FREEMAN NEWS-UG

Buhweju, Uganda | URN | Buhweju District senior engineer Dicklus Twinamatsiko and an assistant engineering officer, Samuel Nkwasibwe, have been interdicted over allegations of misappropriating public funds and failing to execute road projects funded during the 2024/2025 financial year. The officers were suspended from duty with immediate effect following findings contained in a special audit report that examined the implementation of several district road projects. According to separate interdiction letters dated August 6, the audit found that Twinamatsiko received an advance of 30 million Shillings to rehabilitate the Kabuga-Rushambya-Ekikorijo road. However, the report states that the works were never undertaken. Instead, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Fred Kalyesubula alleges that Twinamatsiko diverted the funds to work on the Kisa-Matsyoro Road, despite that project already having a separate budget allocation. The alleged diversion of funds is at the centre of the accusatio...

Two members of Next Media’s team were killed and a well-known entertainment presenter left fighting for his life after a head-on collision on the Kampala-Entebbe highway in the early hours of Friday, August 7, 2026. Producer Badru Kasirye, who worked for NBS Television and Sanyuka TV, and content creator Isaac Ndamagye died at the scene near Namulanda. Brian “Makona” Ssemanda, the popular presenter known for the UnCut Sabula show, sustained critical injuries and was rushed to Kisubi Hospital, where he remains in the intensive care unit. The three men had been returning from a celebrity boxing match at Supremacy Lounge in Nakulabye when the crash occurred. Details of how the collision unfolded remain unclear. Police have not yet issued an official statement, and the cause of the accident is still under investigation. Next Media released a statement expressing deep sorrow over the loss of Kasirye and Ndamagye while confirming that Ssemanda is receiving medical care. The company described...

The Member of Parliament for Namisindwa county, Metrine Nanzala, has expressed concern over the shortage of health facilities in the district, saying more than nine of its 13 sub-counties lack health centres. While speaking during a parliamentary plenary sitting today, Hon. Nanzala asked the Prime Minister of Uganda, Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabanjja  to explain what plans the government has to address the situation and improve access to healthcare services for residents of Namisindwa. She noted that the lack of health facilities has made it difficult for many people to access essential medical services and called for urgent government intervention to bridge the gap.

In a significant boost to parliamentary cohesion and the ruling party’s legislative agenda, National Resistance Movement (NRM) National Treasurer Ambassador Barbara Nekesa Oundo on Thursday formally welcomed 60 independent Members of Parliament into a structured working relationship with the party. What You Need To Know:  More than 60 Independent Members of Parliament have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) today, Thursday, establishing a formal framework for cooperation in Parliament. The agreement, signed at the Office of the Government Chief Whip, with guidance from the NRM Legal Director, Enoch Barata, allows the legislators to participate in NRM parliamentary caucus meetings, support government business and work with the ruling party in implementing its 2026–2031 manifesto. The cooperation was witnessed by the NRM Deputy Secretary General, Rt.Hon. Namayanja Rose Nsereko and National Treasurer, Amb. Barbara Nekesa Oudo....

KAMPALA — More than 60 Independent Members of Parliament have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) today, Thursday, establishing a formal framework for cooperation in Parliament. The agreement, signed at the Office of the Government Chief Whip, with guidance from the NRM Legal Director, Enoch Barata, allows the legislators to participate in NRM parliamentary caucus meetings, support government business and work with the ruling party in implementing its 2026–2031 manifesto. The cooperation was witnessed by the NRM Deputy Secretary General, Rt.Hon. Namayanja Rose Nsereko and National Treasurer, Amb. Barbara Nekesa Oudo. Deputy Secretary General, Namayanja, said the agreement formalises a working relationship that had already begun before the 12th Parliament was sworn in. Namayanja also credited the Independents for contributing to President Yoweri Museveni's victory in the general election. "Many of you contested as indepe...

  Kampala, Uganda – The Ministry of ICT and National Guidance has launched a high-stakes three-day sector retreat, uniting its agencies to critically review performance in the 2025/26 financial year and set clear priorities for 2026/27. The gathering is designed to strengthen collaboration, confront emerging challenges, and drive forward Uganda’s ambitious digital transformation agenda. Minister of ICT and National Guidance Rt. Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba officially opened the retreat, urging participants to engage in open and honest discussions, prioritise teamwork, and deliver practical solutions that enhance service delivery for every Ugandan. “Together, we will accelerate Uganda’s digital transformation and deliver better services to every Ugandan,” she said. Lumumba stressed that the success of any single agency is inseparable from the success of the entire sector, calling for a stronger whole-of-government approach aligned with the National Development Plans. The retreat brin...

KAMPALA – In a charged session of Parliament on Wednesday, Bungokho Central County Member of Parliament Hon. Masaba Muhamood Mutenyo raised a matter of national importance, demanding a comprehensive report from the Prime Minister on the long-running boundary disputes involving the National Forestry Authority (NFA) and the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) in Mbale District. The session was chaired by Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa. Hon. Masaba told the House that residents living along the contested boundaries – particularly those bordering Mount Elgon National Park and adjacent forest reserves – are being subjected to harassment, assaults, and the systematic seizure of their livestock and crops by personnel from both agencies. Video According to the legislator, local communities have repeatedly accused UWA rangers and NFA officials of terrorising them under the guise of enforcing park and forest boundaries. Residents claim animals are driven away or confiscated an...