IN REVIEW: Our 10 Biggest Stories Of 2022

The year 2022 is ending in style but with a lot to remember. Our editorial desk has put together remarkable news stories that made headlines in Uganda. Every one would have their own picks depending on how it went down on their side.

The following are out 10 biggest stories of 2022.

1.Death of Speaker Jacob Oulanyah: On 20th March, 2022 the country woke up to sad news of the passing on speaker Jacob Oulanyah who died in a hospital in Seattle in the US where he had been flown to seek medical attention. Prior to his death, Ugandans leaving in the US staged a protest outside the hospital where Oulanyah was fighting for his life, something that was condemned the uncivilized and uncultured act by such people.

Before his burial, elections of a new speaker were hurriedly organized at Kololo independence grounds, Anitah Among who was deputy speaker emerged winner ascending to the top sit of the legislature and the then government Chief Whip Thomas Tayebwa won to replace Anita Among as deputy speaker.

FOR BEST WEBHOSTING, WEB DESIGNS, DOMAIN NAMES CALL OR WHATSAPP +256758201313

Oulanyah was buried on Friday evening at his ancestral home in Lalogi, Omoro district. As he said immediately after getting the news of his death, Oulanyah’s father Nathan Lokori insisted his son didn’t die a natural death but was instead poisoned. The burial service was presided over the Arch Bishop Dr Stephen Kazimba Mugalu alongside a magnitude of many top political shots in the country.

By elections were later held on 26th May and his son Andrew Ojok Oulanyah won the polls which according to opposition were marred with violence, he’s however yet to voice the politician in his like his father did. However, the NRM party is yet to choose Oulanyah’s replacement at the party’s supreme body of the Central Executive Committee where he was serving as the Vice Chairperson Norther Region.

2.Ebola Outbreak In Mubende and Kasanda District: On 20th September 2022, Uganda declared the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the districts of Mubende and Kasanda District caused by the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease species. According to the Ministry of Education confirmed 142 cases and 55 succumbed to the disease including two doctors of whom one was a Tanzanian intern doctor from Kampala International University. Dr Mohammed Ali died at Fort Portal regional referral hospital and was later berried at a public cemetery Bukwali central division in Fort portal.

As cases kept on increasing with others reported from outside the original area of Kasanda, others were reported from Kagadi, Jinja, Kampala, Wakiso among others. Ministry of Health was not happy with the US embassy that reportedly supported the Ebola interventions but refused to give cash to the ministry instead it released funds though their agencies of UNICEF and USAID.

On 15th October, president Museveni announced a full blown lockdown on the districts of Kasanda and Mubende, some food given out to the locals who were affected people in the districts.

On 02nd December, the last patients of Ebola were discharged from the treatment centres giving hope that the disease would finally be history in Uganda. Indeed the efforts yielded and on 17th December in a speech read by his vice president, Museveni lifted the lockdown in Mubende and Kasanda creating celebrations across.

3.Kenya’s Elections: Kenyans went to the polls to vote for their next president, their Member of country assemblies (MCAs), Senators, Governors and representatives to the National Assembly on 09th August 2022.

For the very first time Ugandans were too keen and followed the events preceding to the elections and even after the declaration of the winner. This to many was caused by the fact that one of the candidates Dr William Somoei Ruto who later won the presidency is Museveni’s good friend.

The elections had four candidates but the battle lines were drawn between four time contender Raila Amolo Odinga of the Azimio la Umoja Coalition and Kenya Kwanza’s William Ruto.

There was chaos at the Bomas of Kenya were the results were announced from by the Chairperson of the Independent Elections and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Wafula Chebukati. His other commissioners led by the vice chairperson Juliana Cherera distanced themselves from the results sighting opaqueness of the process.

William Ruto won and was declared with 7,176,141 votes and was followed by his Arch rival Raila Odinga who garnered 6,942,930 votes with the other candidates Prof George Wajackoyah Luchiri getting 61,969 votes and David Mwaure Waihiga got 31,986 votes.

Raila Odinga petitioned the Martha Koome led Supreme Court which on 05th cleared that Ruto won the elections and he was later sworn in as the 5th president of Kenya on 13th September 2022.

4.The War In Ukraine: On 24th February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in what every one thought would be the easiest war and would end in just weeks, the war has since dragged on till date and Ukraine has fought back fairly with the help of the western powers in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The war led to increase in oil prices across the world and it also led to the scarcity of Grain wheat which Ukraine and Russia are leading producers across the world.

Time came when everything in Uganda including the high food prices, fuel, wheat among others were all attributed to the war in Ukraine. At the UN general Assembly, Uganda played a neutral card and didn’t vote to take sides on whom it supports.

5.Norbert Mao’s Appointment Into Government: On 2oth July 2022, the Democratic party led by their president general Norbert Mao signed a cooperation agreement with the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). This didn’t go well with majority Democratic Party subscribing members who said Mao sold their party to Museveni like how Jimmy Akena did to UPC.

In the agreement, there was some few positions which were supposed to be taken by Democratic Party, indeed Museveni lived to his promise and appointed Norbert Mao as Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs on 21st July 2022. The other position reserved for Democratic party was EALA representative and indeed all NRM legislator voted DP’s General Secretary Gerald Silanda to the Regional parliament.

6.The Muhoozi Twitter Talks: Museveni’s son has had his year on the blue app where he has been tweeting controversial things with others landing him in trouble though he remains untouched being a father’s son. On 8th March 2022, Muhoozi took to his twitter and announced that he had retired and quitted the army where he was serving as the Commander land forces. He said he was stepping down after 28 years of service. Later he announced his 48th birthday preparations that were later celebrated in different regions.

Muhoozi still on twitter this year declared he would attack Nairobi and capture it in just days, this didn’t go well with Kenyans, he was instead promoted to a four star general, dropped from being commander land forces replaced by Lt Gen Kayanja Muhanga and to settle matters, his father President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa apologized to Kenyans for his son’s conduct.

Muhoozi later declared he would make a big announcement but it was later revealed he’s set to unveil a new political party, he also hit at those endorsing his father for the 2026 general elections in a campaign dubbed ‘Muzeyi Tova ku Main’. The controversial general also snubbed his father’s NRM party which he said no longer represents people’s interests.

7. Death Of Governor Mutebire, Gen.Tumwiine and Kawanga Semwogerere: Still its in this year 2022 on 23rd January when the long serving bank of Uganda governor Prof Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebire died from a Nairobi hospital aged 72 years. He was buried in Kabale on 31st January.

General Elly Tumwine collapsed at a wedding and was admitted to Nakasero hospital in Kampala sometime in July 2022. His condition later deteriorated and was flown to the Aga Khan hospital in Nairobi but unfortunately he later died on 25th August 2022 at the age of 68 years. His death caused mixed reactions with some celebrating his death (and some where later arrested by CMI).

It’s still in 2022 last month on 18th November that the country woke up to the death of Democratic party’s strong man Dr Paul Kawanga Ssemwogerere. He died aged 90 years and was buried at his ancestral home in Nkumba in Entebbe.

8.The Ssegirinya, Allan Ssewanyana Court Case. Makindye west legislator Allan Ssewanyana and his Kawempe north MP Muhammed Ssegirinya had their second christmas behind the walls of Kitalya prison. They are accused of killing people in the famous Bijambiya in Masaka. Their case dragged on and Museveni openly said the legislators should not expect to be granted bail soon.

9.Court Of Appeal And By- elections. The Court of appeal cleared many pending electoral applications and many of these just confirmed while some were sent to bye elections. However, Museveni’s minister for lands and urban development Judith Nabakooba got a heart break when the court of appeal cleared the petition of Joyce Bagala and confirmed her as the duly elected member of parliament for Mityana district.

Those notable one’s that went into by-elections is Soroti west where FDC’s Moses Atan lost to Anita Among’s political assistant Herbert Aliko Edmund. Opposition called the elections day time robbery.

10. Attacks on police stations: This year saw police stations attacked by unknown assailants and guns taken. This started in Mityana last year but this year the same spread to Luwero, Kampala.

This also spread to Jinja where a soldier was killed at the entrance to Gaddafi Baracks and two guns taken, the army later revealed it nabbed the attacked, killed him and the two guns where recovered. A police station in Luwero at Busiika was attacked, police officers killed and two guns taken.

On July 26th July, traffic police officers manning a road block were attacked by machete wielding assailants at Kiwumpa village and killed two police officers.

In the other news that make headlines was the death of the queen of England Elizabeth II on 8th September 2022, Floods in Mbale and Kasese, Accidents killed many Ugandans, hunger also killed several in Karamoja. Else where World Cup 2022 In Qatar also made headlines especially when Argentina beat France to take the trophy for the third time.

The economic hardships especially caused by the increase in prices of food, fuel etc etc led to Ugandans insisting on the words like enkonome.

What was your biggest story in 2022, drop this in the comment section.

If you have a story in your community or an opinion article, let’s publish it. Send us an email vi editorial@accordconsults.com or WhatsApp +254797048150