Academic publications

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11951/16

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The role of traditional pottery production in sustainable community development in Uganda: (A case study of the Ankole sub-region)
(International Journal of Current Science Research and Review, 2026-08-25) Mwesiga, Dickson
Traditional pottery production is a significant but not broadly researched area in sustainable community development in Uganda, especially in rural areas where the economy is generally based on the crafts industry. This study aimed at the investigating socio-economic, cultural, and environmental impacts of traditional pottery production in sustainable community development in the Ankole Sub-Region, Western Uganda. The study was guided by the sustainable livelihood framework and the perspectives of culture-based development. The study used a descriptive cross-sectional case study design. This study used a sample size of 20 respondents, comprising 8 master potters, 4 long-term traders, 2 elders, 4 clay extractors, and 2 transporters. The researcher used a multistage sampling technique in areas with concentrated, accessible pottery activity in the Ankole sub-region. Semi-structured interviews and observations, together with structured interviews, were employed in data collection. Thematic data analysis, as described by Braun and Clarke (2006), was employed in analyzing the qualitative data, while descriptive statistics summarized the basic livelihood and production data. The findings showed that traditional pottery-making is an important economic activity for diversifying income and minimize poverty level by empowering women economically, passing on skills to the next generation, preserving cultural identity, heritage, and improve community ties through working together, and helping the development of the circular economy through the availability of local resources such as clay and organic matter for firing, and the simple technology for pottery-making. However, the sustainability of the traditional pottery is also limited by factors such as less access to the market, insufficient production facilities and modern kilns, reduced access to suitable clay materials, health risks from inhaling smoke and dust, and less institutional backing for the value steam. These findings also confirm previous evidence suggesting that pottery production results in employment and alleviates poverty in Ankole, while also emphasizing environmental and technical concerns related to production methods. The study concludes that enhancing pottery value steams through technological innovations, collaborative marketing strategies, heritage tourism partnerships, and targeted support from local government can promote sustainable community development outcomes aligned with Uganda’s national development goals and the increasing recognition of crafts within Uganda’s creative economy.
Understanding characterization: the young adult character in the prose fiction of selected Ugandan female authors
(International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences, 2025-12-04) Alice Jossy Kyobutungi
This article explores the details of characterisation, particularly that of the young adult character in the prose fiction of selected Ugandan female authors, through a thorough reading of Barbara Kimenye, Mary Karooro Okurut and Glaydah Namukasa's novels and short stories. This study positions the texts within the broader literary analytical realm of the fundamental analytical framework of characterisation. Drawing from the archetypal critical theory and young adult studies, the work locates young adult protagonists as they navigate life's complexities, expectations, and their own personal perceptions about family, peers at school, teachers, and other people in their lives. Different characters are studied from their different settings accorded to them by the different writers; the schools, street environments, and later a university setting, all of which offer adolescents spaces to discover who they are. They rebel, they bond, they conflict, and they grow even as they negotiate their spaces in a world that is dominated by adults. The study highlights the physique of characters, their actions, their reactions and narrative voice, which reflect their agency and their search for identity. This analysis of characterisation of the young adult in female-authored prose fictional works stresses the role of Ugandan literature in increasing worldwide understanding of the young adult character in prose fiction.
For the young adult, autonomy is a dream: tracing the power dynamics in Ugandan literature
(Annals of Language and Literature, 2021) Alice Jossy Kyobutungi Tumwesigye
Age stereotype and its impact on literature is a factor that has not been sufficiently researched especially in Uganda. This article uses the postcolonial theory to reveal that the young adult demographic category is pushed to the periphery in literature as it is in life. It is part of a research done on representations of the young adult in the fiction of selected Ugandan women writers; where the third objective in the bigger study investigates the power dynamic in literature. The article is a projection of a documentary study that uses critical analysis to explore how young adult characters are denied power in literature. It proposes that since literature has had a positive effect on society by reducing marginality in other aspects, it can do the same in the aspect of young adult power. The study confirms that writers (who target the young adult audience) by portraying young adult characters positively are likely to eventually influence such readers by making them aware of their peripheral positions and subsequently contributing towards redressing the problem of age stereotype. The novel Voice of a Dream by Glydah Namukasa (2006) is the core of the analysis.
Hybrid voices and embodied politics: Gender, performativity, and postcolonial negotiation in Mary Karooro Okurut’s ‘The Invisible Weevil’ and ‘Child of a Delegate’
(Centre for Democracy, Research and Development, 2026) Alice Jossy Kyobutungi Tumwesigye
This chapter explores gender-based challenges and opportunities in African cultural expression through a comparative analysis of Mary Karooro Okurut’s The Invisible Weevil and Child of a Delegate, drawing on feminist performance theory, postcolonial performativity, and hybridity. Although these texts are prose narratives, they are deeply performative in their narrative strategies, dialogic structures, and representations of embodied social practices such as political spectacle, ritualised speech, and gendered public performance. The chapter deploys mobilizes Homi Bhabha’s notion of hybridity to analyse how Okurut’s narratives operate within liminal postcolonial spaces where traditional gender norms intersect with modern political and social institutions. In The Invisible Weevil, gendered political participation becomes a contested arena where women navigate corruption, patriarchy, and civic agency, while Child of a Delegate foregrounds intergenerational and socio-political performances of power, masculinity, and femininity within postcolonial governance structures. Although music and dance are not foregrounded as theatrical devices, the novels encode performative cultural practices, rituals, political rallies, and communal gatherings that function as narrative performances of identity and power. These narrative performances contribute to African heritage discourses by illustrating how gender is enacted and contested within everyday socio-cultural spectacles. Ultimately, the chapter argues that Okurut’s fiction constructs the postcolonial public sphere as a performative stage where gendered identities are continually negotiated and reimagined. By bridging literary studies with performance and cultural studies, the chapter contributes to interdisciplinary debates on gender, power, and performativity.
Discourse on hybridity, voice, agency and embodied politics: Gender, performativity, and postcolonial negotiation in Mary Karooro Okurut’s ‘The Invisible Weevil’ and ‘Child of a Delegate’
(Journal of Popular Education in Africa, 2026-09) Alice Jossy Kyobutungi Tumwesigye
This article explores gender-based challenges and opportunities in African cultural expression through a comparative analysis of Mary Karooro Okurut’s The Invisible Weevil and Child of a Delegate, drawing on feminist performance theory, postcolonial performativity, and hybridity. Although these texts are prose narratives, they are deeply performative in their narrative strategies, dialogic structures, and representations of embodied social practices such as political spectacle, ritualised speech, and gendered public performance. The article deploys mobilizes Homi Bhabha’s notion of hybridity to analyse how Okurut’s narratives operate within liminal postcolonial spaces where traditional gender norms intersect with modern political and social institutions. In The Invisible Weevil, gendered political participation becomes a contested arena where women navigate corruption, patriarchy, and civic agency, while Child of a Delegate foregrounds intergenerational and socio-political performances of power, masculinity, and femininity within postcolonial governance structures. Although music and dance are not foregrounded as theatrical devices, the novels encode performative cultural practices, rituals, political rallies, and communal gatherings that function as narrative performances of identity and power. These narrative performances contribute to African heritage discourses by illustrating how gender is enacted and contested within everyday socio-cultural spectacles. Ultimately, the article argues that Okurut’s fiction constructs the postcolonial public sphere as a performative stage where gendered identities are continually negotiated and reimagined. By bridging literary studies with performance and cultural studies, the article contributes to interdisciplinary debates on gender, power, and performativity.
Kimenye’s Moses series and implications on pleasure, neglect, and the child reader: A transnational re-reading of Barbara Kimenye’s Moses series
(Centre for Democracy, Research and Development, 2026) Alice Jossy Kyobutungi Tumwesigye; Caroline C. Hunt
The Moses books by Barbara Kimenye, long popular with young readers in Uganda, deserve more exposure outside their country. Published from 1968 to 1998, these 15 novels depict Moses and his friends and their struggles at boarding school. We argue that Kimenye flouted Ugandan expectations of the time—that books for the young should be didactic—and that her position is significant. We also argue that although Kimenye uses the familiar tradition of the school story, she moves beyond that tradition to challenge outdated attitudes and expose some of the corrupt practices of her time. The wide variety of literature series has come into greater focus in the half-century since Cawelty, Radner, and others drew long-overdue critical attention to popular fiction. The importance of series fiction for young readers is now well accepted, starting from the Stratemeyer Syndicate and moving toward (but not ending with) modern-day television, film, and online series. Outside of the United States and Great Britain, however, literature series seems to have received less attention than it deserves from scholars of children’s and Young Adult literature. One series that deserves a closer look is the Moses books, by Barbara Kimenye, whose popular Moses series offers much to readers across the globe. Begun in the tumultuous post-independence period and continuing for over thirty years, these books drew many young readers into reading for pleasure—a goal that may seem obvious from a twenty-first-century Western point of view but that was, we suggest, not always the accepted attitude among Ugandan educators and scholars. We also argue for the importance of Kimenye’s careful selection of topics in the Moses books—quite different from many of her other works, even those for children. Gender stereotypes and pervasive corruption are two such topics that we explore.
Socio-Cultural Dynamics in Kimenye’s Moses Series and Implications on Societal Understanding of Pleasure, Neglect and the Child Reader: A Transnational Re-reading of Barbara Kimenye’s Moses Series
(Journal of African Interdisciplinary Studies, 2026-06) Alice Jossy Kyobutungi Tumwesigye; Caroline C. Hunt
The exclusion of Barbara Kimenye’s Moses series from the Uganda Syllabi is striking, given its proven capacity to elicit laughter and sustained readership. Ugandan classrooms, however, continue to privilege didactic utility over aesthetic pleasure, framing literacy as preparation for examination. This orientation shifts attention away from texts that encode local experiences of corruption and gender stereotyping and contradiction through humour, so Kimenye’s work is received for linguistic flair rather than critical potential. Juxtaposing Ugandan curricular documents with American Young Adult teaching notes, this article argues that the divergence underscores competing epistemologies of literacy. In Uganda, reading remains tethered to moral instruction and assessment metrics; in American classrooms, the same texts cultivate voice, timing, and reading for pleasure. We suggest that reclaiming Kimenye is therefore not merely canon recovery but a pedagogical intervention that repositions Ugandan learners as readers first, not test-takers, and fosters critical, pleasure-driven literacy that persists beyond the classroom.
When the war never ends: conceptual limitations, contextual differences and implications for interventions in continuous traumatic stress in Sub-Saharan Africa
(Frontiers in Psychiatry, 2026-09-22) Namusoke, Jane; Enyipu, Akurut Betty; Mayengo, Nathaniel; Bahati, Ronald; Amone-P’Olak, Kennedy
Considerable knowledge has been generated on the symptoms, course, therapy, and care of survivors of traumatic experiences since posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition (DSM-III) in 1980. Notwithstanding this improved understanding, there is still disagreement over the definition, characteristics, and expression of PTSD in various settings. The aim of this paper was to offer a perspective on the limitations of the current conceptualization of mental health problems associated with continuous traumatic stress (CTS), considerations of contextual and cultural differences, and their implications for interventions. Particularly, this perspective aimed to address the generalization of Western therapies in non-Western societies, as well as the limitations of traditional rituals and ceremonies, and their limitations in the treatment of mental illness in the context of unending violent conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In many traditional societies in SSA, trauma is experienced and symptoms are appraised based on the culture of survivors, demonstrating the importance of context in the conceptualization of CTS and the design of interventions. Psychological therapies in the majority of Western societies are based on symptom reduction, which are limited in the context of CTS and traditional cultures. The perspective also discusses different ecosystems in the treatment of trauma using Western and traditional society approaches, as well as the unique nature of the violent conflicts in SSA, and suggests a way forward. Finally, we discuss whether Western evidence-based therapies that are locally and culturally grounded and traditional rituals and ceremonies are mutually exclusive, particularly in the context of CTS and mass trauma that uniquely affect individuals, families, communities, and different subpopulations.
Knowledge capital and financial transformation in Africa
(Advanced Research in Economics and Business Strategy Journal, 2026-06-30) Owor, Joseph Jakisa
Financial transformation in Africa has largely been assessed through the expansion of access to financial services, particularly the growth of mobile money and digital payment systems. While these developments have significantly increased account ownership and transactional participation, they have not consistently translated into deeper outcomes such as sustained usage, financial resilience, enterprise growth, or inclusive economic empowerment. This paper argues that the missing link is knowledge capital - the set of cognitive, institutional, infrastructural, and ecosystem capabilities that enable financial systems to function effectively and inclusively. Drawing on the knowledge-based view, information asymmetry theory, institutional theory, and digital financial literacy scholarship, the study reconceptualizes finance as a system of structured knowledge coordination rather than merely a mechanism for allocating capital. It develops a Knowledge-Finance Transformation Framework (KFTF) comprising four interrelated domains: individual knowledge capital, institutional knowledge systems, market knowledge infrastructure, and innovation and learning ecosystems. The framework explains how gaps in capability, institutional learning, information systems, and ecosystem coordination contribute to uneven financial inclusion outcomes across African countries. The paper contributes to financial inclusion debates by demonstrating that access expansion alone is insufficient for meaningful transformation. It shows that digitalization may even widen inequality where knowledge gaps persist. The study concludes that sustainable financial transformation in Africa depends on building robust knowledge architectures that align human capability, adaptive governance, information infrastructure, and collaborative innovation systems.
Malignant mixed mullerian tumor: a case report about a uterine tumor’s case
(Wolters Kluwer, 2022-05-20) Emmanuel D. Morgan; Tonny Okecha; James J. Yahaya; Emmanuel Othieno
Introduction: Malignant mixed Mullerian tumor (MMMT) is an exceedingly rare and aggressive tumor whichoccurs predominantly in postmenopausal women though it has been reported rarely in premenopausal women.Case presentation: A 54-year old nulliparous postmenopausal female presented with a 3-month history of vaginalbleeding, mild lower abdominal pain and weight loss. Ultrasound revealed markedly enlarged uterus with ahyper-echoic solid and cystic mass and a right adnexal complex mass. Total abdominal hysterectomy andbilateral salpingioopherectomy were done. Histopathological features were consistent with MMMT. The patientis currently stable after 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy which consisted of paclitaxel and carboplatin.Clinical discussion: MMMT of the uterus is rare, high-grade neoplasms comprising only 1–2% of uterine cancersand 3–5% of all uterine malignancies. This tumor may arise in the ovaries, fallopian tubes and vagina. Histologically, MMMT is a biphasic tumor composed of both epithelial (carcinoma) elements and mesenchymal(sarcoma) elements; though, which component is responsible for the tumor’s aggressive biological behavior remains undetermined.Conclusion: MMMT is a rare and aggressive tumor which is commonly seen in postmenopausal women with highrate of recurrence therefore, Radical surgery and close follow-up is mandatory since the role of chemoradiotherapy remains unclear in the management of patients with this tumor. Both stage of the tumor andmyometrial invasion are considered as potential prognostic factors.
ALK-1 positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma in sickle cell trait: a case report and review of literature
(Journal of Case Reports and Scientific Images, 2024-01-13) Omega Phillip; Gimono Martha; Peter Wasswa; Musoke Sharrif; Tonny Okecha; Mawanda Anatoli; Asiimwe Ivan; Okello Malcom Mark; Oballim John Kennedy; Ojok Peter Boii; Wanyenze Esther; Byebei Eunice; Masumba John Dalton; Nakayemba Jolive; Kyakoonye Moses; Atuhura Ronald; Nsobya George; Boaz Mwesigwa; Lukande Robert; Bukirwa Phiona; Yekosani Mitala; Gladys Adokorach; Achola Caroline; Wabinga Henry; dida Micheal; Kalungi Sam
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with ALK-1 positive ALCL exhibiting an aggressive clinical course. However, it remains potentially curable if diagnosed in a timely manner. We present the case of a 13-year-old boy with coexisting sickle cell trait and ALK-1 positive ALCL, who presented with recurrent fever, progressive weight loss, generalized lymphadenopathy, and severe anemia. Despite aggressive supportive therapy, he succumbed within 32 hours of admission. Postmortem examination revealed extensive lymph node infiltration by tumor cells and widespread multi-organ involvement. This case underscores the diagnostic challenges associated with ALK-1 positive ALCL, particularly in pediatric patients with underlying hematologic conditions, and raises the possibility of a potential association between ALK-1 positive ALCL and sickle cell trait.
An unusual case of mesenteric schistosomiasis presenting as bowel obstruction in a child
(ARC Journals, 2025-04-07) Omega Phillip; Musoke Sharrif; Tonny Okecha; Mawanda Anatoli; Boaz Mwesigwa; Asiimwe Ivan; Okello Malcom Mark; Gladys Adokorach; Oballim John Kennedy; Ojok Peter Boii; Wanyenze Esther; Byebei Eunice; Masumba John Dalton; Nakayemba Jolive; Kyakoonye Moses; Atuhura Ronald; Nsobya George; Lukande Robert; Bukirwa Phiona; Tumukunde Allan; Yekosani Mitala; Nabukalu Sandra; aratwebirwe Oseber; Odida Micheal; Kalungi Sam
Mesenteric schistosomiasis is a rare but significant cause of intestinal obstruction, particularly in endemic regions. We report a case of a 12-year-old boy from Masese Landing Site, Uganda, who presented with progressive abdominal distension, vomiting, and constipation—symptoms indicative of bowel obstruction. Surgical exploration revealed extensive adhesions and nodular lesions, necessitating biopsies. Histopathological examination confirmed intestinal schistosomiasis caused by Schistosoma mansoni. This case highlights the need for heightened clinical awareness, early diagnosis, and prompt intervention in endemic areas to prevent complications of chronic schistosomiasis
The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) insurgency in Uganda
(Routledge, 2024-09) David Andrew Omona; Scott N. Romaniuk
Uganda, a member of the East African community, has endured conflict within its borders for decades. Although there have been conflicts prior to contact with foreign powers, the postcolonial conflicts so far have exceeded what the country could contain within its borders. While the earlier conflicts pitted neighbouring communities against each other over space and power, the colonial and postcolonial conflicts have taken on different shades. During the expansion of British colonial rule, for example, a lot of resistance emerged in different parts. However, once they got hold of the different regions of present-day Uganda, they were able to suppress most of the conflicts. When the British passed the baton of leadership to Ugandans, the country took off in a positive direction. According to Patrick Rubaihayo (2005), soon after independence, the government embarked on transforming Ugandan society from colonial vestiges to a productive and free society. Social services, infrastructure, trade, and commerce were developed following the Uganda Peoples’ Congress (UPC) manifesto to fight ignorance, disease, and poverty.
Ugandan realities on human sexuality: Religious, historical, social, political, legal, and cultural influences
(William Carey Publishing, 2026) David Andrew Omona
[The chapter, "Ugandan Realities on Human Sexuality: Religious, Historical, Social, Political, Legal, and Cultural Influences" by Andrew David Omona, is not primarily a study of human sexuality itself, but rather an explanation of why Uganda has adopted its current position on homosexuality and LGBTQ+ issues. The author explicitly states that human sexuality is used as a lens through which to understand the country's broader religious, historical, political, legal, social, and cultural realities.]
Comparative analysis of nutrients in frequently consumed Indigenous African vegetables: implications for geriatric nutrition
(Taylor and Francis Group, 2026-01-27) Martin Mutambuka; Mildred Nakanwagi; Rosemary Bulyaba; Isaac Onziga Bramadri; Gerald Tumusiime; Elizabeth Balyejusa Kizito
The promotion and consumption of african indigenous Vegetables (aiVs) offers potential to improve diet quality and reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases among older persons. however, limited information exists on the minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals that contribute to these benefits. This study assessed the nutritional composition of three genotypes of each of four commonly consumed aiVs in Uganda: Solanum aethiopicum Shum (e16, e15, and e11), Solanum aethiopicum gilo (G4, G9, and G6), Amaranthus sp. (Var. 008, Var. 025, and Var. 007), and Vigna unguiculata l. Walp (UcU cow 1, aseremoya, and acc23). The vegetables were analysed for minerals (Fe, Zn, ca, Mg, K), dietary fibre, phytochemicals (anthocyanins, tannins, catechins, polyphenols, chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, ferulic acid, flavonoids), and vitamins (α-tocopherol and β-carotene) using standard procedures and means were separated using one-Way anoVa. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed across aiVs. S. aethiopicum Shum e16 exhibited the highest mineral levels, while V. unguiculata genotypes showed he lowest Mg, Fe, and K content. iron was highest in S. aethiopicum gilo g4 (8.83 mg/100 g). leafy vegetables contained greater quantities of phytochemicals, dietary fibre, β-carotene, and α-tocopherol than fruit vegetables. Principal component analysis segregated genotypes based on nutrient profiles: phytochemicals and fibre strongly influenced V. unguiculata clustering, minerals influenced Solanum spp, and tocopherol and gallic acid distinguished Amaranthus genotypes. These findings highlight distinct nutritional advantages across aiV species. V. unguiculata exhibited particularly high phytochemical and vitamin content, suggesting its value as a nutrient-dense component of diets aimed at supporting healthy ageing.
Maternal health information seeking behaviors and perceptions among Ugandan pregnant women: theory-informed study
(Gonabad University of Medical Sciences (GMU), Iran, 2026-01-01) Namyalo, Josephine; Kiva, S. Joseph; Otieno, Emmanuel
Background: Although the maternal mortality ratio has declined in Uganda, but it remains a public health threat, constraining the achievement of maternal mortality targets. Research suggests that health information-seeking behavior is significant for understanding different maternal health outcomes. This study aimed to understand the underlying factors affecting health information-seeking behaviors among pregnant women in selected hospitals in Mukono and Kampala Districts, Uganda. Methods: Utilizing a qualitative design, 24 pregnant women aged 16-24 years who were seeking antenatal care (ANC) from Mukono, Nagalama, and Naguru Hospitals were recruited through purposive sampling. Focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs) were conducted. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Data analysis identified 20 codes that generated three themes: reasons for seeking information, challenges faced in seeking information, and behavioral change communication strategies. Conclusion: Findings showed pregnant women accessed information from health workers. The main barrier to receiving information was different reporting times for ANC. There is a need to develop a centralized, standardized health information repository and to provide continuous professional development to providers. Future research should examine interventions to improve health-seeking information behavior across various cultural contexts.
Prevalence and correlates of intimate partner sexual violence among pregnant women in Lamwo district – Northern Uganda
(Global Health Institute, 2026-04-17) Lanyero, Joan; Otieno, Emmanuel; Nsubuga, Mushin; Kobusingye, Jackline; Namyalo, Josephine
Background and Aims: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a silent pandemic, associated with 10% of all violent deaths and 290,000 years lost to morbidity. Intimate partner violence has been explicitly associated with not only health consequences of gynaecological and psychological nature among women but also deaths. The sexual form of intimate partner violence which increases in intensity during pregnancy is associated with higher risk of morbidity. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence and correlates of intimate partner sexual violence during pregnancy among pregnant women in Lamwo district, Northern Uganda. Methods: A cross-sectional study was done at 6 facilities in Lamwo district from January-February 2022. Stratified and simple random sampling were used to sample 260 pregnant women out of a pregnant women population size of 810 women who sought antenatal care on a monthly basis from health facilities. The structured interviews were used for data collection. Data was entered in Epi Info version 7.0 and analysed in SPSS version 25 using the log-binomial model. A multivariate analysis was done. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The results showed a 24% prevalence of IPSV with 73% of pregnant women denying the use of measures to protect them from sexually transmitted infections. Pregnant women who were carrying their first, second, and third pregnancies were more likely to experience IPSV than women with more than 3 pregnancies (aPR 5.307 [CI = 1.965 -14.335], p = 0.001). In addition, women whose spouses had a habit of engaging in fights, had ever physically abused them, and had a preference for the gender of children demonstrated an increased prevalence of IPSV. Conclusion: Out of every 10 pregnant women in the sample, two of them were sexually violated. The lower the gravidity and parity, the more likely to experience IPSV. Gravidity correlated more with IPSV than any other IPSV factor. The findings from this study may inform health interventions aimed at reducing intimate partner sexual violence.
Perceptions and experiences of willingness to pay for community based health insurance: a qualitative study
(Academic Research and Publishing, 2025-03-31) Otieno, Emmanuel; Mukasa, Norman; Odoch, Florence Ajok; Ddamulira, Christopher; Nuwagaba, Ddezi; Namyalo, Josepine; Walimbwa, Aliyi; Basaza, Robert K.
The study objective was to explore perceptions and experiences of willingness to pay for community-based health insurance and factors that affect their willingness to pay among farming households in Uganda. A qualitative study was done among 33 participants in Uganda. An explorative study design with the phenomenological approach was employed. Both purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used. Isingiro District was selected because it is geographically serviced by community-based health insurance schemes in a region with the largest proportion of members at 57%. Consequently, there is augmented availability of data and generalized results. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions were conducted via semi-structured questionnaires. A univariate and inductive thematic analysis were done. Findings show low level of awareness, perception of low income, high amount of premium, good perception of health status are the barriers to pay and indicate the elderly population are unwilling to pay for the community-based health insurance scheme. Yet, the scheme is designed to ameliorate healthcare encounters of such vulnerable groups. This study provides timely evidence and impetus for strategies that address the increasing burden of healthcare. In conclusion, there has been low level of awareness about community-based health insurance. This study proposes to expand universal health coverage of informal sector workers through increased sensitization and capacity to pay premium. Also, the age factor highlights the need to customize premium for membership based on demographic landscape of the communities. To effectively address the future of community-based health schemes, it is critical to develop effective community evidence-based policy options for a sustainable scheme model. This intervention could engender access to a holistic healthcare service by the informal sector. Thus, it may fast-track the achievement of universal health coverage agenda by 2030.
Understanding meaning in graphic design: a semiotic exploration of visual communication in Uganda
(International Journal of Innovation Scientific Research and Review, 2025-12-30) Mwesiga, Dickson
Introduction: Graphic design plays a crucial role in shaping the processes through which meaning is produced, communicated, and understood in contemporary societies. By employing elements such as images, symbols, colours, typography, and layout, graphic design functions as a visual language that articulates cultural values, identities, ideologies, and social messages. The discipline of semiotics, which studies signs and their meanings, provides a valuable theoretical framework for understanding how graphic design communicates beyond mere visual appeal. This research explores the construction and interpretation of meaning within graphic design practices in Uganda from a semiotic perspective. Methods: The research employed a cross-sectional design utilising a qualitative method. Data were gathered from active graphic designers, art educators, advertising professionals, and members of the general populace. A total of 70 respondents were chosen through stratified random sampling. The data collection was conducted via structured questionnaires and subsequently analysed using descriptive statistical techniques. The data were analyzed thematically, guided by semiotic categories and emergent meanings derived from participant narratives and visual materials. Results: The research indicated that colours, symbols, images, and typography serve as essential semiotic instruments within Ugandan graphic design, utilised to convey cultural identity, social values, and commercial messages. Respondents noted that indigenous symbols and colours are predominantly employed to elicit cultural familiarity, whereas contemporary layouts and typography are influenced by Western design principles. Conclusions: The study establishes that graphic design in Uganda operates as a semiotic system in which meaning is negotiated among designers, cultural context, and audiences. Although global design trends influence practice, local cultural symbols remain significant in the process of meaning-making. Enhancing semiotic awareness among designers may improve the effectiveness and cultural sensitivity of visual communication.
Patterns and determinants of youth employment in Uganda, 2013–2023: statistical evidence and policy implications for African business
(Wollo University, Dessie, Ethiopia, 2025-12) Owor, Joseph Jakisa
This study examines the patterns and determinants of youth employment in Uganda from 2013 to 2023, using nationally representative data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) and macroeconomic indicators from the World Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), and the Bank of Uganda (BoU). The findings indicate that although youth labor force participation remains high, averaging above 70%, structural transformation in the labor market has been limited. Over 60% of youth remain engaged in low-productivity agriculture, with only marginal shifts toward industry and services. Employment absorption in the industrial and service sectors increased by less than 10% over the decade, constrained by skills mismatches, widespread informality, and limited private-sector growth. Gender disparities persist, with female youth less likely to access wage employment and experiencing wage gaps of 15–20%. Spatial inequalities are also evident, as urban youth are nearly three times more likely to secure formal employment than rural youth. Using logistic regression, multinomial regression, and Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition, the study identifies education, household wealth, urban residence, and gender as key determinants of employment outcomes. The results suggest that policy interventions, such as the Youth Livelihood Program, have had limited structural impact due to weak alignment with private-sector demand. The study highlights the need for inclusive industrialization, strengthened vocational training, gender-responsive labor policies, and enhanced public–private partnerships to improve youth employment outcomes and support sustainable economic transformation.

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