6 October, 2026 – Uganda’s entertainment and tourism spaces are buzzing following a surprise link-up between American music mogul DJ Khaled and the newly appointed CEO of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), Juliana Kagwa.

The “We The Best Music” DJ sent social media into a frenzy when he shared a photo on his Instagram account @djkhaled, posing with Kagwa. He energetically captioned the post:

“Bless up @julzkagwa Uganda @wethebest where its all love and respect Love is the only way ! bless #wethebest”

The post, which also features Jose Chameleone’s “Tubonge,” has attracted thousands of engagements and raises one obvious question: Is DJ Khaled finally making his way to the Pearl of Africa, perhaps as soon as 2026?

As of now, there hasn’t been any official announcement from either DJ Khaled or the Uganda Tourism Board confirming a visit, performance or tour. However, using Tubonge only added to the speculation.

The section of Jose Chameleone’s song used in the post includes the lyrics, “Njoo, nimesubiri sana lini tutaonana. Njoo, rafiki wa kweli, rafiki milele kweli,” which roughly translates from Swahili to, “Come, I have waited for you for so long, when will we see each other? Come, true friend, truly a lifelong friend.”

While the song choice doesn’t necessarily confirm a visit is planned, its message, combined with Khaled’s Uganda shout-out and his photo with Kagwa, certainly hints that a bigger announcement could be on the way.

It is also worth remembering that DJ Khaled was previously unveiled as the international virtual host for the MTV Africa Music Awards (MAMAs), an event heavily promoted under UTB’s #VisitUganda banner but never took place.

Owning a car in Uganda is rarely just a way of getting from one place to another. In part, it also whispers something about you. For someone who has spent years working towards it, whether by saving, taking out a loan or entering a rent-to-own arrangement, finally getting the keys can feel like crossing an important line.

The same is true for a motorcycle.

Once you own one, you quickly learn that some people look at your ride with a completely different interest. They aren’t admiring it, but are looking for a component they can remove and sell, or, in the case of this piece, use to make you pay to get it back.

Car parts theft in Uganda is not confined to the familiar stories of losing a side mirror or headlight while stuck in Kampala traffic. Your car can be targeted while parked at home, at a wedding, a funeral, or even your workplace. Watch out for open parking areas with little to no security because, unlike the pros on Jinja Road, those operating in the least expected places often go for number plates, and according to victims, they know exactly which cars to target.

You park your car and go about your business. When you return, a note bearing a phone number is pinned somewhere on the car. This is the first indication that something has been taken from your car. Victims unfamiliar with the game recall ignoring the note and driving off, only to be stopped by traffic for driving without a number plate. Those familiar with the game immediately dial the number.

The recovery process can be surprisingly straightforward if both sides are willing to play along: they have your number plate. You want it back. They want money.

The ransom can vary depending on the car or its owner. Some victims say certain vehicles attract higher demands than others, particularly sought-after brands such as Toyota and Subaru.

Once you agree on an amount and send the money, you are told where to find your plates, usually placed in an odd spot: under a particular tree, beside a wall or somewhere else near where you parked. Just like that, the transaction is over, although some thieves may try to demand more money for the second plate.

Why Not Simply Go to the Police?
The obvious question: why negotiate with criminals instead of reporting the theft to the police?

You should report it. A stolen number plate can be fitted to another vehicle to conceal its identity while committing a crime. First, have the theft recorded by the authorities: report it at the nearest police station or post, providing all relevant details, including the note left by the thieves and the number on it.

But what happens next?

Victims recount being told by police officers to “just talk to them.” This may sound dismissive, but tracking down the person behind a phone number is not always straightforward. The line may be registered in someone else’s name, while getting officers to investigate and pursue the suspect can take time and resources.

By the time the person is traced, they may have lost the plate or even deny taking it in the first place, leaving you with the added cost of replacing it.

The Cost of Replacing a Stolen or Lost Number Plate in Uganda
The official process of replacing a number plate isn’t as costly or complicated as many motorists assume.

File a police report confirming the loss, then publish a newspaper notice for 5 to 7 days before applying for a new one through the Uganda Revenue Authority. The application costs UGX 49,000, while the digital plate, following the phasing out of old plates, costs UGX 75,000. The new plate is installed at a scheduled appointment.

Why Victims End Up Paying Thieves
Consequently, many victims choose to negotiate its return. When the alternative is spending more time and money chasing a thief, with no guarantee of recovering the plate, or going through the replacement process with its associated costs, agreeing to pay a nominal ransom can seem like the quickest way out.

The better option, of course, is to make the car harder to target in the first place. Where possible, park in secure areas and consider installing security systems such as an alarm or a dash camera with parking mode.

Kampala, Uganda, 30 September 2026: dfcu Bank has called for the establishment of a dedicated mining risk-sharing mechanism to unlock financing for Uganda’s growing minerals sector, arguing that stronger risk mitigation structures are essential to attract capital and support the industry’s long-term growth.

The proposal was made by Moses Malinga, dfcu’s Sector Head, Infrastructure and Energy, during a panel discussion on “De-risking the Mine” at the 15th Annual Mineral Wealth Conference and Expo held at Speke Resort Munyonyo.

Malinga said a mining risk pool would enable insurers, banks and other industry stakeholders to collectively absorb and manage sector-specific risks, improving the ability of financial institutions to support projects from exploration through to production.

Drawing lessons from Uganda’s oil and gas industry, he said the mining sector could benefit from a similar consortium approach, allowing multiple players to share exposure while expanding access to financing.

“Mining projects carry different risks at every stage of development, from exploration to production. Financial institutions must understand and appropriately mitigate these risks before deploying capital,” Malinga said.

He noted that insurance should not be viewed solely as protection for lenders, but as a shared safeguard that supports both financiers and project developers while strengthening confidence across the investment ecosystem.

Malinga also called for greater investment in Uganda’s reinsurance capacity, arguing that stronger local balance sheets would enable domestic insurers to retain more risk while reducing reliance on foreign markets for ordinary exposures.

As Uganda’s mining sector continues to attract increasing interest from investors, he said access to finance remains one of the key factors that will determine the pace at which opportunities are converted into commercially viable projects.

He added that dfcu supports the sector through a value-chain approach that includes asset financing, performance guarantees, transactional banking and payment solutions tailored to mining enterprises.

The conference, held under the theme “Beneath the Surface: Unlocking Africa’s Next Mining Powerhouse,” brought together 1,112 delegates from 30 countries, including government officials, mining companies, financiers, insurers, investors, development partners and technical experts to discuss the future of Uganda’s mineral sector.

Addressing delegates, State Minister for Minerals Phiona Nyamutoro said Uganda must increase the mining sector’s contribution to the economy if the country is to meet its development ambitions.

“The sector currently contributes about 2.2% of GDP, yet our National Development Plan IV targets 7.9% by 2029. This is a significant gap that we must work together to close,” Nyamutoro said.

She noted that discussions at the conference had generated practical recommendations around licensing, financing, artisanal mining, value addition, geological data and skills development, all of which will be critical to accelerating sector growth.

Uganda National Mining Company Chairperson Maria Kiwanuka emphasised the importance of clarity around Government participation in mining projects, particularly regarding capital commitments, shareholder rights, regulatory approvals and the impact of State participation on project financing.

She said predictable frameworks would give investors greater certainty when assessing project viability and making long-term investment decisions, while ensuring Uganda’s national interests remain protected.

Kiwanuka also highlighted the need to retain greater value from the country’s mineral resources through local processing, refining and downstream industrial development rather than continued reliance on exports of unprocessed minerals.

Have you ever wondered what happens to people who become famous overnight? One minute everyone knows your name, your videos are everywhere, brands are calling, and people are eager for a selfie with you; then silence—the attention is gone.

Uganda has plenty of these. Remember Mzee Kawato and his supposed son, Dexta Rapper, who became sensations for their waist dance? Or MC Africa, the “it’s a Friday twende tupaate” guy; Sudiman Birthday Yo, the guitar guy; Mzee Geodfrey Jjemba Matte, the burial announcer from Kayunga; and, of course, Hozambe Shifura. In their day, when each had their moment, literally everyone knew them. You couldn’t scroll through social media for five minutes without seeing them, or someone creating content around their viral moment.

Looking at some of these names raises an uncomfortable question: can going viral actually turn into lasting fame, or are you simply famous for as long as the internet is interested in you?

Because there seems to be a very familiar cycle: you go viral, and suddenly attention-vultures knock on your door. A tour and travel company calls you; a furniture and bedding retailer invites you to promote its sofas and mattresses; a phone shop on Kampala Road wants you in its next campaign; and a car dealership is willing to have you show off its latest ride. For a while, your face is everywhere, then the hype dies down.

Why? Is this the curse of starting big? Do you go from an overnight sensation to yesterday’s news just as quickly? I think I know why.

#1. The Internet Moves on Fast!
Today you’re the biggest sensation on everyone’s timeline; tomorrow someone else does something crazier, funnier or more controversial, and suddenly you are history.

#2. What Happens After the Viral Moment?
Sometimes someone goes viral because of one specific thing, but after the viral moment they don’t have anything else to offer.

Mzee Kawato, you are so good at twisting the waist; what else do you have for us? If the answer is nothing, the attention disappears.

#3. Views Aren’t Influence
Millions of views don’t necessarily mean you have a loyal audience. People can watch you because you’re trending, for whatever reason, without actually caring enough to follow your journey. Once the trend is over, they leave with it.

This is also common with public figures whose nude content somehow finds itself on everyone’s screen. The attention is usually 48 hours away from the next TikToker’s leaked content.

#4. Too Many Brand Deals
You’re appearing in every imaginable advert, walking on red carpets and featuring in music videos; the money is coming in, and it feels like you’ve made it, except this is the biggest trap.

Because if you don’t use the moment to build something that can outlive the trend and the endorsements that follow, you can easily become the person who was once trending because brands don’t necessarily need you forever; they need you while you’re hot.

#5. Give Them Something New
The Internet that made you famous is ever-changing. If you keep giving people the same thing that made you viral, Ugandans move on fast; they look for something new.

So if you ever find yourself trending, with brands calling to offer free goods, services and endorsement deals, the points above could come in handy. Otherwise, you could become another Ugandan viral name people vaguely remember.

A big shout-out to the old man, Simon Kaggwa Njala, who seems to have managed to capitalise on his Why Are You Gay line.

On 28 August 2026, E-Bus Xpress, a subsidiary of Kiira Motors Corporation, deployed 15 additional Kayoola electric buses to ferry passengers to and from Kira Municipality.

The 15 electric buses now operate on three main routes connecting Kampala city to Kira Municipality via Ntinda.

Five (5) buses operate from Ntinda via Najjera, Kira, Kitukutwe, Kiwologoma to Nakwero and back.

Five (5) buses operate from Ntinda via Naaya, Kyaliwajjala, Namugongo to Sonde and back.

Five (5) buses operate from Ntinda via Kisaasi, Kyanja, to Kungu and back.

This article covers the Ntinda routes to Kira, Kyanja, and Namugongo. For the City Square-Nakawa-Ntinda-Wandegeya route, click here.

Now that you know the routes, here are the Kayoola bus fares for different stops, along with information on how to pay.

Kira Route (Ntinda to Nakwero)

Namugongo Route (Ntinda to Sonde)

Kyanja Route (Ntinda to Kungu)

How to Pay for Kayoola Bus on Airtel and MTN
Cash won’t get you a seat on these electric buses.

Pay E-bus Xpress using MTN MoMo
Dial *165*22#, enter merchant code 594435, enter the amount, and then enter your Airtel Money PIN to complete the payment.

Pay E-bus Xpress using Airtel Money
Dial *185*9#, enter the merchant code 4405648, enter the amount, and then enter your MTN MoMo PIN to complete the payment.

Registered users with cards can dial *272*80# on all networks to top up.

Note: The Airtel Money and MTN Mobile Money merchant codes apply to all Kayoola buses and routes deployed so far. The bus conductor confirms payment on board before the bus sets off.

Can I get off before the end of my route? Yes, you can. Kayoola buses have a stop button that passengers can press to alert the driver whenever they want to get off.

Across the scenic Murchison Landscape of Western Uganda, the northern Albertine Rift is celebrated for its outstanding biodiversity richness. The region harbours an astounding ecological community, accounting for 52% of Africa’s bird species, 39% of its mammal species, 19% of its amphibian species, 14% of its reptile species, and 14% of its plant species.

This tropical haven supports several iconic primate species, including blue monkeys, red-tailed monkeys, vervet monkeys, black-and-white colobus monkeys, olive baboons, and the flagship endangered Eastern Chimpanzee.

However, this rich natural landscape faces severe environmental pressure. Rapid agricultural expansion and new oil developments have heavily fragmented what was once a continuous forest belt into isolated patches across community and private land. The core protected reserves of Bugoma and Budongo have lost the natural connecting vegetation essential for wildlife to move freely.

The scale of this habitat destruction across both Central Forest Reserves and private or communal forests is staggering. Between 1986 and 2002 alone, an estimated 110 square kilometres of forest were cleared within 15 kilometres of Bugoma Forest Reserve, while approximately 90 square kilometres were lost within 15 kilometres of Budongo Forest Reserve.

Historically, the central challenge facing conservation initiatives in this landscape has been the absence of sustainable, long-term financing mechanisms capable of sustaining restoration efforts beyond initial donor seed funding.

Uganda’s remaining population of approximately 5,000 eastern chimpanzees, primarily confined to these northern Albertine Rift forests, bears the brunt of this isolation. While resilient chimpanzee troops continue to traverse agricultural lands between forest patches, re-establishing continuous habitat pathways between Bugoma and Budongo is critical to prevent genetic isolation and ensure the long-term survival of the species.

To tackle fragmentation on a landscape scale, the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST) and its partners are executing a comprehensive corridor restoration program across the Budongo-Bugoma landscape. The initiative aims to conserve over 50,000 hectares of natural forest by securing and restoring critical ecological linkages across Kikuube, Hoima, and Masindi districts.

Under ECOTRUST’s leadership, the Northern Albertine Rift Conservation Group (NARC-G) developed an overarching investment plan targeting key forest blocks necessary for corridor functionality. Initially launched via the Corridor Restoration Fund (CRF) in 2020 with foundational support from the World Land Trust, ECOTRUST mobilised additional resources in 2022 from IUCN Netherlands and TotalEnergies to implement the plan.

Forest restoration on the ground combines communal tree planting via Communal Land Associations and Community Wetland Associations with smallholder farm re-afforestation. On the critical Bugoma, Wambabya Bugambe linkage alone, over 2,000 local farmers and forest owners have actively planted 60 hectares of native forest patches.

To guarantee permanent corridor continuity, more than 100 households voluntarily offered portions of their private land along the Kasoma Kanwyaborongo river system. Formal trust deeds are currently being negotiated to hold this land in trust for the community, safeguarding tenure security and securing additional land under trusteeship backed by expansion funding from IUCN Netherlands.

Beyond safeguarding animal migration, restoring connectivity protects Western Uganda’s nature-based economy. Budongo Forest Reserve remains an international tourist destination famed for habituated chimpanzee tracking in the Kaniyo-Pabidi sector, birding, and eco-tourism. Protecting this contiguous forest network ensures that eco-tourism revenue continues to flow back into local communities.

To secure long-term financial sustainability and move beyond traditional short-term grants, ECOTRUST, supported by the Darwin Initiative and in partnership with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), has pioneered an innovative bio-credits-based incentive mechanism.

This community-designed, owned, and led initiative creates a direct, long-term income stream to reward local conservation action. Operating under the Plan Vivo Biodiversity Standard (PV Nature), biodiversity certificates generate payments tied directly to verified restoration outcomes, where a single certificate represents a 1% verified increase in biodiversity per hectare per year.

Performance is measured through rigorous field monitoring of core bio-indicators, specifically birds, primates, and plant diversity, alongside human threat metrics. Issued certificates are owned directly by the community and participating landholders, including Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs).

By pairing structured land trusteeships with direct biodiversity credit returns, ECOTRUST and its NARC-G partners are establishing a self-sustaining model for tropical landscape management, guaranteeing that Uganda’s eastern chimpanzees can move safely through a flourishing, connected ecosystem for generations to come.

The Tusker Lite Rwenzori Marathon, now in its 5th edition, is a World Athletics Label Road Race held annually in Kasese District, located at the foot of the Rwenzori Mountains. It was created as a social enterprise, built to promote healthy living, support Ugandan talent, boost tourism, and raise climate awareness, especially as the glaciers of the Rwenzori Mountains melt and Kasese becomes one of the regions most at risk from climate change.

This year’s event, held on 22 August 2026,  attracted more than 8,000 runners and was built around the theme “Our Culture, Our Heritage, Our Diversity, Live It, Love It”. Beyond the race itself, the marathon included cleaning campaigns, biodiversity awareness weeks and cultural exhibitions that brought residents and visitors together.

For the Environmental Conservation Trust of Uganda (ECOTRUST), whose work in the district focuses on supporting smallholder farming communities to sustainably manage their land while earning a living from it, joining the marathon was a chance to stand alongside the farmers who make its Trees for Global Benefits project model work. Among more than 70 participating project farmers and staff, there was a shared sense of enthusiasm at the prospect of winning the grand prize of UGX 40 million.

This was especially true for Milikiyodi Bithakuma from Mahongo sub-county, who has taken part in every edition of the Marathon since its inception in 2022, running the full length of 42 kilometres, with a diverse group of farmers from 8 other sub-counties including Kabatunda, Buhuhira, Rugendabara, Maliba, Bugoye, Kitswamba, Rukoki and Kyarumba.

The marathon was more than a test of endurance. It provided an opportunity for these farmers to network with runners from across Uganda and beyond, exchanging experiences and ideas on tree growing, environmental conservation, and climate action, but above all, to have fun together.

Muhindo Amos, a coffee and cocoa farmer from Kyondo sub-county; Kusemererwa Geoffrey, a farmer from Kitswamba sub-county; Biira Maliiza Kapau, a 56-year-old tree farmer from Mahango sub-county; and two teenage girls, Muhindo Clovia (17) and Kiiza Winfred (15), from the same sub-county, couldn’t contain their excitement upon receiving silver medals on completing the 21-kilometre route.

Speaking to journalists after the race, Swizin Bwambale, chairman of the Mahango farmers group, thanked  ECOTRUST for its continued commitment to supporting farmers beyond conservation activities. Kimera William, a farmer coordinator from Kyarumba Banywani, echoed the same sentiment, noting the strong relationship between the Kasese farmers and the organisation, and its willingness to stand alongside the communities it serves.

As evening fell, the atmosphere in Kasese shifted from athletic competition to community celebration. Local performers entertained crowds before renowned Ugandan musicians; Cindy Sanyu and Pallaso took the stage as headline acts. Cindy Sanyu’s energetic performance drew enthusiastic cheers from fans while Pallaso kept revellers dancing late into the night.

For the organisation, participation in the Rwenzori Marathon has become an annual celebration of national heritage and a platform to promote much-needed awareness around the realities of climate change in a landscape of vital ecological significance. ECOTRUST continues to support more than 29,000 smallholder farmers in Kasese district through initiatives focused on climate change mitigation, livelihood improvement and biodiversity conservation.

There is a particular kind of silence that follows a golden age, not the silence of rest, but of confusion. Uganda’s music industry is currently trapped inside that silence. A country that produced Jose Chameleone, Bebe Cool, Bobi Wine and Radio & Weasel, and which gave the world Eddy Kenzo, now seems to be struggling to produce a single song that outlasts the TikTok-sound craze. The reasons are not mysterious. They are structural, economic and heavily political.

In this article, we look at one of the industry’s most persistent problems: the strained relationship between artistes and promoters, and the financial pressures driving them further apart, ultimately threatening the very relationship many artistes and promoters rely on for their livelihoods.

In most mature music economies, the relationship between promoters and artistes is governed by binding contracts and enforceable rights frameworks. In Uganda, it is largely proximity to political power and the ability to shout louder or stay silent longer.

Take Abbey Musinguzi, commonly known as Abitex Promotions, a huge music events promoter in Uganda. His philosophy, as observed over years, is one of artiste disposability. Many artistes argue Abitex is shrewd and financially tight-fisted; when an A-list artiste, say, Jose Chameleone, rejects a performance fee as inadequate, he does not raise the offer. He finds three B-list artistes for the price of one, then quietly circulates an instruction through the promoters’ association: do not ever book Chameleone. Let him feel the desperation of an empty calendar. Belittle the artiste financially, own him, pay him what you think he deserves, and destroy his bargaining power.

Ugandan artistes, including Chance Nalubega and Weasel, Alien Skin, and Pallaso, all claim to have experienced this machinery. On one or two occasions, he has even publicly called them ‘off-layers.’

Spice Diana’s story within the system is not a collection of incidents. It is a pattern, and the recent Bukomansimbi episode is only its latest chapter.

Spice Diana has spoken publicly and repeatedly about promoters undermining her, refusing to pay after performances, calling fellow promoters to discourage bookings, questioning her relevance, and working to make her appear commercially unviable.

However, to understand why Ugandan promoters play cat and mouse with artistes, you first have to understand what they are walking into every time they organise a music event. A concert in Uganda is not, by default, a profitable venture. It is a high-stakes gamble staged in an environment designed to make losing money easier than making it.

The cost structure alone is punishing. A promoter must secure a venue and various licenses, hire a PA system and production crew, pay for police security, print and distribute tickets, run media promotion across radio, TV and social media, and then pay the artiste’s booking fee, often partially upfront. None of these costs warrants a successful event. They are committed expenses. And then, yawzzaahhh…URA comes knocking.

URA taxes 18% of gate collections from entertainment events. This is not a profit tax; it is a revenue tax, taken from ticket sales before the promoter has had a chance to offset the costs incurred. Musa Kavuma of KT Promotions says: “There are times when you have not yet made a shilling, but URA is already at the gate demanding tax.”

In a bid that will bite artistes deeper and sour their relationship with promoters further, an additional 6% withholding tax on payments to local artistes was recently approved in April 2026, with promoters required to deduct it at source on behalf of URA. Fundukululu hitmaker, Phina Masanyalaze, like most artistes, has called this “insane,” arguing that the industry cannot be milked before it is fed.

This is the context in which artiste fee negotiations happen. A promoter is not sitting across from an artiste from a position of financial strength. In many cases, they are sitting across from them already counting potential losses, trying to manage the single largest controllable variable in their budget: the artiste.

This should not excuse coercion, cheating or blacklisting. But it explains why the pressure to suppress artiste fees is so constant, and why the promoter’s first instinct when an artiste pushes back on their offer is not generosity; it is the search for a cheaper replacement.

The more troubling issue is what happens when that pressure is the norm. The financial justification for low fees hardens into an attitude that artistes are replaceable and their bargaining power is something to be broken. Yet promoters and artistes depend on each other. A promoter needs artistes who can attract audiences that will bring a return on their investment, while artistes need promoters who can put them on stages and get people through the gates.

They can, but the financial risk and logistical burden that comes with putting on a show can be just as daunting.

Putting aside the controversies surrounding the rollout of Uganda’s digital number plates, it’s worth understanding what the different formats represent. Unlike the old registration system, which mainly relied on alphabetical identifiers, the digital number plate system combines coded numbers, letter combinations and colours to identify vehicle categories, ownership, and, in many cases, the institution they belong to.

Private & Commercial Plates (Cars, Motorcycles, & Trailers)
UA 001AA: With black characters, this is the standard digital number plate issued to private and commercial vehicles in Uganda, such as a taxi in Park Enkadde or a family car. They are printed in rectangular and square formats for the front and back, depending on the vehicle.

UA 000AA: Distinguished by red characters, these registration plates are issued to vehicles granted tax exemptions or special import privileges, including some vehicles belonging to NGOs, persons with disabilities and returning citizens relocating with their vehicles.

DL U001A: Printed in red, these plates are issued by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) to licensed motor vehicle dealers, garages and vehicle importers. Some independent sources, opposed to ITMS, record them as U00001D.

UMA 000AA (White): Black characters printed on a white square plate; this format is issued to motorcycles operating as public transport providers such as Boda Bodas.

UMA 000AA (Yellow): Black characters slapped on a yellow square plate; these are issued to privately owned motorcycles.

T UA 0001AA: Black characters printed on a white plate; these are digital number plates issued to privately owned and commercial trailers in Uganda.

Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs)
UG XX 00001: Red characters; this is a digital number plate format used by central government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

The first two digits, XX, after UG represent the specific ministry or agency. For instance, the code UG 01 00001 is used by the Office of the President, UG 03 00001 by the Electoral Commission, and UG 12 00001 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry & Fisheries.

This system introduced a new way of identifying government vehicles, moving away from alphabetic prefixes that denoted MDAs. Full list of MDAs number plate codes here.

Government Trailers
UG XX T001: Printed in red on a white plate, these are digital number plates issued to Trailers owned by specific government ministries, departments and agencies. The initial two digits, XX, after UG identify the corresponding MDA. For instance, UG 38 T001 is issued to a trailer used by the Ministry of Works and Transport.

Parastatals
UA XX 001AA: Blue characters on a white plate; these number plates are issued to government agencies, authorities, and corporations operating under certain ministries, identifiable by the first two digits, XX, after UA. For instance, UA 12 025AA is used by the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), an agency under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.

Uganda Police Force
UP 00001: Printed on a white plate with red characters, these number plates are reserved for vehicles operated by the Uganda Police Force.

Uganda Prisons Service
UU 00001: Printed on a white plate with red characters, these number plates distinguish vehicles belonging to the Uganda Prisons Service.

Local Governments
LG XXX 0001: Printed on a white plate with red characters, these number plates are issued to local government cars (districts and municipalities). The initial three digits, XXX, after LG identify the district or municipality. For instance, local government cars in Kira Municipality have digital number plates that follow LG 139 0001. Find your area’s local government digital number plate code here.

Diplomatic Vehicles
CD XXX 000U: Printed on a white background with blue characters, these are issued to diplomatic missions and accredited diplomatic personnel in Uganda. The first three digits, XXX, identify each mission in Uganda. For instance, CD 001 000U is used by the British High Commission in Uganda, CD 002 000U by the American Embassy in Uganda, and CD 014 000U by the Russian Embassy in Uganda.

Honorary Consuls
HC XXX 001A: With red letters on a white background, these are digital number plates assigned to honorary consuls, local volunteers representing a foreign nation where it has no embassy. The initial three-digit code represents the country; for instance, plate HC 151 00U was assigned to Sudhir Rupareil, as Honorary Consul of Nepal to Uganda.

UN WFP 0001: Printed in blue on a white background, these digital number plates are used by the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP) in Uganda. Any number plate beginning with UN belongs to a United Nations agency operating in Uganda.

Personalised & Army Plates
Personalised digital numbers in Uganda are distinguishable by their light green characters on a white plate. This differentiates personalised plates from those of the Headquarters of the Defence Forces, Division Forces, and Defence Forces Protocol, which use dark green characters on a coloured plate, such as H4DF 0001.

Summary of Uganda Digital Number Plate Colours
Black characters: Private and commercial vehicles
Red characters: Government and exempt vehicles
Light Green: Personalised number plates
Blue characters: Government agencies and authorities
Blue characters: Diplomatic and UN-related vehicles
Black characters on yellow: Private motorcycles
Dark Green on coloured plate: Army-related.

#1. Global Births & Deaths Every Second
Every second, roughly four babies are born, and about two people die somewhere around the world. According to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2024, global births and deaths amount to these rates when annual figures are converted to seconds.

#2. Emails Sent Every Second
More than 4 million emails are sent every second, amounting to more than 347 billion emails each day. Estimates from EarthWeb confirm the figure includes personal messages, newsletters, business communications and automated emails.

#3. Google Searches Are Made Per Second
Around 100,000 Google searches are made every second, according to widely cited estimates based on Google’s enormous daily search volume. Google itself does not regularly publish a live per-second figure, so yes, treat this number as an estimate.

#4. Text Messages Sent Every Second
About 200,000 text messages are sent every second, according to figures published by Every Second, a book examining global activity through one-second intervals. The exact number changes as communication habits and messaging platforms evolve.

#5. Lightning Flashes Every Second
According to space-based data from NASA’s Earthdata program, Earth experiences between 35 and 55 lightning flashes per second, depending on the season, with roughly 1.4 billion flashes occurring worldwide each year.

#6. Earth’s Speed Around the Sun
While you are reading this, Earth is racing around the Sun at roughly 30 kilometres per second. NASA puts our planet’s average orbital speed at about 29.8 kilometres per second.

#7. Global Oil Consumption Per Second
Global liquid-fuel consumption was forecast at about 102.8 million barrels per day in 2026, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. This amounts to roughly 189,000 litres every second.

#8. Carbon Dioxide Emissions Every Second
Global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions reached 37.8 billion tonnes in 2024, according to the International Energy Agency, equating to roughly 1.2 million kilograms of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every second.

#9. People Who Die in Road Accidents Every Second?
The World Health Organization estimates approximately 1.16 million people die in road crashes each year, equivalent to about one road death every 27 seconds.

#10. How Much Walmart Makes Per Second
According to Walmart’s 2026 annual report, the world’s largest retailer reported approximately $713 billion in fiscal 2026 revenue, averaging around $22,600 every second.

#11. How Much Amazon Makes Every Second
Amazon, the world’s largest online retailer, follows closely behind, with $716.9 billion in net sales in 2025, according to its annual report. This is $22,700 in sales every second throughout the year.

#12. YouTube Videos Uploaded Every Second
According to a 2021 article on the YouTube Blog, more than 500 hours of video were being uploaded to YouTube every minute, equating to more than 8 hours of video every second. The Inside YouTube article does not specify the number of individual videos, Shorts or long-form uploads behind the figures presented. Considering how much YouTube has grown since 2021, the volume today may be even greater.

On a normal day, this would be a movie review. But since Spider-Man: Brand New Day is dominating at the box office, let’s talk about one small bit of it that exposes a bigger problem running through all four MCU live-action Spider-Man movies: the scene where Peter Parker leaves flowers at Aunt May’s grave.

Aunt May died in Spider-Man: No Way Home during a confrontation with the Green Goblin. Four years later, Brand New Day finds Peter all alone and fully committed to a life as Spider-Man, with everyone having forgotten his identity. Meanwhile, the woman who raised him, May Parker, is little more than a name on a gravestone.

A moment like this, especially in a superhero movie, is supposed to hit hard. Peter has lost the person who raised him, and the flowers should remind us of what she meant to him. Instead, the scene plays out like any other.

The problem here is not Marisa Tomei’s performance; it is how the MCU wrote Aunt May across the four Spider-Man films. Grief works best when the audience knows the person who is gone, yet May was rarely given a life beyond Peter.

Unlike Rosemary Harris’s Aunt May in Sam Raimi’s trilogy or Sally Field’s version in The Amazing Spider-Man films, Tomei’s May has little in the way of personal struggles, relationships or ambitions. She mostly exists to look after Peter, provide exposition, deliver jokes and occasionally push the plot forward.

This is why her death struggles to carry the emotional weight the films expect; it’s difficult to feel what Peter lost. How am I supposed to mourn Aunt May, who, across four films spanning more than 9 hours, had around 20 minutes of screen time that barely gave us enough time to know her?

The same problem extends to Peter’s friends. MJ and Ned are among the most important people in his life, yet their stories largely revolve around him. MJ is Peter’s love interest, while Ned is his best friend and comic relief. Beyond that, nothing!

Compare that with Harry Osborn in Raimi’s trilogy. Harry has his own relationship with his father, his own ambitions and even resentment towards Spider-Man. When Norman Osborn dies, Harry blames Spider-Man, and that resentment pushes him to become the New Goblin.

Harry Osborn’s transformation grows from conflicts the films had already established. That is exactly what the MCU Spider-Man films lack: supporting characters with lives and conflicts of their own.

May, MJ, and Ned matter to Peter, but the films barely make them matter independently of him. So, when Peter visits May’s grave, Spider-Man: Brand New Day asks us to feel the absence of a character previous MCU films never gave us enough reason to know.

Every 10th August, the world comes together to celebrate World Lion Day, a day that reminds us of the importance of protecting lions and natural habitats where they live. In Uganda, this call has become more urgent as the country’s lion population continues to decline.

Uganda is now home to an estimated 291 lions, down from 493 in 2011. This represents a decline of more than 40% in about 14 years. Even more concerning is that around 80% of the remaining lions, about 240, are concentrated in Murchison Falls National Park. Queen Elizabeth National Park has about 40 lions, while Kidepo Valley National Park has only about 12.

These numbers show that protecting Uganda’s lions cannot be left to national parks alone. Lions need safe habitats, enough food and water, and healthy ecosystems to survive. When these ecosystems are degraded or fragmented, wildlife faces greater pressure.

ECOTRUST, a Ugandan environmental conservation organisation, is supporting the restoration of more than 50,000 hectares of degraded and fragmented land across the Albertine Rift region, including community and public land outside of the protected areas. Working with local communities, private landowners, forest owners, partner organisations and the government, this initiative is not only promoting habitat connectivity but also providing livelihoods for local communities and much-needed natural resources that both people and wildlife depend on.

The Albertine Rift is one of Africa’s most bio-diverse regions, with tropical forests that harbour an astounding 52% of Africa’s bird species; 39% of its mammal species; 19% of its amphibians; 14% of its reptiles; and 14% of its plants (Plumptre et al., 2007). At the same time, millions of people depend on the region’s agriculture, forests and other natural resources for their livelihoods.

Protecting these landscapes is therefore not only about wildlife. It is also about ensuring that communities can continue to benefit from healthy ecosystems.

Landscape restoration can take many forms. It can include planting trees, restoring degraded land, protecting forests and supporting communities to adopt environmentally friendly farming practices. These activities help improve ecosystems’ health while also creating opportunities for communities to earn a living.

For lions, healthy landscapes are especially important because they need enough space, food and water to survive. Restoring degraded areas and maintaining connections between habitats can help create healthier ecosystems for wildlife.

The sharp decline in lion numbers also shows why conservation efforts must look beyond individual animals. If most of Uganda’s remaining lions are concentrated in one protected area, protecting the wider ecosystem around key wildlife habitats becomes even more important.

Conservation also cannot happen inside national parks alone. Communities living around protected areas are important partners. Their decisions about farming, tree growing, grazing and the use of natural resources can have a direct impact on the environment.

When communities are supported to restore degraded land and benefit from conservation-friendly activities, they become important partners in protecting nature.

World Lion Day provides an opportunity to look at conservation from this wider perspective. Saving lions is not only about protecting a single species. It is about protecting the ecosystems that allow lions and other wildlife to survive.

It is also about helping people understand that their daily activities are connected to the health of nature. Farmers, communities, conservation organisations, government institutions and other partners all have a role to play in protecting Uganda’s natural heritage.

As Uganda marks World Lion Day on 10th August, the message should go beyond the lions we see in national parks. It should also draw attention to the landscapes around these protected areas and the people who live within them.