M-KOPA exports 15,000 locally assembled phones to Uganda monthly, part of its strategy to reduce costs and defaults under a pay-as-you-go model. The Nairobi plant produces 150,000 devices monthly, a 25% increase from last year, with over two million phones assembled since 2023. The company has served 4.8 million East African customers, providing $1.6 billion in credit, health insurance, and digital services. M-KOPA also offers electric vehicle financing and refurbishes devices locally.

Youth-led projects in Uganda and Nigeria have won the 2025 Global Integrated Flood and Drought Management Youth-Led Projects Competition for initiatives addressing climate risks. Nigeria’s GreenQuest strengthens flood resilience in Lagos communities through gamification, nature-based solutions, and youth engagement. Uganda’s SV4CASH empowers rural communities along River Unyama with flood mapping, early warning systems, and local interventions. President Yoweri Museveni urged Ugandan universities to prioritize Science and Technology to develop skills to drive industrialization and economic growth.

Uganda launched the UGOV platform to centralize public services and improve how citizens and businesses interact with the government. The National Information Technology Authority and technology firm AlphaX developed the system to unify services from ministries, departments, and agencies on one digital interface. Officials say UGOV will streamline procedures, reduce processing times, and expand access for remote communities. The platform aims to boost efficiency, transparency, and Uganda’s overall performance in digital governance.

The European Union highlighted its Yo Voice Be Hard program at the Nyege Nyege Festival, showcasing a year of mentorship, training, and cultural exchange for 10 emerging Ugandan creatives. EU Ambassador Jan Sadek reaffirmed support for Uganda’s cultural economy and praised the festival’s international reach. Team Europe partners contributed masterclasses, performance platforms, and new exchange initiatives. The four-day festival drew thousands from more than 34 countries and featured music, art, and cultural showcases along the Nile.

Johnnie Walker Uganda will host its first Afro Exchange Creative Summit in Kampala on Thursday at Dstrkt 24 KLA. The summit will bring together top Ugandan creatives, mentors, and emerging talent to discuss “Uganda’s Creative Identity in a Connected Africa.” Speakers include Joshua Baraka, Santa Anzo, Xenson, Steve Keys, and Abaasa, who will explore music, fashion, art, storytelling, and collaboration. The event will promote the full Afro Exchange cultural platform connecting Kampala and Lagos in 2026.

Filmmaker Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine documents Uganda’s past in Memories of Love Returned, tracing a rural photographer Kibaate Ssalongo’s archive spanning from the 1950s. Mwine tracks down subjects from Ssalongo’s portraits, recreating images and mounting a public exhibition in Mbirizi. The documentary explores memory, family histories, and social change, including shifts in fashion and LGBTQ+ visibility. It premiered at the 2025 NBO Film Festival and highlights Uganda’s cultural and personal histories through photography.

Ugandan politicians are increasingly using social media and influencers to shape campaigns for the 2026 elections, targeting youth and first-time voters with posts, videos, and digital analytics to boost engagement and mobilize support. Platforms like Facebook, X, YouTube, and TikTok allow real-time interaction and message amplification. Meanwhile, citizens express widespread concern about electoral violence, calling for police and military accountability, with surveys showing higher trust in the military than in the police, especially among opposition supporters.

Bobi Wine drew massive crowds in Kampala as he launched campaign stops across the capital, including Kawempe, despite heavy security restrictions. Supporters followed his motorcade through the suburbs, where police and military tried to block processions and repeatedly fired teargas. Authorities stated that the measures were necessary to maintain order and reported that officers were injured and vehicles damaged. Wine accused security forces of intimidation while urging supporters to continue pressing for political change.

Parliamentary candidates launched door-to-door campaigns across constituencies ahead of the 2026 elections, engaging directly with voters in their communities. Some Nakawa East aspirants accused prison authorities of blocking access to Luzira Prison Parish, which hosts two polling stations, citing potential for electoral fraud. Michael Kabaziguruka said he would petition the Electoral Commission to relocate the stations. Campaigns in Kampala and other areas continue as candidates seek to build support ahead of the polls.