Musasizi today presented the Petroleum Fund Annual Report for the year ended June 30, 2025, and the Semi-Annual Report for the period ended December 31, 2025, to the Parliamentary Committee on Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

The reports, prepared in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act, Cap. 171, provide an update on the management, performance and utilisation of revenues from petroleum and petroleum-related activities.

As at June 30, 2025, the Petroleum Fund stood at Shs131.27 billion, down from Shs145.98 billion in the previous year. The reduction followed the appropriation and transfer of Shs281.87 billion to the Consolidated Fund and Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC).

During FY2024/25, the Fund received Shs268.2 billion, up from Shs184.01 billion the previous year. This comprised Shs261.5 billion in tax revenue and Shs6.72 billion in non-tax revenue.

Of this, Shs166.5 billion was invested in UNOC, while Shs115.37 billion financed part of the construction of Hoima City Stadium in preparation for AFCON 2027.

By December 31, 2025, the Fund had recovered to Shs212.6 billion, compared to Shs131.27 billion in June 2025.

During the six months to December 2025, the Fund received Shs81 billion, compared to Shs105 billion in the corresponding period of the previous year. The 23% decline was attributed to Uganda’s oil and gas project cycle, as major construction and drilling contractors had completed principal activities ahead of First Oil, reducing the withholding tax base.

Under the Charter for Fiscal Responsibility, a maximum of oil revenue equivalent to 0.8% of the preceding year’s non-oil GDP is appropriated to finance infrastructure and development projects through the annual budget. The remainder is invested in the Petroleum Revenue Investment Reserve.

Musasizi said Uganda remains on track to achieve First Oil during FY2026/27, adding that Government has established institutional and multi-sectoral arrangements to ensure effective management, investment, utilisation and transparent reporting of petroleu

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By Prisca Wanyenya

The Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has raised concern over the delayed activation of new National Identity Cards issued by the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), with Ugandans being bounced when they try to access social services.

Legislators raised the issue on September 9, 2026, during consideration of the December 2025 Auditor General’s report, with NIRA attributing the delay to partners who are yet to meet requirements for data sharing.

Elgon North MP Gerald Nangoli questioned why NIRA is working in isolation, warning that Ugandans are now moving with two IDs – old and new – which poses a security risk.

“I don’t know why you are working in isolation; you have not yet integrated the new IDs. So, if someone goes with the old ID, he will also get the new one, and tomorrow, uses the new ID somewhere else, he is using the same IDs to get services from different places,” Nangoli said.

COSASE Chairperson Muwada Nkunyingi asked NIRA not to recall old National IDs until the new ones are fully activated. He tasked the Authority to provide clear timelines for activation, noting that delays are affecting first-time applicants and those who lost their IDs.

“Our concern was on the inactive status of the new IDs. Normally, for someone to receive a new card, they spoil, or punch holes into the old card. When someone goes to register a line, they require that same old card. You are distorting and complicating transactions for Ugandans. Why are the new ones not functional? When will they be activated?” Muwada asked.

Similar concerns were raised on September 7, 2026, when Kira Municipality MP George Musisi sought clarity on when NIRA will complete migration of data from old IDs to new IDs, citing public complaints of being asked to produce both IDs.

“If you go to get a driving permit, they tell you to first go to Kololo to get another letter and I am told that the letter is only issued at Kololo. So, I don’t know whether all the other people from across the country are not working. It is costing in terms of money,” Musisi said.

Responding, NIRA Executive Director Rosemary Kisembo said on March 31, 2026, NIRA embarked on a module for exchange of information with various entities and wrote to all partners informing them of the new system and the steps needed to connect.

“Prior to this, in 2024 and 2023, NIRA had written to its partners informing them that we are coming up with a new system, this is a technology stack, these are the APIs, you can start development,” Kisembo explained.

She said partners only started development this year, with MTN being the first to onboard onto the new production system.

“I think for purposes that are beyond the control of the organisation, the partners began development only this year. The first partner to onboard on the new production area was MTN. Subsequently, other partners are currently onboarding as they develop on their side,” she said.

Kisembo said activation is a handshake process – NIRA has put out its hand and the partner must also put out theirs for data exchange to happen.

“Partners are in the process of developing the system because it is a handshake. NIRA has put out their hand, the partner also has to put out their hand for a complete handshake. So as the partners onboard, we onboard them based on their readiness,” she noted.

“So, the process of onboarding partners onto the new system is ongoing. We have several now onboarded and others are coming on, depending on the readiness of the partner. We have now some banks and some telecoms that are ready. If a client interacts today with MTN, they will succeed. If they interact with another one, they may not succeed,”

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The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI) to accelerate agricultural transformation, enhance climate resilience and harness emerging technologies for the benefit of farmers in Uganda and beyond.

The commitment was made today when the CABI Chief Executive Officer, Dr Daniel Elger, paid a courtesy visit to NARO top management at the Organisation’s headquarters in Entebbe.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the two organisations to review their longstanding partnership and explore new areas of collaboration, particularly in climate change adaptation, agricultural digitisation, artificial intelligence (AI), data governance, pest and disease management, and joint resource mobilisation.

Dr Elger described NARO as a crucial partner within the CABI family of member countries, noting that the two organisations have built an extensive collaboration over many years.

“NARO is a crucial part for us. NARO represents Uganda in the CABI family of member countries, and we came to discuss some of the most urgent priorities that NARO is envisaging for the future,” Dr Elger said.

He noted that the discussions were aimed at building on existing areas of cooperation while identifying opportunities to deploy additional expertise and resources in areas of strategic importance to Uganda’s agricultural sector.

Among the priority areas identified were climate change and adaptation, digitalisation, data and data governance, as well as joint efforts to mobilise resources to support agricultural research and innovation.

Dr Elger highlighted climate change as a growing threat to agricultural productivity, particularly because of its influence on the distribution and behaviour of pests and diseases.

He observed that changing climatic conditions are contributing to changes in pest and disease patterns globally, including the emergence of invasive species in new locations and changes in the timing and geographical distribution of agricultural pests.

CABI, he said, brings particular expertise in addressing these threats through approaches such as early warning systems and sustainable, nature-based solutions.

“Climate change is an absolute key priority. We work with our member countries on ways to make agriculture more resilient in the face of some of these pressures, particularly for smallholder farmers, and to help ensure food security,” he said.

Dr Elger emphasised that protecting food production goes beyond controlling pests and diseases. It also requires ensuring that farmers receive timely and appropriate information and technologies that enable them to maintain productive, profitable and sustainable farming systems despite emerging challenges.

The discussions also placed significant emphasis on the growing importance of data and artificial intelligence in agricultural research and service delivery.

Dr Elger noted that national agricultural research systems such as NARO not only generate technologies and provide advice to farmers but also collect valuable data and evidence on what works in different farming environments.

He said there was an opportunity for NARO and CABI to strengthen the management, governance and utilisation of such data to inform policy, research and investment decisions.

“How do we make the most of that data? How do we harness that data? How do we ensure that that data is managed in a respectful way from the perspective of the people who’ve generated that data and put to the best possible use?” he asked.

For NARO, the discussions come at a time when the Organisation is exploring ways of harnessing artificial intelligence to improve agricultural research and service delivery.

NARO Director General, Dr Yona Baguma, welcomed the CABI delegation and said the Organisation was looking forward to deepening the longstanding partnership.

“We are happy to host you. NARO and CABI have been partners for many years,” Dr Baguma said.

He said NARO was in the process of establishing a team to spearhead the Organisation’s work on artificial intelligence and expressed interest in working with CABI to develop an institutional framework for harnessing AI for the benefit of humanity.

“Working with the team from CABI, we will look forward to developing an institutional framework to harness AI for service of humanity,” Dr Baguma said.

Dr Baguma further identified climate change transformation, digitisation of research processes and data sharing as key areas where NARO and CABI could expand their collaboration.

He said the two organisations could work together on climate change transformative activities and digitise research processes to enable NARO to deliver its services at scale.

He also proposed collaboration on shared data platforms to strengthen evidence-based investment and decision-making in agriculture.

“We want NARO to be a champion in establishing a governance framework for AI in Uganda,” Dr Baguma said.

The proposed collaboration is expected to contribute to NARO’s broader mandate of generating and disseminating agricultural research, technologies and innovations that respond to the evolving needs of farmers, value-chain actors and policymakers.

The two organisations also expressed interest in strengthening joint resource mobilisation to support agricultural research and innovation in Uganda and the wider region.

Dr Baguma said NARO looked forward to working with CABI to mobilise additional resources for agricultural research, noting that stronger partnerships would be critical in addressing emerging challenges facing agriculture.

The engagement reinforced the strategic importance of partnerships between national agricultural research institutions and international scientific organisations in developing solutions to challenges such as climate change, emerging pests and diseases, food insecurity and the need for more efficient agricultural information systems.

The meeting was attended by the NARO Deputy Director General, Dr Sadik Kassim; Director of Audit, Denis Owor; Director of Finance, Julius Tegiike, alongside other senior officials from NARO and CABI.

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Uganda has failed to turn foreign students into an education export industry, according to findings from Makerere-based Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC).

Researchers warn that the country has never turned its advantages in the education sector into a serious economic strategy, and the advantage may already be slipping.

Dr. Ibrahim Kasirye, acting executive director of the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), says the economic value of foreign students should be beyond the tuition they pay.

He says Uganda needs to rethink how it sees education if it wants to capture more of that value. “Government needs to stop viewing education only as a social investment and start treating it as a tradable service and an economic sector in its own right,” Kasirye says.

The scale of that missed opportunity is visible in the trade figures. Education service exports rose from $31 million in 2015 to $103 million in 2024, while the trade surplus in the sector grew from $28 million to $73 million over the same period.

Foreign student numbers followed a similar climb, from 2,797 in the 2016/17 academic year to 12,786 in 2022/23, before reaching 14,770 in 2024.

Data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs covering 2016 to 2024 shows Somali nationals accounted for 41 percent of regional student arrivals, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo at 27 percent, Tanzania at 17 percent, and Kenya at 15 percent.

The ministry issued 14,770 student passes to foreign learners over the period, with the region accounting for 31 percent of all student arrivals.

From the EPRC’s research, Uganda’s advantage for foreign learners has been its English-language education system, relative affordability, and a regional reputation built over decades.

Kasirye warns that none of those are guaranteed to hold. He suggests that the country needs to deliberately build on those advantages and develop education into a major tradable service and source of foreign exchange, the way it has done with tourism.

He warns that competitors elsewhere in the region have started professionalising their recruitment of international students, building dedicated marketing offices, scholarship pipelines and partnerships with foreign universities. Uganda’s own tertiary enrolment.

Philemon Okillong, a research analyst at EPRC, says at university level, the picture is more concerning still. Even as the country continues to attract foreign learners overall, university enrolment specifically has stagnated and is now declining.

National Council for Higher Education figures show enrolment falling from about 21,000 students in 2012/13 to 13,000 in 2024/25.

Okillong says much of the growth, he says, has come from young people fleeing instability and conflict in South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Somalia and Eritrea, rather than from a deliberate recruitment effort.

A separate and steadier stream comes from India, Okillong says, with many students choosing Uganda because they have relatives running businesses in the country.

The Ministry of Education acknowledges it has yet to develop a deliberate strategy for converting its growing foreign student population into a competitive education export industry.

Brighton Barugahare, Commissioner in charge of Policy and Research at the Ministry of Education and Sports, says Uganda is earning from foreign students despite limited government investment in developing education as an export sector.

He says government is largely “harvesting where it has not sown”, benefiting from foreign student enrolment without making the investments needed to deliberately grow the market.

Barugahare says regulatory fragmentation and weak data systems compound the problem, making it difficult for government to track the sector, plan effectively and measure the value of education exports.

He argues Uganda needs to treat education as a genuine export sector by setting revenue and international enrolment targets, strengthening partnerships between local and foreign universities, improving recognition of Ugandan qualifications abroad, and investing in student welfare and digital infrastructure.

Barugahare adds that another obstacle is the country’s weak quality signalling.

Prospective students outside the country often have no reliable way to check the quality of Ugandan institutions, programmes or qualifications before they commit.

He adds that the country also lacks deliberate international recruitment targets.

Universities rarely set goals for the proportion of foreign students they want to attract, meaning many international learners arrive through personal connections, affordability or circumstance, rather than through any organised recruitment strategy.

Maxwell Odongo, Manager, Development Planning at the National Planning Authority, says quality has to come first if the country wants to compete seriously for international students.

To him, this means investing in qualified academic staff, modern infrastructure, internationally recognised programmes, and research that lifts the country’s university and other institutions’ rankings.

Odongo adds that Uganda should also market its strongest programmes more aggressively, particularly in medicine, health sciences, engineering, teacher education, oil and gas, agriculture and ICT.

He argues universities and tertiary institutions should be run more like export businesses, with stronger international partnerships, targeted marketing and better support systems for the foreign students they already have.

Meanwhile, EPRC’s research analyst Okillong frames the deeper problem in trade terms.

He says the country’s education export has focused almost entirely on one of the World Trade Organization’s four recognised modes of trade in services: students physically travelling to Uganda to study.

The other three remain largely untouched. Cross-border digital delivery expanded during and after the COVID-19 pandemic but still serves mostly domestic learners rather than an international market.

Commercial presence, where Ugandan institutions set up branches or franchises abroad, exists only through scattered individual initiatives rather than any coordinated national strategy.

“The revenue that is generated there is not realised by the country directly,” Okillong says, noting that the government has no reliable record of which institutions or individuals have set up education operations abroad.

The fourth channel, the temporary movement of Ugandan teachers, lecturers and other education professionals to work abroad, is similarly unmanaged. Okillong warns this raises the risk of skilled professionals leaving the country for good, rather than returning home once overseas assignments end.

Taken together, the picture that emerges is of a country that built a regional education hub almost by accident, riding on conflict-driven demand and inherited reputation, without ever building the strategy, data systems or institutional discipline to defend it. Unless that changes, the country risks discovering its advantage has quietly moved elsewhere.

-URN

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Coffee farming is profitable but capital intensive, requiring huge investment in organic manure, inorganic fertilizers, fungicides, pesticides, equipment and labour. This is where financing becomes critical.

To bridge that financing gap, dfcu Bank is offering tailored solutions to small, medium and large-scale coffee farmers through government-backed facilities, instant mobile loans and asset financing.

Speaking to over 150 top coffee farmers during a farm tour at JBK Modern Farm in Kikerege, Kikyusa, Luwero District on September 5, 2026, Benjamin Owoyesigire, dfcu Bank’s Manager for Vehicle and Asset Finance, said the lender is at the centre of agricultural transformation.

“We are at the heart of driving agricultural transformation through a wide range of financing products for farmers,” Owoyesigire said.

12% Gov’t Loan Still Available

He urged farmers to tap into the Government of Uganda’s Agricultural Credit Facility (ACF), where dfcu is one of the leading participating financial institutions.

“The interest rate for the Agricultural Credit Facility is 12%. The ACF funds are available, and there is a lot of money waiting for you at dfcu,” he said.

Instant Mobile Loans

For farmers who need emergency cash, dfcu is offering instant mobile loans.

Owoyesigire said with just a click, a farmer can get money on their phone within five minutes.

“For people with personal accounts, it’s up to Shs2 million provided you’ve banked with us for six months. For those with company accounts, they can get up to Shs6m,” he said, adding that they also have the Maali loan that offers up to Shs200 million in unsecured loans to all customers provided they have banked with dfcu for the last six months

Vehicle and Asset Financing

The bank also offers unmatched vehicle and asset financing through strategic partnerships with trusted suppliers of agricultural equipment.

“We partner with trusted partners of agricultural equipment and offer affordable and flexible financing terms to customers,” Owoyesigire added.

Free Training, Market Linkages

Simon Omara, a Business Advisor at dfcu Foundation, said the Foundation is helping farmers de-risk their investments and become more bankable through a graduation model – a pre-financing approach where farmers are trained to understand their enterprise before receiving money.

“Most people say ‘I don’t have money; I would have planted coffee on my 5 acres of land.’ But what is missing is having that analysis and understanding the enterprise. That is the gap dfcu Foundation bridges,” Omara said.

He said the Foundation has so far supported over 70,000 farmers and linked over 400,000 SMEs to finance across the country, with coffee as one of its key value chains.

Omara also unveiled BeanBook, a market intelligence tool developed in partnership with Rabo Foundation of the Netherlands, which links farmers, aggregators, processors, traders and exporters to markets and helps them forecast returns.

“BeanBook helps you to monitor the market that you’re going to sell your coffee to. Even as a farmer, you need to forecast what are your outcomes, return on investment, where are the markets,” he said.

He added that the Foundation is also spearheading sustainability through tree planting, advising farmers on suitable shade trees for coffee.

“Our business advisors are on ground, we also have community-based trainers to support last-mile farmers through mentorship and coaching, and all our services across board are free of charge,” Omara said, urging farmers to open accounts with dfcu to access the offers.

Farmer Testimony

Eng. Jossy Balissa Kuta, a biomedical engineer and proprietor of JBK Modern Farm, said financing was key to building his 25-acre farm with 30,000 coffee bushes, each producing an average of 4kgs of Fair Average Quality (FAQ).

“Coffee farming is an expensive venture but worth the investment. We wouldn’t have reached this level without bank support. I still run loans; I have to buy fertilizers and other inputs on time, I have to pay workers on time. Sometimes money isn’t readily available and you have no choice but to run to a trusted bank that understands you for a loan,” Kuta said.

He projects to harvest about 800 bags of Kiboko (dry cherries) this coming season.

The farm tour was organized by JBK Modern Farm in partnership with Business Focus.

Next: We will soon publish a detailed guide on practical tips to increase coffee yields, as shared by experts at JBK Modern Farm.

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The Board of Directors of the Petroleum Authority of Uganda (PAU) has announced the appointment of Fred Kabanda as the Executive Director of the Petroleum Authority of Uganda.

He will assume office on 1st December 2026 following the successful conclusion of the recruitment and onboarding process.

He substantively replaces Ernest Rubondo, who exited the Petroleum Authority of Uganda after completing the maximum two terms.

Rubondo’s contract expired on August 31, 2026, after nearly a decade at the helm as the Authority’s pioneer Executive Director.

Kabanda brings extensive experience in Uganda’s petroleum sector, having served in both technical and leadership roles in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the African Development Bank over the last thirty (30) years.

Otonga Michael Ochan will continue serving as Acting Executive Director until Kabanda assumes office.

In a statement dated September 9, 2026, Lynda Biribonwa, the Chairperson, Board of Directors of PAU, expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development for the guidance throughout the appointment process and looks forward to working with Kabanda as he takes on his new leadership role at the Authority.

“The Authority remains focused on delivering its mandate in supporting the sustainable development of Uganda’s petroleum resources and contributing to Uganda’s socioeconomic transformation,” she said.

Profile of Mr. Fred Kabanda

Fred Kabanda is a seasoned petroleum sector professional with more than thirty (30) years of experience in petroleum regulation, policy development, institutional leadership, and extractives governance at national, regional, and continental levels.

He currently serves as Head of the Extractives Division at the African Development Bank (AfDB), where he provides strategic leadership and policy advisory support on oil, gas, and mining development across Africa.

Kabanda is recognised as one of the architects of Uganda’s petroleum policy, legal and regulatory framework. During his service in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, he contributed to the development of Uganda’s petroleum laws and policies, including the National Oil and Gas Policy for 2008, and supported the transition of regulatory functions from the Ministry to the Authority.

Prior to joining the African Development Bank, Kabanda served in various technical and leadership positions within the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, rising to the position of Assistant Commissioner and Head of the Regulatory Unit in the Petroleum Exploration and Production Department.

Over the course of his career, he has played a key role in petroleum licensing, field development, regulatory oversight, contract negotiations, and sector governance.

Kabanda holds a Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Geology and Chemistry from Makerere University. He has undertaken executive and professional training in leadership, petroleum management, governance, and natural resource management from internationally recognized institutions.

He brings extensive experience in stakeholder engagement, institutional management, and strategic leadership, positioning him to guide the Authority as Uganda progresses towards commercial oil production and the long-term sustainable development of its pe

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The Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG), Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria, has warned Ministry of Public Service officials to discard the notion that accountability is optional, stressing that it is a constitutional and ethical duty.

Dr. Okiria made the remarks while delivering a keynote address on Transparency and Integrity at the Ministry’s Annual Staff Baraza held at the National Records and Archives Centre in Kampala.

“If the citizens whose resources I am managing were standing beside me, would I be comfortable explaining this decision, this expenditure, this appointment, this procurement process or this use of public property to them? That is the spirit of public accountability,” she challenged officials.

She said public accountability rests on three pillars – the decisions officials make, the authority they exercise, and how they use public resources.

“Accountability must be the engine of public service,” Dr. Okiria said, urging staff to make it their guiding principle in order to strengthen public trust and deliver citizen-centered services.

The Deputy IGG said government is felt by citizens through services, not policy documents.

“Citizens experience Government primarily through the services they receive. They experience Government when medicines are available at health centres, when skilled personnel are present, when children receive quality education, when roads are maintained, when applications are processed efficiently, and when public officials treat them with dignity and fairness,” she said.

She warned that every interaction with a citizen is an opportunity to either build or break public confidence in the state.

“Public resources must be used strictly for their intended purposes. They must never be diverted for personal benefit or for any other unauthorised purpose. Government funds should be spent only for authorised purposes, properly supported by documentation, accurately recorded and transparently accounted for,” Dr. Okiria emphasized.

She reminded officials that Uganda’s development frameworks identify good governance, accountability and control of corruption as essential drivers of socio-economic transformation.

“The reflections from this engagement should go beyond this Baraza. They should inform how each of us exercises authority, manages public resources, interacts with citizens and delivers results,” she said.

Dr. Okiria’s address comes at a time when Government, through anti-corruption agencies like the Inspectorate of Government, is intensifying efforts to protect public resources and improve service delivery. She warned that accountability is non-negotiable and the law will be applied firmly against those found culpable.

The Minister for Public Service, Gen. Katumba Wamala, also called for teamwork and professionalism.

“Success comes when all of us work together. So, when we deliver results, we win as one team. We must also remain professional at all times, and also respect each other no matter one’s rank,” Gen. Wamala said.

The Baraza was also attended by State Minister for Public Service, Hon. Lydia Wanyoto, former Minister for Public Service, Hon. Muruli Mukasa, and State Minister for Bunyoro Affairs, Hon. Grace Mary Mugasa, who formerly served as State Minister for Public Service.

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The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has asked men who are victims of paternity fraud to approach the Authority with DNA evidence to correct records on birth certificates free of charge.

The appeal was made by NIRA Executive Director Rosemary Kisembo while appearing before the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) on September 9, 2026, during consideration of the December 2025 Auditor General’s report.

“Section 35 of our Act says that upon production to the registration office of DNA tests, we can instantly change the information on the register. It is a free of charge process, change of parentage is a free of charge process,” Kisembo said.

Her remarks prompted COSASE Chairperson Muwada Nkunyingi (Kyadondo East) to seek clarification on whether any man with DNA proof can correct the register.

“So once you get your results, is there any specific requirement you need? So I can go to any DNA centre, test my children, when I find that some are not mine, I pick this, I deliver to NIRA, is it a process?” Muwada asked.

Kisembo said NIRA works with only five laboratories accredited by the Directorate of Government Analytical Laboratories to conduct DNA tests, and these laboratories automatically share results with NIRA.

“The client delivers to the government laboratory and the government laboratory automatically sends us a message. All these certified labs send us an electronic message on what they have done. So, whether the client comes or not, we do have the message,” she explained.

The discussion was triggered by Muwada, who asked how men can correct records after being issued birth certificates for children later found not to be biologically theirs.

“Now, you know, it is a requirement that when a child is born, the man is just told that this baby belongs to you, so a birth certificate is accordingly issued. Now men are told that you are the father of these children, they even bring gifts and also offer names. Now with the technology and DNA testing, many times these children are being found not to belong to their father, but the certificate is already issued. So, what should the men in this country do?” Muwada asked.

On non-scientific cases where parentage is disputed based on looks, Kisembo said Section 35 provides for a cultural correction mechanism where both the former and actual fathers must appear before NIRA.

“Section 35 says if you want to do it culturally, the former father and the actual father must both present at NIRA. And the former father must say this is not my child and the other father must say this is my child,” she said.

Marriage Registration Drops

The Committee also questioned NIRA on the poor performance of the Marriage Registration function after its transfer from the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to NIRA under the RAPEX reforms effective October 1, 2024.

According to Auditor General Edward Akol, Non-Tax Revenue from marriages dropped by 22%, or UGX 432 million, from UGX 1.94 billion to UGX 1.51 billion, due to limited geographical coverage – mainly concentrated in Kampala – and incomplete IT systems.

NIRA had planned to register 31,044 marriages in 2024/25 but only registered 18,617. This included 6,716 faith-based marriages against a target of 11,292, and 2,496 civil marriages in Kampala against a target of 3,168. At district level, only 315 civil marriages were registered against a target of 2,604. For Muslim marriages, 1,689 were registered against a target of 1,704, while customary marriages stood at 740 against a target of 2,496.

The Authority also projected to issue 6,060 marriage certifications but issued only 3,634, and 996 Single Status Certificates but issued only 788. It planned 1,740 searches on the marriage register but conducted only 1,384.

Death, Birth Certificates Delay

COSASE also raised concern over delayed issuance of death certificates, which affects succession and administration of estates.

According to the Auditor General, of 198,464 applications analysed, 177,122 reached printing stage, leaving 1,872 unprinted. Of these, 390 were rejected while 1,482 are pending printing. The average delay from application to printing was 15 days for death certificates and 5 days for birth certificates, with extreme cases taking 306 days for death certificates and 344 days for birth certificates.

A total of 19,555 certificates – 16,625 births and 2,930 deaths – had been printed but remained unissued as of June 30, 2025, with an average delay of 127 days and a maximum of 261 days.

“The persistent backlog of printed but unissued certificates and pending production cases indicates systemic inefficiencies in the workflow and weak monitoring mechanisms,” the Auditor General noted.

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By Prisca Wanyenya

The Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) has described its decision to dismiss 82 staff over forged academic documents as a painful but necessary clean-up to protect the integrity and safety standards of Uganda’s aviation sector.

Appearing before the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) on September 8, 2026, during consideration of the December 2025 Auditor General’s report, UCAA Director General Fred Bamwesigye said the Authority has now instituted a 100% verification system for all staff going forward.

“It was a very, very painful exercise. We did it once and finished and we are continuing to do it,” Bamwesigye told the committee. “But before that, we never bothered ourselves, we thought that Ugandans always are very, very honest, especially when you check the original certificates. That was really the problem, but we think that is the past. Going forward, everybody is checked. Now we cannot have such cases.”

Bamwesigye explained that for years, UCAA’s recruitment focused mainly on verifying original academic documents presented by candidates and on specialised industry qualifications, without routinely cross-checking with the awarding institutions.

He said the anomaly was discovered about two to three years ago during a recruitment exercise when the Authority detected forged papers in a new batch, prompting a full organization-wide verification.

“We got them, we are talking about 82 people but the certificates forged were more than one. So, we found so many documents and we began now to be very careful in checking even before we recruit but that was never practised before,” he said.

“Surprisingly, these people who possess industry qualifications failed on those initial academic documents. Someone is actually an accomplished aviation practitioner but when you check backwards at all levels, you find that he has forged papers,” Bamwesigye added.

The matter was raised by COSASE Chairperson Muwada Nkunyingi (Kyadondo East), who questioned whether UCAA had safeguards in its human resource system and why it took years to detect the forgeries.

“Were these people hand-picked and recruited or smuggled on the payroll of civil aviation? How do we have a department of human resource and it takes years to realise that some of these officials forged documents?” Muwada asked.

Sabah Ahmed Kakooza, Director Human Resource and Administration at UCAA, told the committee that all 82 staff were taken through due disciplinary process before dismissal. She dismissed claims of wrongful termination, noting that the affected staff have opted to petition political offices instead of seeking redress in the Labour Court or Industrial Court Tribunal because the evidence of forgery is clear.

“When you’re in such a situation, you continue to seek for a chance to be heard. These people will not rest until maybe one day they get what they are looking for,” Kakooza said.

On what action has been taken to recover public funds, Kakooza revealed that UCAA has withheld terminal benefits for all dismissed staff on grounds that they obtained jobs fraudulently.

“We have not paid the terminal benefits to these people for the period they worked, because they don’t qualify due to the fact that they attained these jobs using forged academic documents. We have 100% complied with our internal processes,” she said.

Bamwesigye told the committee that disciplinary action is routine in aviation due to the sensitive nature of airport operations, including cases of staff aiding smugglers. He stressed that there is no institutional enmity against the dismissed staff, describing many of them as previously best-performing and trained by UCAA.

“Frankly speaking, it was extremely painful, these were a part and parcel of some of our best performing staff. It was very, very, very hard to discuss these matters at various fora because they were in our systems, they had been trained by us,” he said.

The DG welcomed a proposal by Chairperson Muwada to hold a counselling and guidance engagement with the affected former staff to rebuild harmony, assuring the committee that no retaliation or manhunt is being carried out against them.

“There is no personal or institutional enmity between us and these people. If they are looking at us, let them know that, from me at least,” Bamwesigye said.

UCAA said the clean-up has now strengthened its recruitment system and aligned it with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) safety and personnel integrity requirements, which demand that no person with falsified credentials handles aviation safety functions at Entebbe International Airport and other aerodromes.

The post Painful But Bold: How UCAA Cleaned Up Payroll By Sacking 82 Staff With Forged Papers appeared first on Business Focus.

Residents of the Ssese Islands are set to get improved access to formal banking services following the unveiling of a refurbished bank branch in Kalangala District.

The facility, which has undergone a full interior and exterior overhaul with upgraded equipment to improve service delivery, was inaugurated during a tour by top executives of Stanbic Uganda Holdings Limited.

The launch coincided with the group’s 35th anniversary celebrations in Uganda and formed part of its wider strategy to extend reliable financial services to remote and island communities.

Mark Ocitti, Chief Executive of Stanbic Uganda Holdings Limited, who was on his inaugural field tour since his appointment in July, said the revamp reflects the group’s long-term commitment to Uganda.

“As we mark 35 years of operating in Uganda, seeing our anchor subsidiary continue to create shared value for our stakeholders is a true reflection of our core purpose: Uganda is our home, we drive her growth,” Ocitti said.

Mumba Kalifungwa, Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Uganda, said the focus is on customer experience and inclusion for underserved groups on the islands.

“Customer experience remains at the core of our growth strategy. This refurbishment ensures that our customers in Kalangala enjoy a modern, reliable, and exceptional banking environment. Through our positive impact agenda, we remain fully committed to driving financial inclusion that specifically empowers women, youth, and farmers across these island communities,” Kalifungwa said.

He was accompanied by Sylvia Mulomi, Head of People and Culture, and local leaders.

The Kalangala upgrade is part of a broader countrywide modernization of branches and agency banking points. As Uganda’s largest bank by assets, Stanbic currently operates more than 83 branches and over 7,000 active agents across the country.

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