African culture

BY PETER SSUUNA The Mwanga II Court at Mengo, presided over by Magistrate Joseph Kwesiga, has concluded hearing all evidence in the highly anticipated election petition filed by NUP councilor Julius Katongole alias Mumiransanafu against NRM's Bonny Kabugo. Katongole is seeking to overturn Kabugo's victory for the LCV seat of Lubaga III. The court has now set November 6, 2026 as the date for judgment. The judgment will be delivered via the court's ECCIMS portal. Both candidates left court cordially, each claiming victory, while their supporters waited anxiously outside for the outcome. Katongole stood to represent the people of Lubaga III at the LCV level, covering Najjanankumbi, Nateete and Lubaga. He is challenging the victory declared for Kabugo by the Electoral Commission. In his evidence, Katongole told court that based on the results he obtained from the field, he beat Kabugo by over 9,000 votes, and that the declared results did not reflect the will of the vot...

By Peter Ssuuna The Lord Mayor of Kampala, Eng. Ronald Balimwezo, has testified in the Mwanga II Court in Mengo in the case filed by Julius Katongole, who sued NRM's Bonny Kabugo and the Electoral Commission, claiming his votes were stolen in the just-concluded election. Balimwezo held the Holy Bible and took an oath before Justice Joseph Kwesiga, after which Kabugo's lawyer began to cross-examine him with tough questions which he answered. Balimwezo stated that he and Katongole had shared agents at some polling stations and that the number of voters on the same voters' register was the same, and he did not expect that it was inflated in relation to the votes given to Kabugo. He added that all the DR forms were certified by the Electoral Commission. The petitioner's side led by lawyer Jude Mbabaali stated that they have finished presenting their three witnesses as listed in the documents they presented to court, who were the main petitioner, Julius Katongole, ...

By Peter Ssuuna The Chief Magistrate's Court of Mengo at Mengo has dismissed Election Petition No. 009 of 2026 filed by Namuddu Joyce challenging the election of Nakitto Lydia Nalongo aka Maama Sama as City Division Woman Councilor for Namirembe Parish, Rubaga Division. In his judgment delivered by His Worship Natwijuka Aloysius Baryeza, the court upheld the preliminary objection raised by Counsel Jessy Magala for the 1st Respondent and Counsel Fred Johnson Asiimwe for the Electoral Commission, that the petition was based on a pre-election complaint and therefore this court has no jurisdiction to handle it. THE PETITION Namuddu Joyce, who contested in the elections held on 22nd January 2026, had asked court to declare the election of Nakitto Lydia Nalongo null and void. She alleged that Nakitto's nomination papers - including the Oath Authenticating Statement, Form EC 7 (Statement Under Oath) and Form EC 8 (Consent to Nomination) - were forged and bore an invalid commissioning ...

BY PETER SSUUNA - MENGO COURT Hearing of Election Petition No. 012/2026 - Julius Katongole (alias Mumiransanafu) vs Bonny Kabugo and the Electoral Commission - commenced before His Worship Joseph Kwesiga at Mwanga II Magistrate's Court, Mengo, under heightened tension. The Petitioner, Julius Katongole of National Unity Platform (NUP), a businessman and resident of Mutundwe, contesting for LCV Councilor Lubaga III which covers Najjanankumbi, Nateete and Lubaga, was the first witness to take the stand. Katongole is challenging the declaration of Bonny Kabugo of National Resistance Movement (NRM) as winner and seeks an order of this Honourable Court to nullify the results and order a vote recount or fresh election, and declare him as the duly elected LCV Councilor. CROSS-EXAMINATION BY COUNSEL FOR 1ST RESPONDENT During cross-examination by Counsel Martin Ainebyona for the Kabugo, PW1 was tasked to state the number of gazetted polling stations in Lubaga III Electoral Area. He stated 21...

By Peter Ssuuna Political temperatures in Lubaga Division are rising again after NUP Councilor Julius Katongole alias Mumiransanafu petitioned Mengo Court seeking to overturn the election of NRM's Bonny Kabugo as LCV Councilor for Lubaga III. Katongole, who is popularly known as Mumiransanafu in the ghettos of Najjanankumbi and Nateete, contested to represent Lubaga III which covers Najjanankumbi, Nateete, Lubaga and Mutundwe. He lost narrowly on paper but insists he was rigged out. FACE-OFF BEFORE MAGISTRATE KWESIGA The matter came up for hearing at Mwanga II Magistrate's Court in Mengo before Magistrate Joseph Kwesiga, where both camps clashed in a tense session. Katongole is represented by seasoned lawyer and former Buvuma MP, Counsel Jude Mbabaali, while Kabugo is represented by Counsel Micheal Kintu. In a joint submission, lawyers from both sides requested court to allow them file all their documentary evidence, affidavits and joint trial bundles in written form to expedit...

By Our Court Reporter MENGO, KAMPALA What was expected to be the masterstroke for the defence has turned out to be the final nail in its coffin. Dr. Phenehance Bwambale, a Police Surgeon and Inspector of Police attached to Kabalye Police Training School, Masindi, was the 10th and final defence witness in the case of nine youths accused of conspiracy to blackmail Pastor Robert Kayanja of Miracle Centre Cathedral and aggravated trespass. The defence, allegedly backed by Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga, had banked on Dr. Bwambale's medical report to corroborate claims that the nine youths had been sodomized. Instead, his testimony dismantled the very foundation of the case. NO EVIDENCE OF SODOMY Appearing before Principal Grade One Magistrate Adams Byarugaba at Nateete Lubaga Court Mengo, Dr. Bwambale told court that he had physically examined the suspects from Masindi Main Prison and Nsambya Police Health Centre IV. His findings: Seven of the nine suspects who claimed to have been sodomized...

By PETER SSUUNA The case of the nine youths accused of defaming Pastor Robert Kayanja of Miracle Centre Cathedral, Lubaga, has reached its final stage, with both sides now expected to file their final submissions before judgment is delivered. This came after the defence decided to abandon a witness they had wanted to call, saying his continued involvement could jeopardize the way their case had been progressing. Led by lawyer Bernard Mugenyi, the defence had earlier sought to add an 11th witness to the 10 they had already presented, but State Prosecutor Jonathan Muwaganya objected. Appearing before Magistrate Adams Byarugaba at Nateete-Lubaga Court in Mengo, Mugenyi said they wanted to bring in a witness who had worked on transcribing audio and video recordings from UBC. However, the prosecution insisted that the witness must be from Makerere University, since that is who the defence had initially listed when they disclosed their witnesses. In the previous session, there was a heated e...

By Our Reporter Pastor Jackson Ssenyonga was left reeling after a key expert witness from Makerere University declined to testify for the defence in the high-profile case involving Pastor Robert Kayanja. Ssenyonga, through his legal team led by Counsel Robert Ojambo, had lined up a linguistics expert from Makerere to testify as a defence witness in the case of nine suspects accused of trespass at Lubaga Miracle Centre, conspiracy to commit a felony and giving false information. The expert was expected to give an opinion on the audio and video evidence on a flash disk that the defence tendered on May 2 and July 17, 2025. However, the witness did not turn up. With no option left, Ssenyonga's lawyers were forced to close their defence case, telling court that they suspected the witness had been compromised. In another blow on Monday, court rejected Ssenyonga's attempt to replace the Makerere expert with a handpicked expert from UBC. Sources say Ssenyonga immediately convened a cri...

By Peter Ssuuna-MENGO, KAMPALA  The case of the nine youths accused of blackmailing Miracle Center Cathedral Pastor Robert Kayanja with false sodomy allegations has turned into a full-blown legal battlefield, after the defence requested to bring in a new witness a move that has sparked tension in court. The drama unfolded after the defence team, led by lawyer Bernard Mugenyi, told court that they had asked State Prosecutor Jonathan Muwaganya to present a witness from the Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) who worked on the translation and transcription of audio and video evidence, but he had dismissed their request. Appearing before Principal Grade One Magistrate Adams Byarugaba at the Nateete Lubaga Court in Mengo, Mugenyi explained that initially they had secured a witness from Makerere University's School of Languages to do the job, but there were inconsistencies regarding the chain of custody, which forced them to opt for UBC. STATE STRONGLY OBJECTS State Prosecutor Muwagany...

By Peter Ssuuna In response to President Yoweri Museveni's renewed call to equip the youth with practical vocational skills, Lexor foundation has partnered with M-Lisada Home in Nsambya to train vulnerable children and rescue them from the cycle of poverty. M-Lisada is a home of hope for children rescued from the streets of Kampala by Police and KCCA. With nowhere to go and no one to support them, many of these children found refuge at the home, where they have been nurtured through talent-based activities like singing, traditional drumming, and dancing. But according to the Director of the home, Bosco Ssegawa, they realized talent alone was not enough to sustain them in the future.   "We realized there was still a big gap. Our children need more than shelter and talent; they need survival skills. That is why we decided to collaborate with partners like Lexor to introduce hands-on vocational training," Ssegawa said. He explained that vocational skills will give th...

By Peter Ssuuna MENGO, KAMPALA  The State's case against Pastor Robert Kayanja suffered a major blow yesterday when the government's own medical expert told court he found absolutely no medical evidence to prove the nine youths who accused the pastor of sodomy were ever sodomized. Dr. Phenehance Bwambale, a senior police surgeon attached to the Uganda Police Force, and the man who personally examined all nine suspects and filled their Police Form 3s, told Mwanga II Grade One Magistrate's Court that his examination was negative. He was testifying as the 10th defence witness before the Principal Grade One Magistrate Adams Byarugaba.  "I did not find evidence of sodomy on any of them," Dr. Bwambale clarified in open court. The revelation came after a moment of confusion. While being led by defence counsel Bernard Mugenyi, the doctor had mentioned "positive results" in relation to two of the accused. This immediately triggered an objection from Chief State A...

By PETER SSUUNA President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has assured Ugandans that wealth lies in massive production and value addition, because the market is ready and waiting. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) which he described as the only cure that can make Uganda and the entire Africa rich. The President was speaking as the Chief Guest at the 7-day Holy Spirit Conference dubbed 'THE BIG FIX', hosted by Pastor Robert Kayanja at Miracle Center Cathedral, Lubaga. He preached to believers on how to get out of the pit of poverty. AFRICAN AWAKENING IS THE KEY President Museveni said the ideology of the awakening of Africa is the only thing that can transform the economy of this continent. He gave an example that the best maize and milk in the world comes from here, in Africa, and Africans must realize they have everything they need to be wealthy. He argued that for Africa to grow economically, it must stop depending on aid from the Western world and instead start manufact...

By PETER SSUUNA-KAMPALA Attorney General Hon. Dr. Sam Mayanja has praised Pastor Robert Kayanja for his role in transforming the Born-Again movement in Uganda from temporary papyrus structures to permanent cathedrals. Hon. Mayanja was speaking today as guest preacher at the Big Fix Holy Spirit Global Conference at Miracle Centre Cathedral in Rubaga, Kampala. The seven-day conference is running from September 21 to 27, 2026. He described Pastor Kayanja as a pillar of the Born-Again gospel who, in the early 1990s, made a bold declaration to build a permanent church at a time when most Born-Again congregations worshipped in biwempe ‘papyrus-made structures. "He said he would build a permanent church, and he did. President Museveni later came to commission it. His faith amazed us when we were still struggling as Born-Agains," Mayanja told thousands of delegates. The Attorney General, who is a former street preacher, also credited President Yoweri Museveni for defending fr...

By; PETER SSUUNA  The senior and founding Pastor of Miracle Centre Cathedral, Robert Kayanja today hosted and organized an international partner meeting with delegates representing several countries, nearly the six continents of the world. The meeting held this afternoon at Miracle center cathedral church was part of the Big Fix Holy Spirit Global Conference which taking place in Kampala, Uganda up to Sunday this week. Pastor Kayanja chaired the meeting which sought answers how countries can achieve both spiritual and physical or economic development discussing with participants. The meeting had representatives for USA, Asia, Europe and others from Africa. He (Pastor Kayanja) who expressed unhappiness on how Africa was divided into nations by colonizers and said Africans do not need to seek for visas to cross to each other’s countries calling the division’s economic and social impediments to development. He regretted the unnecessary costs of running embassies in Africa by A...

By Peter Ssuuna | Miracle Center Cathedral, Rubaga. There was drama, power and prophecy at Miracle Center Cathedral, Rubaga last night when Minister for Local Government, Hon. Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, abandoned protocol and rushed to the altar for divine empowerment. The Local Government Minister, stunned the congregation when he walked straight to Nigerian Apostle Dr. Paul Enenche during the ongoing Big Fix Holy Spirit Global Conference and asked him to lay his healing hands on him. Balaam, dressed casually but visibly burdened, told the mammoth crowd that he had come for one reason to receive anointing to execute his mandate from the President. "I came here to be fixed so I can fix Uganda," Balaam declared.  "Transform life, strengthen good service. I thank Pastor Kayanja for praying for me to fight corruption. The President told me to FIX everything. And since this conference is called THE BIG FIX, I have come to be fixed so that I will fix everything that has not b...