Blog

May 6, 2025 The Government of Uganda, through the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), has officially launched the National ID renewal exercise, a crucial step in updating and verifying the country’s population data. The process is beginning with a pilot phase and will eventually roll out across the entire country. Key Dates to Remember: […]

Today (3rd May 2025) as the world commemorates World Press Freedom Day, we at COTFONE and Tournons La Page (TLP-Uganda) stand in solidarity with all journalists, media houses, and civil society actors who risk their safety to speak truth to power and defend the rights of vulnerable communities. The Theme of the day is – ‘Reporting […]

You’ve probably heard about the big oil project called EACOP- East African Crude Oil Pipeline. It’s a massive pipe that will carry oil from Uganda all the way through Tanzania to the Indian Ocean, where it can be shipped abroad. It sounds like a big deal, right? People say it will bring jobs, development, and […]

Uganda government announced a significant increase in the national budget for the financial year 2025/2026, rising from UGX 57.4 trillion to UGX 71.9 trillion, a 25% surge. While this budget expansion may appear promising on paper, Ugandans have heard this story before: big numbers, bold promises, and little change on the ground. The Bigger the […]

As Uganda prepares for the 2026 general elections, the Electoral Commission is conducting a voter register update across the country. Unfortunately, early reports from various regions including Buganda region indicate alarmingly low turnout at update centers, a trend that could leave thousands disenfranchised. Why is the voter register update important? Updating the voter register is […]

At a recent community meeting in Kiwangala, Lwengo District, a powerful truth emerged:Many Ugandans no longer trust the electoral process. During the TOPOWA Forum Discussions, organised by Community Transformation Foundation Network – COTFONE, locals bravely opened up about why they feel voting has become meaningless: Rigging and bribery have made elections feel like a game […]

When we talk about creating lasting change, it starts from the ground up. Real, sustainable progress isn’t imposed from outside, it grows when people are empowered to take charge of their own futures. That’s why investing in grassroots projects is one of the most powerful ways to uplift communities and spark real transformation. At COTFONE, […]

The Government through the Ministry Of Agriculture, Animal, Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) has finally lifted a livestock quarantine in Lyantonde district, two years after a serious outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). In a letter dated April 22, 2025 addressed to Lyantonde District Chief Administrative Officer, Dr. Anna Rose Ademun, the Commissioner Animal Health, […]

As cardinals gather in the Vatican to set a date for the conclave that will elect the next leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, the question on many minds is: ‘What kind of pope does the world need now?’ In an era marked by climate crisis, environmental degradation, and growing ecological injustice, the Community […]

Climate change is one of the most urgent and defining global challenges of our time. But what is often overlooked is that the climate crisis is not experienced equally by all. It has deeply gendered dimensions that we must acknowledge and address if we are to create real, lasting solutions. For over three decades, gender […]

By COTFONE The world has today (Easter Monday) lost more than a religious leader. With the passing of Pope Francis at the age of 88, we bid farewell to a global moral compass, an outspoken voice of justice, humility, and unwavering compassion in a time when the world needed it most. Pope Francis, born Jorge […]

By COTFONE In Uganda, a country where hospitals run without medicine, schools struggle with dilapidated classrooms, and roads become rivers in the rainy season, it’s hard to imagine that Ugx12.7 billion of taxpayer money could be prioritised for something as trivial as repairing bicycles. But that’s exactly what happened. According to the national budget, the […]

By COTFONE As Christians around the world mark this year’s Good Friday, we pause to reflect on the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the ultimate act of selfless love, sacrifice, and service to humanity. It’s a moment not just for personal repentance, but for national reflection. Here in Uganda, Good Friday should be more than a […]

The population of Grey Crowned Cranes, Uganda’s national emblem, continues to decline at an alarming rate in Lwengo district, pushing the species closer to extinction. Once a common sight in wetlands across the country, these majestic birds are now struggling to survive due to habitat loss, human disturbance, and poaching. According to Gilbert Tayebwa, a […]

On Monday, March 31, 2025, UMEME officially transferred electricity distribution operations to the Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL). However, the transition comes at a time when many communities in Lwengo and other districts remain unconnected to the national grid, raising concerns over delayed service delivery. Residents in Lwengo report long-standing promises of electrification that […]

Residents of Kween District are facing extreme hunger, forcing them to rely on migratory birds as a food source. The ongoing food crisis, worsened by prolonged drought and crop failure, has left many families with no alternative for survival. Local leaders warn that consuming migratory birds not only threatens public health but also disrupts ecosystems […]

EACOP Threatens Greater Masaka’s Tourism and Environment – Report The Inclusive Green Economy Network-East Africa (IGEN-EA) has released a report indicating that the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) poses serious risks to Greater Masaka’s environment, tourism potential, and local livelihoods. The report highlights that the pipeline cuts across Lwengo, Sembabule, Rakai, and Kyotera, endangering […]

As the rainy season sets in across Lwengo District, farmers are facing serious challenges due to the lack of agricultural extension workers. Without proper guidance on best farming practices, many risk poor harvests, which could lead to food shortages in the coming months. At the recent TOPOWA Forum Discussion held by the Kisekka Development Association […]

COTFONE is proud to announce a transformative partnership with Go Girl Foundation Uganda to empower girls and mothers in Kiwangala and surrounding communities in Lwengo District. This initiative focuses on: Quality Education & Skills Training: Ensuring girls have the tools and knowledge to succeed. Economic Empowerment: Supporting families to become financially independent. Child Protection & […]

COTFONE, through its community library initiative, has successfully conducted the first reading outreach program in Kiboobi Village, Kisekka Subcounty, Lwengo District. This program aims to keep children engaged during the long holiday by fostering a reading culture, improving literacy skills, and encouraging lifelong learning. Such outreach programs are vital, especially during school breaks, as they […]

As government continues to prospect and explore oil wells in parts of western, central and northern regions, scores of homesteads that  have been displaced by the quest to have oil exports ready by 2025 have lost farmlands. In Kakumiro District in western Uganda, more than 200 people affected by the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline [...]

Kalangala District has introduced a programme to rear, process and export edible huhu grubs. The insects, which have a resemblance to queen ants, are found in bush oil palm plantations, and are eaten as a delicacy in Ssese Islands. They are so valued that they are even used as barter commodities in bride price negotiations [...]

Summary Part II. In many countries, it is standard practice that if your land is impacted by a government project, you have to be paid first or later. Uganda’s land acquisition law details steps for acquiring private land but the process has lately become a nightmare and is one of the hurdles awaiting the East African […]

For Yisito Kayinga Muddu, teaching children to grow their own food is a human rights issue. “Young children must be well fed to grow well,” he says. “They have a right to food.” He is the director and founder of Community Transformation Foundation Network (Cotefone), a local NGO based in Kiwangala Trading Centre in Lwengo [...]

For a moment, it seemed as if the war on patriarchy had been won. Since the 1990s, the push for gender equality had gained momentum. The Fourth World Conference on Women, held in Beijing, China, in 1995, was a watershed moment. At the conference, governments agreed to the fact that the advancement of women and […]