Blog – Prime Time Communications

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: Ugandan musicians should think beyond miming at kwanjula and weddings

By Denis Jjuuko Musicians in Uganda have been in celebratory mood after the country’s parliament passed the the Copyright and Neighbouring Rights (Amendment) Bill, 2025. They argue that once the bill is assented to by the president as expected, they will earn lots more money than they are doing today. That they will be rewarded for their efforts. Ugandan music has come from a long way. In the 1990s, very few Ugandans considered music as their professional career. There were professional music groups that still exist such as Afrigo and some other bands/musicians, but many didn’t earn that much. If the amended bill is to make them earn more, that is even better. The bill seems to be very important to Uganda’s music industry as there seem to be a resurgence of the foreign content like it was in the 1990s. Congolese musicians ruled the airwaves and the stages at Gaba Beach, Nakivubo Stadium and the beaches of Entebbe. Singers like Jose Chameleone, Bebe Cool and Bobi Wine broke that dominance and Ugandan musicians started filling stadiums on their own. Congolese musicians stopped owning the concert stages in Kampala. The Kingdom of Buganda had in 1996 launched the popular CBS radio which further played local music on the airwaves and organised Ekitobeero music festivals that among which provided the platform for Ugandan music to thrive. Music entrepreneurs like Hope Mukasa at his Sabrinas Pub provided another platform, karaoke, that saw many wannabe musicians practice their craft. Sabrinas would lead to the emergence of the famous I-Jay duo of Irene Namubiru and Juliana Kanyamoozi. Ugandan music was on cloud nine. Musicians stopped singing for beer and now were being paid professional fees. Kasiwukira and company would buy the records, make cassettes and sell. Telecoms, looking for ways to reach the masses signed them up. Nightclubs held musicians like the celebrities they were becoming. Video mixing became the norm in nightclubs and every little bar. You could actually spend a whole night in a bar with only Ugandan music being played. Many young people dreamed of becoming musicians. Many lived the dream. Today, the industry is pivoting a bit. Foreign shows are back in Uganda including of Congolese like Awilo Longomba, Ya Levis and Fally Ipupa. Kofi Olomidde turns up once in a while including at a recent Afrigo 50th anniversary. Nigerian music is dominating the airwaves. There is perhaps no bar or nightclub today that only plays Ugandan music for the entire night. The changes in the industry may perhaps explain the gusto with which some of the most known Ugandan musicians invested in the amended copyright bill. They see it as a saviour even though royalties have been corrected on their behalf by organisations like the Uganda Performance Rights Society for years. As the musicians were celebrating the passing of the amended bill in parliament, their counterparts in Nigeria were being ranked as the top earners in Africa on music streaming platform Spotify. It was revealed, that Nigerian musicians earned more than US$43m in 2025 from Spotify by pulling in a combined 30.3billion streams, which is about 1.6 billion hours of listening time. Nigerian music has been globally embraced featuring in more than 320 million user-generated playlists according to reports. Barack Obama, the former US President, releases his annual playlist around December every year. For years now, a Nigerian musician appears on his list, which he posts on his X account of nearly 120 million followers. The Nigerians are developing music that cuts across borders and appeals to worldwide audiences. You have seen them perform at even the World Cup and being regularly nominated in Grammys among other international awards. In Uganda, some of the leading musicians instead of thinking global, they concentrate on Gulu city, where they book rooms for weeks doing whatever they can so that they can meet Gen Salim Saleh. He has publicly rebuked them before to their embarrassment. But do they listen? They see politics as the only means to scale. Those who become famous because of their ability to dance and sing forget about what made them famous once they make it. They appear at shows to mime, walk about the stage while spending some considerable time talking about their imaginary haters or reminding others how beautiful they are. Less time is devoted to practicing before performing. Tshaka Mayanja, a legendary music promoter and musician has always talked about this. The audience in Uganda is small and the economy is even smaller yet music transcends borders. Ugandan musicians should therefore think beyond miming at kwanjula and weddings and create music that has a global appeal so that they can earn from a global audience. Cozying up to politicians won’t sustainably make them earn better even when copyright bills as assented to. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

May 20, 2026

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: Ugandan businesses embracing the region signals good things to come

By Denis Jjuuko For many years, Ugandan businesses relied on many things Kenyan. Employees in the hospitality industry, advertising, creative, transport, logistics and even banking among others. Of course, Kenya is a bigger economy which has also not been largely disrupted by war. They had expertise that we lacked. So, it must have been easier for them to set up here or sending their goods to Kampala. Of course, there were Ugandans doing lots of stuff in Nairobi. In the 1970s and 1980s, many Ugandan experts were exiled in Kenya working as medical doctors, lawyers, teachers, businessmen, and political ‘external wingers’ among other jobs. Singers Jose Chameleon and Bebe Cool got their breakthroughs after recording in Nairobi studios. Later, Ugandan radio presenters made Nairobi home. Private radio had developed faster in Uganda after the liberalization of the airwaves in 1993 than in Kenya. However, if you needed technical expertise on many things, Kenya seemed to be the ideal destination. Ugandan entrepreneurs like James Mugoya and Bulaimu Muwanga Kibirige (BMK) had set up businesses there in the construction and automotive sectors among others. But still, there was an imbalance. Kenyan businesses set up more in Uganda than Ugandan businesses did in Kenya or elsewhere. That trend seems to be changing. First, many Ugandan big businesses like banks were run by Kenyans and other foreigners. There was a time a few years ago when almost all the banks in Ugandan had foreign CEOs. Today, the majority of banks are run by Ugandans. And some Ugandan executives are now running big businesses in Kenya, like Bamburi Cement. Second, in recent years, we saw Omar Mandela set up his popular Café Javas in Nairobi. It became an instant hit with the hippy Nairobians looking for a place that is well known for its customer care and great food. Kenyan managers had been running the hospitality industry in Uganda and now, a Ugandan businessman was taking the game to their capital. Café Javas today has more outlets in Nairobi than Kampala and Entebbe combined. Perhaps, other Ugandans are learning from Mandela. Since last year, we have had at least three Ugandan businesses in the entertainment and marketing world set up in Nairobi. Fenon, Swangz Avenue and Talent Africa Group all now have offices in Kenya. Previously, the entertainment and marketing businesses relied somewhat on Kenyan experts and even equipment to pull off events and marketing campaigns. Ugandan businesses are now playing on their grass. In tourism, we are also seeing Amos Wekesa’s Great Lakes Safaris operating a hotel in Tanzania. A few years ago, we saw Centenary Bank starting operations in Malawi. Many other Ugandans are also doing business in southern Africa. The BMK Group has operations in Zambia and many others have taken the same route. Rwanda, South Sudan, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo are some of the other markets where Ugandan businesses are operating. It is remarkable that Ugandan businesses are growing and expanding in the region. Previously, we looked on haplessly as largely Kenyan businesses took over markets even after the Ugandan army had pacified some of those countries. South Sudan comes to mind. Ugandans for example in South Sudan operated the smallest of businesses — curio shops, barber kiosks and roadside restaurants. Kenyans operated banks and other big stuff thereby gaining more from regional trade. Uganda’s economy is largely concentrated within a radius of 80km of Kampala. That limits growth for some of the businesses yet economies like Kenya are way bigger than ours. The East African Community has a population of nearly 350 million people with a nominal GDP of about US$350 billion making it a market that we can’t simply ignore. Uganda has been pushing for exports into these regions while facing many barriers including infrastructural ones in countries like the DRC. And if we only export there after even constructing their roads, we miss out on some opportunities that are extended to registered businesses in those markets. However, we shouldn’t be limited to only the region. With geopolitical pressures across the globe, there is even more need to expand to take on sectors that may not be well catered of as global players concentrate on their main markets or scale down in others. Businesses which may not be ready to go it alone should look for companies they could merge with or acquire to get a footprint in those particular markets easily. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant.

May 20, 2026

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: Had Iran been Uganda, what would we have done?

By Denis Jjuuko When the planners of the war on Iran sat to make the final decision, they perhaps envisaged a quick win. Fly in, kill the leader and a few others and the country would collapse. Your chosen leaders would then take over and pledge allegiance, after all you are the world’s super power. Oil would flow to wherever you want it. As the leader of America, Donald Trump would be expected to stand somewhere in the White House and announce how the greatest military on Earth has performed. The new leaders in Tehran would repost his every post. A red carpet would soon be rolled out at the White House where the new leaders in Tehran commit to pay allegiance to the Americans and their Israeli backers. Washington would announce the end of sanctions and beckon American companies to take on the reconstruction of Iran. A date for a return visit to Tehran would be announced. Donald Trump would step on the improvised steps of Air Force One and utter the word ‘freedom’ while clenching his fist. At a speech in Tehran where school kids are waving paper flags of Iran and USA, he would warn others of what will come if they don’t fall in line. Fox News would declare him the greatest leader America has ever had. Trump would demand the Nobel Prize committee to award him. He has saved the world of potential nuclear weapons. Hollywood writers would scramble for pieces of paper to script a blockbuster. However, Iran seems to have had different ideas. The writers must now be writing but not the grand movie. American contractors are waiting, unsure when their reconstruction deals will be inked. Trump posts one thing after another, perhaps once in a while, remembering the famous quote from Sun Tzu’s the Art of War: the best way to win a war is not to fight. Iran defied the odds. Two military powers have dropped thousands of bombs on its facilities and leaders but it has been able to somewhat fight back and even forced ceasefire talks in Islamabad, Pakistan even if they ended without any deal. When you think of Iran, you always want to think of Africa or at least one country in Africa since the continent is not homogenous. Is there one that can stand up to the world powers? Perhaps none. Our natural resources are not used strategically. In fact, they have been a source of endless wars. Look at the Democratic Republic of Congo for example. I consider them the richest country on earth but they can’t even complete their Inga Dam or construct bitumen standard roads. Uganda, a potholed nation, is helping them in the eastern parts of the country. Nigeria had to wait for a private person to build a mega oil refinery. They preferred to export crude and import the refined products. If an individual businessman can mobilize resources and build a refinery, what about a country? And you can say that about all oil producing countries on the continent. We have conditioned ourselves to export raw materials and import everything. The Iranians didn’t wait to import everything. They made their Shahed drones, they developed their missiles program and created a system that wasn’t depending on a single strongman whose assassination would lead everything to crumble. They built universities and given that they are forcing Americans to sit on a negotiation table, it means they didn’t fill their key positions based on blood relationships or who could praise their leaders loudest. They also understood leverage. Their location provided them with the Strait of Hormuz through which 20 percent of the world oil passes. They understood that 20% of the world’s oil can’t be ignored. They understood that their location gives them an opportunity to fight back or take the war to the enablers of their adversaries. They didn’t spend half their time blaming the Americans for the economic sanctions imposed on them. They found a way to prepare themselves for a war that they knew that one day would come. Had the Iranians been some of the African leaders, they would be blaming colonialists while sending their kids to western universities and keeping whatever money they land on in Swiss banks. Research and development would mean nothing. The most energetic labour force would be carted off to find jobs as domestic workers while being urged to save and come back and be job creators. Had we been Iran, how would we be strategically using River Nile, Lake Victoria, the near perfect weather we sing about and all the resources we have? The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmaio.com

May 20, 2026

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: Municipal bonds could help resettle kiosk businesses removed from road reserves

By Denis Jjuuko A few weeks ago, the internet in Uganda went gaga with a photo of a woman raising her hand, while another holding a toddler who was busy breastfeeding. The woman was in distress as her kiosk was being loaded on a truck with Kenyan motor registration license plates. People said it was photo of the year. To be honest, it is a very powerful image and lives to the axiom that a picture says a thousand words. Some people offered to help the woman. Others said a lot of stuff about the ongoing countrywide campaign to remove informal structures from road reserves and elsewhere. The photographer was the “most wanted person.” It turned out the image was made through prompting artificial intelligence applications. What AI won’t do!! Anyway, Uganda is one of those countries where everyone is either a business owner or trying to start one or has ever started one. We are labelled, by some international organisations, the most entrepreneurial country in the world. But most of our businesses are small, micro small or something lower. A kiosk here, a stall there, a bench where you can polish and shine shoes or simply sit and wait for customers and sell them something that you pick from a shop that you pretend to own. It is called kuyiriba in Kampala speak. With the coming of age of the internet, kuyiriba is also very much alive online. However, kiosks and stalls on streets, road reserves and everywhere you turn, although a big source of employment in the informal sector, are also an eyesore. They create a slummy and unsafe environment for both the people who own them and their customers. The government decided that it had seen enough and instructed their removal (though that order has since been halted). Imagine you are driving on a highway that connects Uganda to Kenya, and perhaps the busiest in the country given our reliance on the Kenyan port of Mombasa, and all of sudden you see hundreds of stalls selling waragi between Kakira and Magamaga where largely taxis and trucks stop, “recharge” and continue to wherever. What message would visitors to Uganda through that route be thinking? Drink driving makes our roads unsafe. What about those visitors who were using the old Kampala-Entebbe Road? They give an impression of a very poor economy. Most of the remaining shops won’t do us any justice either. Impression is sometimes everything. In the meantime, I hope they can ask the property owners to at least pave their front yards and apply some fresh coats of water-resistant paint. The aging roofs could be replaced too. Those who can’t improve these properties could be asked to sell them to those who can. Alternatively, government can acquire them through fair compensations, similar way they do with the right of way while constructing roads. The government would then make a masterplan of the area complete with architectural plans and invite those with money to buy the land from the government and invest. The new investors would not be allowed to change the plan to whatever they want. The government would get the money by issuing municipal or infrastructure bonds. Saccos and investment clubs, individuals and others players would oversubscribe. And then they would find the money to buy the masterplans and do the investments in record time. Tax incentives could be provided. The masterplan would include acquisition of large areas where markets would be established so the kiosk and stall owners would be shifted there. Flea and mobile markets would also operate in such areas instead of doing so in road reserves. Taxi and bus stop areas would be identified and even future train stations. Cycling lanes in some areas as well. Kampala and many upcoming urban areas don’t have open areas. This way, some areas would be dedicated to that among other amenities that make cities livable. Ugandans would have to accept that they can’t get whatever they want around the corner. Every little corner can’t be boda stage or taxi park or a temporary eatery every 7.00pm. People would have to learn to walk or even drive a bit for what they need such as boarding a taxi or getting some groceries. Every little front yard can’t be a kiosk or boutique of used dresses. The global cities we admire are designed that way. We have the tools to do that. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

May 20, 2026

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: UEDCL review should include self-funded connections

By Denis Jjuuko The cost of land in greater Kampala and indeed other urban areas of Uganda skyrockets all the time making it hard for the majority of people to become homeowners. This increases the country’s housing deficit annually. Currently, the housing deficit stands at approximately 2.4 million units. One of the major reasons for the high cost of land is lack of utilities or actually their availability. If an area gets connected to the national electricity grid and water mains, the prices of land shoot up. If a road is built, the prices triple or even quadruple. The land owners know that availability of utilities like electricity and water is an attraction because where they are not available, the costs to get them can be huge. For example, a new connection may cost you less than Shs100,000 where you don’t need a pole and willing to wait for the government subsidized one or more than Shs500,000 for a self-funded connection. Should there be no pole near you, the costs become excessive as they run into millions of shillings. A single-pole connection costs in excess of Shs2.8m. Should you need more than one pole, the costs become limiting and you have to look for a private company to build that line for you. There is no guidance on how much that costs. Each company charges as they wish. When it comes to a factory or business that needs three-phase electricity and a transformer, the costs could be humongous. The alternative land in areas where electricity is available like the industrial parks is not affordable for small businesses leaving them without any options but to incur high startup costs. Water isn’t any different. If there are no major water pipes near you, you suffer the same fate by installing them at your cost. I think it is these costs that enraged the outgoing Mawokota South Member of Parliament Yusuf Nsibambi to cut down the poles he had installed when the voters rejected them in the January 2026 polls. He claimed on live television that there was no return on investment after getting the fewest of votes from areas where he had installed electricity and sunk boreholes using personal resources. He has since crossed from the opposition FDC to the ruling NRM. Nsibambi may have been lucky not to be arrested for cutting down ‘his’ electric poles and vandalizing the power lines. This is because once you install them, the government agency, UEDCL and Umeme before them, maps them and registers them as their own assets. They include them in their inventory. When electricity and water utilities are publishing their achievements and investments on glossy paper, they include the kilometres of electricity lines, transformers and water mains installed. What they don’t tell you is that some of those aren’t built by them and therefore shouldn’t claim them. If I build my own electricity line or install water or a transformer, why should the government utility claim them? Just because they sent a guy or two on a motorcycle with a GPS machine and wrote down the coordinates? The cost of taking down GPS coordinates is insignificant compared to the cost of building the line, buying the transformer and all the stuff. Now, over the weekend the Minister of Energy and Mineral Development terminated the services of the board chair of UEDCL and sent the managing director on forced leave. The newly appointed acting board chair was swift in naming an acting managing director. Everyone hopes that services will improve. One of the issues should be reviewing new connections especially where there is no pole or transformer. The minister and the regulator need to instruct UEDCL not to demand payment from people who buy a pole, build a line or install transformers until their investment is covered. The surveyors they send to establish that a pole, three-phase or transformer is required can put it in their report and come up with workable cost. When the person goes ahead and funds this connection, then they can credit the customer’s account with the money spent. Every month, they can deduct what the customer has consumed until the credited amount is used up. Thereafter, the customer can start paying for the service. That way, the utility company has not ‘stolen’ a private line or transformer and passed it as their own. The homeowner or business would have their money back and that would lead to lower costs of land and/or doing business. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@yahoo.com

May 20, 2026

Out to Lunch

OutToLunch: African Union could help national airlines struggling to fly

OutToLunch: African Union could help national airlines struggling to fly By Denis Jjuuko Sometime back, the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority decided to mark an anniversary by organizing a flying activity. What one needed to do was to arrive at Entebbe airport with Shs50,000. They would then put them on a flight and fly them around Uganda. The queue stretched many miles. The guys at CBS FM also did something similar during one of their Nkuuka y’Omwaka (end of year) events. Pay some little money and they fly you around Kampala. Thousands of people lined up for this once in a lifetime opportunity. If you watch TikTok regularly, you will see many people posting their trips claiming that they “catch flights, not feelings” and all sorts of things. If there is anything many people in Africa love, it is flying even if it is flying to nowhere. Many people on the continent consider flying an element of success. I think it is linked to widespread poverty. In many countries, domestic flights are rare as there is hardly any infrastructure. Where it exists, air tickets are expensive, thereby eliminating many people from boarding flights from one town to another. Those who manage to fly are considered the lucky ones. That probably explains why many family members escort their relatives to the airport in droves. Minibuses full of people descend at airports, drumming and dancing as the traveler busks in glory. They have finally made it. Upon return, some even hold parties. Parents pray for their children to also get an opportunity to fly. If you eavesdrop at Entebbe before departure, you may hear of somebody calling a relative or friend to engage them in prayer so that they also find some luck one day to fly and I am not making this up. It is that serious. Flying to many isn’t just a means of travel. It is status. It is arrival on the big stage. It is success. That same mindset many times explains the desire by countries to set up airlines. Every country on the continent wants to set up a flag carrier. The reasons given are many. National pride is usually among the top five. Airport or aviation authorities also with the same mindset slap huge taxes on each ticket. Airport ground handling is one of the most lucrative businesses in Africa even when the number of passengers going through these airports is minimal. Passengers who have longed to fly expect five-star experiences even when they don’t want to pay for them — champagne to flow endlessly, great food, free internet, movies and the like. To keep these few passengers happy, airlines end up charging a premium, thereby eliminating many people who would have been able to fly. It then becomes difficult to make money from a very small base of regular passengers. Yet, we many times complain about the exorbitant air ticket rates forgetting that everything we consume on board comes at a price. The equipment is expensive to buy, operate and maintain. Also, the majority of Africans have no reason to travel much. Their incomes are meagre and majority are subsistence farmers without any real need to fly anywhere. Without improved incomes, African airlines will continue to struggle. Also, because poor countries love owning national flag carriers without putting in enough resources, the airlines will continue to struggle to compete with middle eastern carriers. How on earth is a national airline with global or even continental ambitions but operating just 4-6 planes going to compete with Emirates, Qatar or even Air Arabia? It is always going to be frustrations for passengers who in the era of social media who are going to create one communication crisis after another. Brand reputation tanks. The few passengers end up preferring to pay a premium to fly the reliable carriers from Middle East, Europe or even Ethiopia. The national airline ends up in the cemetery. Flying within Africa could provide a lifeline for African national carriers but many countries demand visas from each African while allowing Europeans and North Americans to fly in without them. If people need expensive visas that are also difficult to access, it then becomes very difficult to create a critical mass of travelers within the continent. Look at Europe for example, it is almost borderless. People just wake up and travel without worrying about access. Although it is a very rich continent, being borderless is one of the reasons many people fly in Europe and air tickets are very cheap. The African Union need not be an organization that issues communiques only rather one that facilitates movement and trade across the continent by removing barriers that keep us under developed. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

March 3, 2026

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: Some of the big bets for 2026

By Denis Jjuuko It was just the other day when many people were making resolutions for 2025. Days turned into weeks, months and now a whole year. You blink, and it is a new year. I hope that you managed to achieve those targets you set for 2025. If you didn’t, well, you can still list them for 2026 and work on the issues that made you fail to achieve them. Well, there are so many things that are happening in 2026. An election is upon us and it comes fast—starting on 15 January. I hope that your candidate wins and most importantly that they do what they are promising to do. In the meantime, I thought of a few things that could be important in 2026. They could be business ideas or stuff that may make your life better one day. Generators, power back up As I was writing this, a close friend called me and she sounded desperate. Her electricity had failed and she was worried about spending yet another night in darkness. She had bought an inverter but because of a prolonged power shutdown in her residence area, her batteries were drained. She fears darkness. So, she thought I could be a plug for a standby generator for a night. We made frantic phone calls but many people with generators for hire had closed for the night. Anyway, it reminded me of a visit I made a few months ago to a friend’s home. I found people installing a generator. My friend had rightly predicted that the transition from one electricity distributor to another wouldn’t be that smooth and had envisaged the return to darkness. I had thought that he was panicking. He wasn’t. The new distributor has told us that electricity will stabilize in a few years. So, in 2026, either get a standby generator for your home or business or start dealing in them. Water harvesting When electricity fails, the guys at Katosi and Gaba inform us that they can’t pump water from Lake Victoria. This means that the taps soon run dry. When we were younger, we used to ask ourselves a silly question. What would should we rather have? Running water or electricity? We thought we had left those days more than 20 years ago. And it seems the question wasn’t even silly after all. So, what would you rather have in 2026? Water or electricity? Well, in 2026, either get a water tank for rain harvesting or start dealing in them. Car parts The smart guys at the Ministry of Works and Transport have declared a mandatory vehicle inspection at your cost. Not a bad thing if it would make our roads safer. But if you live in some of these parts of Kampala, most likely your car won’t pass the test. If it does, it will not be in a good shape a few days later. Some of the roads in Kampala have the biggest potholes ever seen in the world. If you drive a car that was once owned by somebody in Asia or Europe or north America and got rid of it by selling it to you, be prepared for a new suspension every few weeks. You may also have to budget for a bumper in 2026. If you live in a neighborhood with a paved road and potholes aren’t your problems, well, still budget for some body parts. However much you rivet your car, guys will still pluck off stuff in traffic jam or they will scale your fence and “undress” your car. So, in 2026, plan for car spare parts or start dealing in them. Coffee and gold Coffee and gold are most likely going to continue being top forex earners for Uganda in 2026. You may have to look for ways to get involved. Gold, though, has expensive school fees, so invest with care. Coffee, some call it the green gold, is a bit easy. Entry fees are not so exorbitant and many people have knowledge of how to grow it, trade it or drink it. If growing it is where you want to start, think of some bit of irrigation. Changes in the climate are real but also water in Uganda is easily available in many parts where coffee is grown. A few feet underground, and there is reliable water all year long. In 2026, find a way to deal in coffee, remember “it doesn’t lie” or even gold if you have the school fees. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

January 22, 2026

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: How Uganda’s next president could easily reduce the housing deficit

By Denis Jjuuko It is not uncommon to find a social media post in Uganda regarding the price of land or property being shared many times. The argument is that land prices are extremely high especially around Kampala and in many major cities or towns across the country. With an ever-increasing population and poor infrastructure and services a few kilometres outside these major urban centres, it shouldn’t be entirely surprising that land is expensive. I have always given an example of Mpigi town, which is nearer to Kampala than Entebbe but a difficult place to commute due to poor infrastructure. Yet with the Entebbe expressway or even the old road, Entebbe is an easier place to access. So, land prices around Entebbe will always be high as not many people would make Mpigi their area of residence while working in Kampala. That though will change when the Kampala-Mpigi Expressway is complete. However, construction of infrastructure such as expressways in Uganda takes a very long time leading to people crowding around the urban areas where it is easier to commute to their workplaces and services such as hospitals and schools are better. This increases pressures on land for housing purposes in urban areas. And as the population grows, land, an inelastic resource becomes more expensive. Many young people end up struggling to build houses. With the current housing shortage said to be over 2.4 million units in Uganda, poor infrastructure and services and an ever increasing population, the price of land will only continue to rise unless the government does something. And that wouldn’t be nationalizing land like some people urge whenever there are delays in executing infrastructure projects or when the price of land is seen as a hindrance to young people owning houses. Government must realize that the most valuable asset the majority of Ugandans will ever own is a house. Once people own property, they wouldn’t want to create so much chaos that could lead to destruction. Empowering young people to own houses should therefore be in the government’s best interests. Since land in Uganda for housing is largely owned by private entities or communities who determine its cost without any guiding principles, government could create a land bank from which individuals could buy land or a house. How would this work? And since we are going to the polls next week, the country’s next president has his work well cut out. In urban areas like greater Kampala, government could buy large tracts of land in Mukono, Mpigi, Mityana and Luweero and demarcate it for planned housing estates similar with what private land dealers do but a bit better. Land would be divided into small pieces with architectural plans drawn by leading experts. Schools, recreation, and health facilities would be planned. The government would then sell the land at a rate lower than the private sector. Nobody would be allowed to deviate from the architectural plan. If you bought in an area with bungalow houses, you build the exact bungalow. If you bought in an area for storied villas, you build a storied villa as per the architectural plan. Each person or legally married couple would be allowed to buy only one plot and you can’t sell it to another person at any rate. If a buyer prefers to sell, he sells it back to the government at the price he bought it. This would protect the land from speculators who buy, hoard and then sell at an exorbitant price. Because the cost of building a house with a given architectural plan is easy to establish, banks would only rent a certain amount of money. Banks willing to lend the money would not give it to the individual as is usually the case, rather a prequalified construction company that can deliver the house within the established cost of building it with a capped interest rate or profit. This is how Islamic banking works and therefore not a novel idea that is difficult to implement. Should a person fail to pay, the government buys it from the bank at the set amount and then sells it to somebody else. People could pay in installments over a given period. Monthly deductions could be made to salaried workers such as civil servants interested. The government can then construct roads and expressways to those areas as many people would be living in these housing estates. Public transport, schools and health facilities would be prioritized. More young people would end up owning houses and therefore a huge stake in their country and ministry of urban planning would have something big to deliver. The price of land for housing would plummet too enabling more people to own houses. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

January 20, 2026

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: Replicate innovation hubs in Kampala and refugee settlements across the country

By Denis Jjuuko Airpods in the ears. Hands busy with a smartphone. Shoulders holding a leather laptop carry bag. Legs covered in sagging pants. Torso well covered in a jumper with a hoodie. Hair spiked. Sunglasses on. It is a familiar sight at a building in Kampala where young people trying to replicate Silicon Valley converge to work on largely fintech applications. At least a floor in the building provides open spaces where these people work on their ideas while sipping iced coffees sold at a cafeteria in the corner. Walls are covered with inspiring graffiti of quotes by famous people or even bible verses. The young people are on a mission to make it big in the tech world. Those who find some breakthrough, which usually means nailing somebody willing to invest in their ideas or provide a grant, move to the office cubicles partitioned with glass, providing more inspiration to those still on the journey. These workspaces have many names. Incubation centres, ideation labs, entrepreneurial hubs, job centres. They are usually funded by development partners as a way of subsidizing the cost for these emerging entrepreneurs, developers, inventors, creators or whatever they prefer to call themselves. Perhaps having seen some impact in urban areas, these centres were replicated in many of Uganda’s refugee settlements across the country. At these centres, youthful refugees and host communities access high speed internet, get access to computers and sometimes machinery and tools that enable them to bring their ideas to life. The development partners sometimes throw in training like how to use multimedia platforms to market their businesses or find work. Small grants for groups with innovative ideas or even for those who are dedicated to their work are common. Access to high-speed internet has helped a few of them to create great products. On a visit to the Nakivale Refugee Settlement, I found an interesting group that makes guitars. They taught themselves via YouTube tutorials and they are able to market their shiny guitars to global customers through social media. They have been supported by Partnership for improving prospects for forcibly displaced persons and host communities (PROSPECTS), a project implemented by the International Labour Organization and funded by the Netherlands. It is remarkable what young people can do once they are enabled to innovate. Skilling is critical not just in vocational jobs. But also, in soft skills such as communication and digital marketing. How can they use WhatsApp Status, YouTube or TikTok to push their products out? How can they use YouTube to learn a new skill? I don’t think there is a vocational school that sets itself out there to teach making guitars but those refugees in Nakivale found a niche and made it work even though they have a long way to go. I have heard of people who taught themselves baking, weaving, and a few other things via YouTube tutorials and are now earning a living and even employing others. Once young people have access to affordable internet, many can teach themselves similar skills once they appreciate what they can do with a smartphone. Multimedia skilling programs for youth such as those offered by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) through Uganda Communications Universal Service and Access Fund (UCUSAF) are a good starting point. I have seen people learn making professional posters through platforms like Canva or videos using CapCut thereby joining the creator economy. I think there is a need to replicate the incubation hubs in Kampala and job centres in refugee settlements at subcounty level or even district level to start with. Here, young people would converge even if once a week to discuss with like-minded individuals, teach themselves skills and form partnerships and synergies that would enable them to scale their ideas or enterprises. Of course, regular trainings and mentorship would be important. They would be able to access high speed internet, computers or virtual reality gadgets. They would also test out their ideas and over time have access to those who may have been able to succeed. They would also provide markets to themselves. If one has mastered digital marketing, another involved in another industry would be able become their customer. We have also talked about value addition for a long time. Machinery is expensive. Knowledge is scarce. If people grow some coffee in Bukomansimbi or Budadiri and you want them to add value, a roastery can be installed at this hub where those interested can roast and package their coffee. As they grow, they would be able to scale on their own. If the hubs are somewhat working for youths in Kampala and refugee settlements, they can work too in rural communities. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

January 20, 2026

Education

From Smartphones to Sustainable Livelihoods: Manafwa Youth Power a New Digital Future

By Sandra Nakafeero A fresh sense of purpose swept through the Manafwa District Hall as more than 100 young people gathered for the close of an intensive digital skilling programme. Phones in hand and ideas taking shape, the participants demonstrated how simple digital tools are reshaping the way young people learn, create, and earn. During the hands-on sessions, trainees explored practical skills ranging from graphic design and social media branding to virtual collaboration. Using Canva and other mobile-friendly applications, the youths learned how to develop marketing visuals, select effective colour schemes and fonts, and package messages for online audiences. For many, these skills marked their first step toward turning creativity into income. Abikala Munyanda stood out among the cohort, emerging as the overall best performer. Like many of his peers, he described the training as a confidence booster that transformed digital platforms from sources of entertainment into tools for enterprise. The training was further energized by guest facilitator and content creator Dr. Solomon Kimera, whose journey resonated strongly with the participants. A medical doctor by profession, Dr. Kimera shared how he built a massive digital following by starting small and staying consistent. “I didn’t begin with expensive equipment or a studio,” he told the youth. “I started with an ordinary smartphone and the courage to put myself out there. If you wait for everything to be perfect, you may never begin.” Today, Dr. Kimera commands an online audience of nearly 2.5 million followers on TikTok, with content that blends education and entertainment. His story underscored a key lesson of the training: innovation is less about resources and more about mindset. Addressing the participants at the closing ceremony, the Chief Administrative Officer of Manafwa District, Mr. Ssenku Kimuli Samuel, urged the youth to translate their new skills into meaningful livelihoods. “This training has equipped you with skills that are relevant to today’s economy,” Mr. Ssenku said. “You already have powerful tools in your hands, your smartphones. Use them responsibly to create value, to earn honestly, and to contribute to the development of Manafwa. The future of this district depends on how well you apply what you have learned.” He emphasized that digital skilling is no longer optional but essential for young people seeking employment, entrepreneurship, and participation in national development. The Resident District Commissioner, Hon. Saleh Kamba, commended the trainees for their commitment and encouraged them to remain innovative and disciplined as they venture into the digital space. He noted that digital literacy offers young people an opportunity to improve their livelihoods using resources they already possess. The initiative was implemented by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) through the Uganda Communications Universal Service and Access Fund (UCUSAF), in partnership with Prime Time Communications. The programme targets youths in five eastern Uganda districts—Kumi, Kapchorwa, Manafwa, Butaleja, and Kamuli—with more than 500 young people benefiting in the current rollout. Overall, nearly 1,400 youths across 13 districts in central and eastern Uganda are being equipped with practical ICT and multimedia skills. In the first quarter of 2026, the programme will extend to Butaleja and Kamuli districts, enrolling an additional 200 youths. At the conclusion of the training, three participants were recognized for outstanding performance: Abikala Munyanda as Overall Winner, Leah Edith Namono as First Runner-Up, and Derrick Kalibo as Second Runner-Up. As the youths of Manafwa step forward with newly acquired digital competencies, they carry more than certificates—they carry the potential to create jobs, grow incomes, and transform their communities. One design, one post at a time, a new digital chapter is unfolding in Manafwa District.

December 15, 2025

Digitalization

From a simple smartphone to nearly 2.5m followers: Dr. Solomon Kimera inspires Kapchorwa youths to start now

By Gloria Kembabazi Digital skilling is opening new opportunities for young people who dream of building careers in content creation. In today’s digital world, many youths aspire to make a living online, yet procrastination and self-doubt often hold them back. Many wait for the perfect equipment, ideal timing, or enough money before they begin delays that keep their dreams on pause. It is under this background that Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) through the Uganda Communications Universal Service and Access Fund (UCUSAF) working with Prime Time Communications is implementing a program to skill youth groups in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and multimedia in five districts in eastern Uganda. The districts are Kumi, Kapchorwa, Manafwa, Butaleja and Kamuli. The training will see more than 500 youths acquire digital skills that are critical in enabling them to find or create meaningful work. Through the partnership between UCC and Prime Time Communications, more than 1,200 youths have so far been trained in central and eastern Uganda. When the digital skills training program kicked off at the Kapachrowa Community Hall in Kisenyi Sub-County within Kapchorwa Municipality, Kapchorwa District, the atmosphere was filled with inspiration as a famous TikToker and content creator Dr. Solomon Kimera took to the stage. Dr. Kimera, widely recognized for his engaging and educational TikTok videos, has built a strong online community by blending entertainment with knowledge. His relatable delivery and ability to simplify complex topics have earned him admiration from thousands of young people across the country. Addressing the youth, Dr. Kimera shared the authentic story of his journey. Although he is a medical doctor with a professional background in clinical practice, his rise in the digital world did not begin with expensive tools or a perfect setup. Instead, it began with confidence and creativity. “I started with the most basic equipment; an inexpensive smartphone. I was my own camera operator,” he revealed. “If I had waited to earn enough from my medical career to buy a better phone, I wouldn’t have the following I have today. I might never have existed as a content creator. You must start now!” His message resonated deeply with the young audience. Today, Dr. Kimera has nearly 2.5 million followers on TikTok, with his videos attracting millions of views and likes. His success is proof that passion and consistency can open doors, even when resources are limited. Through the UCC digital skills training, the youths in Kapchorwa are being empowered with practical skills to create content, build online brands, and tap into the growing digital economy. Dr. Kimera’s story served as a powerful reminder that success begins with the courage to start using whatever is available. His final encouragement to the youth was simple but profound: “Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Start with what you have. Your journey begins today.” One participant, Siya Deo, described the engagement and training as “an eye-opening.” Previously, he viewed his smartphone as a tool for basic tasks. “Now I know I can use my phone to do video content creation,” he shared.

December 4, 2025

Out to Lunch

#OutToLunch: Rampant unemployment is a key national security issue

By Denis Jjuuko The public service ministry recently announced that more than 40,000 people applied for 287 jobs across different government ministries, departments and agencies. More than 28,000 of those who applied qualified, meaning they were selected for aptitude tests which were to be held at the Mandela National Stadium at Namboole. It must be frustrating looking for job in Uganda. The news came after a bombshell report emanating from research by the Inspectorate of Government (IG) and the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) that indicated that Ugandans pay a whopping Shs42.34b annually to district service boards to get jobs. Averagely, the report indicated, 130,000 people pay bribes to land jobs. The people who ask for these bribes know that the jobs are scarce and people are desperate and willing to do anything to land the jobs. When somebody who bribed their way to a job gets employed, it means a few things. First, the person is not the best for the job. They just had the money to pay a recruiter. The best candidate may not have had the money and therefore wasn’t considered. Because the person knows they only got the job through bribery, they will continue bribing their way into senior positions. That is how we end up with incompetent people in positions of authority. People who can’t execute anything and making sure things don’t work or looking at everyone who is competent as a threat or what people call work politics. The people who are competent end up doing very little at work so that the incompetent boss doesn’t feel insecure and threatened. That is how we end with yes people—they won’t advise their bosses. They will do whatever the boss wants whether it makes sense or not. Remember, there are no jobs and these people have families to feed. Rocking the boat isn’t something that they want to do. Second, the people who bribed their way to jobs will only hire those who pay them a bribe. That way you end up with a corrupt layer at every level and an incompetent lot everywhere. Service delivery is impacted. Government then fails to create jobs that young people can apply for and get on merit. Third, because the public service is corrupted, the private sector suffers too. People can’t start and run businesses professionally. The people who are in positions because they paid a recruiter will endlessly try to get a return on their investment (read bribe). Procurement processes will be compromised. Payment for services and goods delivered will be frustrated unless somebody is paid. The bribery doesn’t end at public service. We recently saw many statements from politicians who lost elections for positions in their political parties claiming their rivals won through bribery. Some wondered why people were bribing for positions that were actually “voluntary.” We hear that candidates for Members of Parliament in some constituencies spend more money than they would get in the five years they would spend in the office should they win. If somebody spends more money than they would be officially paid, it means they are doing so to illegally get something. Somebody who sells their house to get money for election will do anything to get their house back. That is how we end up without jobs and seeing young energetic people leaving the country for the Middle East not to do highly technical jobs but menial ones or being trafficked for sex like we recently heard from a BBC investigation. Government has been saying that they are intending to grow the economy to US$500 billion annually. Great stuff but with rampant corruption, it will be a tall order. There is a need to nip corruption in the bud in order to create sustainable jobs for the working age population. Otherwise, we shall continue to see thousands of people filling up soccer stadiums to apply for a few jobs they know they stand no chance of getting. That is what they call desperation. And desperate people can do pretty much anything. Unemployment ends up being a key national security issue that the government must urgently address. The public have a chance to play a key role here by voting people in 2026 not because they bribed them with a t-shirts or some cheap alcohol but those who can address the challenges they face such as unemployment. The writer is a communication and visibility consultant. djjuuko@gmail.com

October 13, 2025