A plain-clothed security operative drags a female protester during anti-corruption protests in Kampala on July 23, 2024. PHOTO | ABUBAKER LUBOWA
From sanctions of senior government officials over human rights abuse, corruption allegations against Parliament to Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba's erratic posts and death of key public figures, among others, here is a list of our most popular stories of 2024;-
Seeking to emulate Kenyan Gen Zs, protesting Uganda youths said they wanted parliament Speaker Anita Among to resign in the face of growing allegations of corruption at the country's legislative assembly which had allegedly been turned into a House of deals or temple of corruption as some critics called it.
Mr Museveni who has in public spaces talked tough and vowed to "crush" corrupt public servants, however hailed security operatives for suppressing the demonstrations without bloodshed.
President Museveni slammed a section of Buganda clan chiefs who privately traveled to Namibia to visit Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, accusing them of embarrassing Uganda.
On July 1, 2024 the visiting team, led by Kyaddondo Kasirye Mbugeeramula (Nvuma), arrived in Windhoek on an intended five-day visit, during which they sought to see the king, who was reportedly recovering.
However, they were blocked by Namibian security officials demanding that they present authorization to access the Ugandan monarch.
Namibia had earlier expressed displeasure over harassment of its diplomatic agents by some Ugandan nationals accusing the Southern Africa country of "kidnapping the Kabaka."
Following UK sanctions that involved travel ban and asset freeze against the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among and two former ministers for the restive Karamoja sub region, President Museveni asked the Bukedea Woman MP to explain whether she owned or was renting a house in the United Kingdom.
Ms Among, through the Parliament's communication team vehemently denied owning any property in the UK.
The United States Department barred Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and seven other Ugandan officials from entering the United States over "significant corruption and gross violations" of human rights.
The other officials included; Ms Among's husband, Moses Magogo; Minister of State for Finance Amos Lugoloobi; former Minister of Karamoja Affairs Mary Goretti Kitutu; former Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs Agness Nandutu and former Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, Peter Elwelu.
For about four months, Ugandans had been minding their business, away from the social media posts of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces.
During that time, people tried to pour into the streets to mimic Kenya’s Gen Z and to demand better governance as well as an end to corruption. They were crushed immediately by brutal police.
In that time too, President Yoweri Museveni, in power for four decades now vowed to tame the scourge of corruption. Well, three members of parliament were jailed last month, some out now on bail.
Then came Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s mind-boggling post on X that seemed to suggest that the arrest of some of the MPs was not about corruption but an orchestrated plan to silence his Movement and Plan to take over from his father in 2026. There are no known presidential candidates yet for 2026 and his father has not indicated he won't run.
A group of persons of Rwandan origin living in Uganda launched a public appeal to be recognized as Ugandan citizens.
They said thir appeal could be answered if the country’s Constitution is amended to accommodate their wishes.
The Ugandan Banyarwanda Cultural Development Association (Umubano) proposed that a Bill, potentially titled ‘Banyarwanda and Other Roving Community Management Bill, 2024’ be brought before Parliament for that purpose.
Political commentator and presidential advisor on media matters, Joseph Tamale Mirundi died of lung-related complications at Kisubi hospital in Kampala where he had been admitted for days.
The Deputy Commander of the Uganda People’s Defence Air Force (UPDAF), Brig Gen Stephen Kiggundu, was electrocuted to death while having a shower at his official residence on Bulime Road in Entebbe Municipality, Wakiso District.
President Museveni dropped the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Wilson Mbadi, and named him, alongside two loyalists of First Son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, as junior ministers.
Kitgum Woman Member of Parliament Lillian Aber, a vocal public promoter of Gen Muhoozi as Uganda’s next President, and Mr Balaam Barugahara, the lead organiser of the First Son’s events countrywide, were appointed State minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees and State minister for Youth and Children Affairs, respectively.
The first Deputy Premier Rebecca Kadaga, who also serves as the Kamuli District Woman MP, hinted at a plot by an individual working with the government to end her life.
She revealed this during her annual giveback event for the elderly where she provides them with a platform to voice their challenges for potential action. Kadaga's concerns were prompted by complaints from Buzaya Constituency MP Martin Muzaale.
14: MPs have been tampering with the budget – Ggoobi
Police detained two MPs and three lawyers over alleged embezzlement of part of Shs164 billion disbursed by the government to compensate cooperative societies.
The MPs are Michael Mawanda (NRM, Igara East) and his Elgon County counterpart Ignatius Mudimi Wamakuyu.
The former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) president, Dr Kizza Besigye told supporters in his home district, Rukungiri in south western Uganda that he was back in action after a long political holiday.
"I have been in a political holiday but I want to assure you my people that I am back in action and I’m starting from where I stopped from," Dr Besigye said.
Five Members of Parliament launched a motion to impeach the four commissioners of Parliament who allegedly shared Shs1.7 billion taxpayers’ money as 'service awards’.
The four commissioners targeted in the censure motion are; Mathias Mpuuga (MP Nyendo - Mukungwe), Esther Afoyochan (Zombo Woman MP), Solomon Silwanyi (Bukooli Central MP) and Prossy Mbabazi Akampurira (Rubanda Woman MP).
Amid tight security, suspected teargas canister fragments were removed from the leg of National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi through an apparent minor surgery, following a violent altercation involving him and armed security officers in Wakiso District.
Police in Rubanda District in western Uganda arrested five guards attached to a private security firm on allegations of threatening to shoot at Minister of State for Energy and Mineral Development (Minerals), Phiona Nyamutoro at an illegal mining site at Butare Katoojo in Muko Sub-county.
Nyendo-Mukungwe Member of Parliament Mathias Mpuuga ruled out the possibility of creating a new political formation, insisting that he is still a member of the National Unity Platform (NUP) headed by former presidential contender Robert Kyagulanyi who suspended him as his deputy for Buganda region.
However, Mr Mpuuga, the former Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, said he would dedicate all his energies to teaching Ugandans clean politics and also mobilising change-seeking forces to demand for electoral reforms that would deliver the first peaceful political transition in Uganda.
The U.S State Department on May 30, 2024 issued sanctions barring Moses Magogo, his wife who serves as Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among and four other Ugandan officials from entering the United States.
The sanctions, the US said, were over "significant corruption and gross violations" of human rights.
“Speaker of Parliament Anita Among is designated due to involvement in significant corruption tied to her leadership of Uganda’s Parliament,” the Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said in the statement.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London declined to be drawn into discussions around Parliament Speaker Anita Among’s alleged property and bank account(s) that were the basis for the sanctions announced on April 30.
The FCDO told this publication: “We have nothing further to add to the lines that we gave your colleague, Musaazi Namiti.”
