated the President for the development in the last forty years, citing Projects like Parish Development Model and Emyooga. She also thanked the people of Lango for voting President Museveni massively with 80.4%. In addition, Dr. Aceng commended President Museveni for the great improvement in service delivery in the subregion. “I’m very happy to note that heart surgeries ,brain surgeries, dialysis are all made in Lira hospital,” she added. The government Chief Whip, Hon. Hamson Obua also praised the people of Lango for voting NRM massively. “We are here to thank God and the people of Lango for the triumphant victory in the elections,” Hon. Obua said. Ambassador Joseph Ocwet, the Director General of the External Security Organisation (ESO) praised the President’s commitment to infrastructure development, education, and security in the region, noting significant improvements over the years. “You brought prosperity to Lango. There is a lot of development, the roads, education system, healthcare has gone beyond our expectations. This is the reason Lango voted for you massively this time,” Ambassador Ocwet noted. Prior to the event, President Museveni laid a wreath in memory of the late Anthony Ocwet, the father of Ambassador Ocwet and the late Mrs. Carolyn Akullu Ocwet, his wife. The event was also attended by Ministers, religious and cultural leaders, NRM leaders, among others.

2026-04-18

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI LEADS MPS IN SHOOTING EXERCISE, CALLS FOR INTEGRITY IN LEADERSHIP

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni today took Members of Parliament through shooting practice at the National Leadership Institute (NALI) in Kyankwanzi and used the session to emphasise national defence, discipline, and the fight against corruption. This event was the last activity of the MP’s retreat which officially concluded yesterday. The one-week retreat started on April 7 to 14th April, 2026 under the theme: “Aligning the NRM leadership towards protecting the gains and making a bold, qualitative leap towards a higher middle-income status society.” The President, who personally guided the legislators on basic firearms handling, also observed their participation and congratulated them, noting that some were veterans. “I congratulate the participants. I can see some of them are veterans,” President Museveni said. He explained that Uganda’s security is anchored on the concept of a people’s army, where citizens are trained and can return to civilian life but remain available as a reserve force when needed. “Ours is a people’s army. We encourage citizens to learn the science of arms so that in case of any threat, we can mobilise numbers for national defence,” he said. President Museveni noted that such a system enables even countries with smaller populations to build strong defence capacity through continuous training and mobilisation of reservists. “This is how you maximise defence. People train, go back to their normal lives, but remain ready. That is what they do in countries like Israel, where citizens are called back for refresher training,” he added. Reflecting on Uganda’s experience, the President cited past instances where trained local defence units were mobilised to respond to security challenges, underscoring the importance of preparedness. Turning to governance, President Museveni warned that corruption remains the biggest threat to national progress and urged leaders to take a firm stand against it. “The first thing you must do is to fight corruption. If you don’t, all these efforts will be for nothing,” he said. He cautioned Members of Parliament against engaging in bribery and vote-buying, describing the practice as detrimental to both leadership and national development. “Do not bribe voters. You cannot give someone a small amount of money to decide leadership for five years. That is wrong,” he emphasised. The President also encouraged legislators to embrace financial discipline and utilise existing support systems such as savings and credit cooperatives instead of unsustainable borrowing. “A bankrupt leader should not be a leader. Stand on your own and work with the systems we have put in place,” he advised. President Museveni said that the government had historically prioritised collective welfare programmes for the army, including schools for soldiers’ children, scholarships, and SACCO initiatives such as Wazalendo, to improve livelihoods. “We did not have much money for high salaries, but we focused on supporting soldiers through education, housing, and healthcare,” he said. He also noted that the government had to encourage families of soldiers to engage in productive activities to boost household incomes without engaging in corruption practices. Call to serve: As the retreat came to a close, President Museveni urged the legislators to return to their constituencies with a renewed commitment to service, integrity, and wealth creation among wananchi. Uganda’s transformation, he noted, depends on disciplined leadership, elimination of corruption, and empowering citizens to participate in the money economy. “I wish you good luck as you go back to serve your constituencies,” he said. On his part, Col. Okei Rukogota, the Director of NALI, thanked the President for recently inaugurating the shooting range , noting that it will support the continued training of civilians in basic defence skills. He said the initiative is in line with the President’s long-standing guidance that, wherever possible, citizens should be equipped with practical skills to enhance security and reduce violence. “This is testimony that you have never been a dictator, because dictators cannot empower citizens with the means of defence,” Col. Rukogota said. He also commended the President for continuing to equip wananchi with the capacity to safeguard the country’s democratic and transformation processes.

2026-04-15

GENERAL MUHOOZI KAINERUGABA’S 52ND BIRTHDAY RUN

By Josepha Jabo The Executive Director of Uganda Media Centre, Alan Kasujja, announced the 52nd Birthday Run of Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to be held two days after his birthday on Sunday, April 26, 2026 at Kololo Independence Grounds from 6am-12pm. Addressing journalists and well-wishers at a press conference held at Uganda Media Centre on Tuesday, April 14, 2026 Kasujja revealed that the CDF will be the Chief Runner at the event. “We are here this morning to support the 52nd birthday run that honours the birthday of the CDF, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. This is a civic engagement, which reflects the relationship the general has with the people. Rather than celebrating on his own, he has decided to give back to the community, hence this event. It’s a non-partisan event. We are announcing a celebration worthy of a servant leader. The theme, this year, is ‘Run for Charity, Run for Hope’ and 52 years is 52 reasons to run,” he said. Kasujja revealed that the CDF will be the Chief Runner. “The general himself will be the Chief Runner. We are looking forward to having him running side by side with fellow Ugandans on the road. I am going to try to run, even though you can see running is not my biggest strength, but we shall see what happens on that day,” he promised. For all those who are interested in sponsoring this event, Kasujja said financial contributions towards the birthday run can be made to MTN MoMo 55445766, Airtel 4405201. “In moments like these, there are people who try to take advantage. There are fraudsters, who emerge from all corners and say they are fundraising for this event. That should not happen this time. If you want to make a financial contribution towards this cause, your contribution is welcome and it should go to those two codes,” he explained. Kasujja invited all Ugandans to participate in the event. “This birthday belongs to every Ugandan. We invite all of you, wherever you are, to come and take part. I encourage every Ugandan, to show up in large numbers. Ugandans are strongest when we run together; ‘One Uganda, One Finish Line!’” Spokesperson of the UPDF, Colonel Chris Magezi, appealed to young people to attend the birthday run. “The MK Birthday Run, which has turned into an annual event, is for a good cause. We appeal to young people in Kampala and neighbouring areas to come and participate in this run. This event is gaining traction every year. The general, like others in his position, could have chosen to celebrate his birthday privately, but the general is the rallying point for millions of young Ugandans and it is something he has embraced over time. That is why the MK birthday run is becoming an exciting annual event. We want to continue to use it, to engage the young people for community causes,” he said. Police Spokesperson, ACP Kituuma Rusoke, assured the general public of security during the event. “The birthday run, of our CDF, is a very noble cause. In due course, we shall give you a comprehensive picture of our entire route, but the generic statement that I can make now is that Uganda Police Force shall control traffic along the routes and roads that will be affected. We will certainly have access control measures. Whoever intends to come to Kololo, we shall guarantee you security. We shall deploy along the routes, at venues and at any place security assessment deems necessary to be deployed,” he concluded. Each running kit costs UGX 20,000. The kits are available now at Kololo Independence Grounds. The proceeds that will come from the purchase of these kits will go towards orphans. The general will support orphans with the proceeds and financial contributions. The writer works for Uganda Media Centre

2026-04-14