Floods in downtown Kampala. The government does not have funds to respond to such disasters. Kampala, Uganda | URN | The Office of the Prime Minister has developed a costed preparedness and response plan for the forecast El Niño rains, but the plan is yet to receive funding. As a result, the government is left with insufficient resources to pre-position relief supplies and emergency equipment before the rains intensify. According to the OPM, almost 80 percent of the country is expected to receive above-normal rainfall between September and December, increasing the risk of floods, landslides and damage to roads, bridges,…
Author: Entebbe News
After a nationwide search, 22 young women were unveiled as this year’s Miss Uganda finalists on Friday, September 18, at the Sheraton Hotel in Kampala. The Presentation Night, powered by V&A Sherry, marked the next step on the Road to the Crown 2026, following the Miss Uganda regional tour, where five young women were crowned regional queens and secured automatic spots as finalists in the grand finale. The regional queens were joined by 17 others, and together they will now compete in a public popularity vote, with the winner earning an automatic spot among the top five at the…
Nyege Nyege Festival is back, and the Spirit of Uganda returns as the main partner for Africa’s premier cultural and music destination. The official announcement was made at the Talent Africa rooftop, with festival dates locked in for November 19th–22nd, 2026, as Nyege Nyege returns to Kalagala Falls as its permanent home. This move marks the start of a transformative partnership designed to expand the festival’s scale, cultural footprint, and economic impact. Uganda Waragi’s steadfast support has been crucial as the festival has grown far beyond a multi-day party into a powerful economic ecosystem. “Nyege Nyege and Uganda Waragi are…
Kampala, Uganda | URN | Officials in the Ministry of Health (MOH) have warned that people who move around with cannulas risk catching infections as such treatment options are only a reserve for patients admitted in hospitals. Dr Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services in the ministry says they have previously issued circulars to hospitals warning them against the trend of dispensing intravenous treatment for outpatients, but the habit has persisted. He says they later learnt that the approach was mostly abused at the height of COVID-19 pandemic when members of the public used it as a trick…
The vegetables produced by the farmers group in Lotisan sub county Moroto, Uganda | URN | Consumers in Karamoja are increasingly questioning the safety of vegetables brought into the region from outside, amid concerns that they have little information about how the produce is grown, what chemicals are used, and whether adequate safety controls are followed before the food reaches local markets. The concern comes as a new global study estimates that between 402 and 433 million people suffer unintentional acute pesticide poisoning every year, with about 11,000 deaths annually. The study, published in Frontiers in Public Health, says farmers…
Floods in downtown Kampala. The government does not have funds to respond to such disasters. Kampala, Uganda | URN | The disaster response official from the Prime Minister’s Office told a High-level conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that Uganda is preparing for El Niño rains predicted to intensify from October through December 2026. Uganda reported that it has early warning systems, a decentralised disaster management structure, regular coordination meetings and mechanisms for taking weather information to communities. While officials told a regional forum that its disaster management systems and coordination mechanisms are in place, other countries are already describing concrete…
Kampala road pothole after the rain Kampala, Uganda | URN | Traffic and business activity along Kampala Road were disrupted on Thursday morning after heavy rainfall flooded a pothole near Shell Capital, leaving motorists, pedestrians and passengers struggling to navigate the muddy section. The pothole, which residents and road users say has remained unattended for nearly two weeks, was filled with muddy water after the morning downpour, making it difficult for passengers to access taxis and motorists to pass through. Shell Capital is a major taxi offloading point for passengers travelling along the Gayaza, Bombo and Kira routes. Several passengers…
Kampala, Uganda | ENTEBBENEWS.NET | Vivo Energy Uganda has launched a mobile training programme aimed at taking skills development closer to employees working at Shell service stations and mechanics across the country. The initiative, dubbed “Learning on Wheels,” consists of two mobile training units a Retail Academy and a Shell Lubricants Mobile Training Unit which will travel to Shell service stations and other locations to provide practical training to frontline workers. The programme is expected to reach more than 200 Shell service stations and train over 2,000 forecourt employees, while also providing technical training to hundreds of independent mechanics through the Shell…
Kampala, Uganda | ENTEBBENEWS.NET | Ecobank Uganda has launched a digital lending facility that allows eligible merchants to access up to Shs70 million in working capital based on their digital transaction history rather than physical collateral. The Electronic Merchant Cash Advance (eMCA) is designed to provide short-term financing to businesses that collect payments through Ecobank’s Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals, web and Quick Response (QR) channels. The bank said merchants become eligible after building at least three months of transaction history. An automated credit system then determines the facility limit, which can be up to 50% of the merchant’s average monthly digital…
Kampala, Uganda | URN | The Uganda Shilling has continued to weaken against the US Dollar, with the official Bank of Uganda (BoU) exchange rate reaching new highs on Tuesday. The dollar was quoted at 3,919 Shillings on the official market, while commercial banks were selling it for as much as 4,040 Shillings. The sharp depreciation in recent months has sparked concern among businesses and the public, with questions being raised about the Central Bank’s efforts to support the local currency. Since March, the Shilling has fallen from about 3,604 to the dollar to 3,919, losing 315 Shillings in value.…