This study examined the effect of access to business information on the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nakawa Market, Kampala, Uganda. Nakawa Market represented one of Kampala's largest and most active trading hubs, yet SMEs operating therein had consistently faced information asymmetries that limited their ability to make informed business decisions. The study was framed around four dimensions of business information access: market information, financial information, regulatory information, and technological information. A cross-sectional survey of 275 SME operators in Nakawa Market was conducted, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The findings demonstrated that access to business information had a statistically significant positive effect on SME performance, with market information and financial information access emerging as the most influential dimensions. The study recommended systematic investments in business information dissemination infrastructure, including trade information centers, digital market information platforms, and capacity building in information use.

Uganda presented one of the most consequential demographic transitions in contemporary world history. With a population that was expected to quadruple from its current 48 million to nearly 200 million by the end of the twentyfirst century, driven by a total fertility rate that had declined more slowly than in comparable African economies, Uganda faced both an extraordinary opportunity and a formidable challenge. This article undertook a longitudinal analysis of Uganda's demographic trajectory since independence in 1962, examining the evolution of fertility, mortality, dependency ratios, urbanization, and educational attainment over six decades, and interrogating the policy conditions under which Uganda's young and rapidly growing population might become the economic asset that demographic dividend theory predicted. Drawing on data from successive Uganda Demographic and Health Surveys, National Population and Housing Census records, World Bank development indicators, and original analysis of sectoral employment and productivity data, the study found that Uganda had not yet reached the conditions necessary for the realization of a demographic dividend and that without significant policy interventions in education quality, labour market development, family planning access, and economic structural transformation, the demographic transition was more likely to produce a demographic burden than a dividend. The article concluded with acomprehensive set of policy imperatives for realisation that engaged both with the specific constraints of the Ugandan context and with the lessons of the East Asian demographic dividend experience.

This study examined the relationship between agriculture support programs and poverty eradication in Ntusi Subcounty, Sembabule District, Uganda. The research was guided by three specific objectives: to assess the influence of input support programs on poverty eradication; to examine the effect of extension services and farmer training on poverty eradication; and to determine the role of access to credit and financial services on poverty eradication. A cross-sectional research design was adopted, combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Data were collected from 120 respondents comprising farmers, agricultural extension workers, local government officials, and community leaders using structured questionnaires, interview guides, and focus group discussions. The findings revealed that input support programs significantly improved agricultural productivity and household incomes among beneficiary farmers. Extension services and farmer training were found to have a positive and statistically significant effect on farming practices and poverty reduction. Access to credit and financial services was identified as a critical enabler of agricultural investment and economic advancement among rural households. The study concluded that agriculture support programs played a vital role in reducing poverty levels in Ntusi Sub-county when effectively implemented and coordinated. It was recommended that government agencies, non-governmental organizations, and development partners strengthen and sustain agriculture support interventions to achieve lasting poverty eradication in rural Uganda.

This study examined the role of investigative journalism in exposing malpractice and influencing healthcare policy in Uganda’s public health sector, with a specific focus on Mulago Hospital. The study was guided by three objectives: to examine the nature and scope of investigative journalism at Mulago Hospital, to assess the influence of investigative journalism on policy formulation and implementation, and to identify the challenges limiting the effectiveness of investigative journalism in influencing healthcare policies. A qualitative research approach was used, and primary data were collected in 2025 from journalists, health workers, and hospital administrators. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis in which responses were coded and organized into key themes. Findings revealed that investigative journalism at Mulago Hospital consistently uncovered systemic problems affecting service delivery and accountability. Three major themes emerged regarding the nature and scope of investigative reporting: corruption and misuse of funds, negligence and poor service delivery, and infrastructure breakdown and drug stockouts. The study found that patients were frequently asked to pay illegal fees for services and medicines that were supposed to be free, indicating widespread corruption and diversion of public resources. Investigations also revealed persistent negligence among health workers, including absenteeism, delayed treatment, and poor supervision, which often left patients unattended in hospital wards. In addition, journalists documented deteriorating infrastructure, broken medical equipment, overcrowded wards, and frequent shortages of essential medicines, forcing many patients to seek treatment from private facilities. The study further found that investigative journalism had a notable influence on policy attention and administrative decision-making. Media exposés frequently triggered administrative actions such as staff suspensions, transfers, internal investigations, and emergency meetings within the hospital. At the policy level, investigative reports often prompted procurement audits, ministerial statements, and committee reviews.

This study examined the relationship between assistive technology use and the participation of students with special needs in selected secondary schools in Mbale District, Uganda. The study was guided by three objectives: to identify the types of assistive technologies available and in use in the selected schools, to assess the effect of assistive technology on the academic and social participation of students with special needs, and to determine the challenges limiting the effective use of assistive technology in the schools. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, utilizing questionnaires, observation schedules, and interviews. The study involved 86 students with special needs, 34 special needs teachers, and 12 school administrators across four purposively selected secondary schools with special needs units in Mbale District. Findings indicated that the most available assistive technologies were hearing aids (71.1% of eligible students), Braille materials (64.3%), and adapted writing tools (58.1%). Technological devices such as screen reader software and text-to-speech applications were available in only 18.6% of cases. Regression analysis revealed that assistive technology availability (β = 0.461, p < 0.001) and teacher competence in AT use (β = 0.389, p < 0.001) were the strongest positive predictors of student participation. Key challenges included high cost and limited supply of assistive devices, inadequate teacher training in AT application, negative peer attitudes, and limited government funding for inclusive education. The study concluded that assistive technology significantly enhanced the academic and social participation of students with special needs when adequately supported, and recommended targeted policy interventions to improve AT supply, teacher training, and funding for inclusive education in Mbale District secondary schools.

The purpose of this study was to assess the child protection system among refugee children in Kiryangongo refugee settlement. The research particularly sought out to assess the current state of the child protection system; to identify the interventions for enhancing child protection systems and to assess the challenges of interventions in enhancing child protection systems. Kiryandongo refugee settlement was selected as the research site because it is the largest and longest established and provides a good representation of the camp-based refugee population in Uganda. The study population included: adult men and women, young men and women (aged between 12 and 20 years old) and young children (aged between 7-10 years old). In addition, key stakeholders in child protection in the camps were interviewed including staff from UN agencies, NGOs, Ugandan Government institutions, refugee authorities, child protection committees, school staff and religious leaders. In total, 55 respondents participated in the research through 4 group discussions (FGD), 55 in-depth interviews (IDI) and 10 key informant interviews (KII). To achieve this, the research tools that were used for this study included: group discussions on Child protection systems. The FGD’s discussions consisted of male and female adults and young people. Semi- structured in-depth interviews were also another tool in this study. The interviews were conducted among male and female adults and young people whereas key informant interviews targeted young children, and these were designed to elicit sources of children’s distress and wellbeing. The study revealed that; Kiryandongo Refugee Settlement's child protection system is fair. The three sectors that make up the system are the social, security, and education sectors.

This study examined the influence of corporate risk management practices on risk response among Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) in Lubaga Division, Kampala District. Specifically, it investigated how risk identification, risk assessment and analysis, and risk mitigation strategies affect operational and financial risk response outcomes, including loan recovery effectiveness, liquidity management, departmental coordination, and overall organizational resilience. A cross-sectional research design employing a quantitative approach was adopted. The study population comprised SACCO staff across various departments, including administration, finance, credit/loan management, internal audit, and operations. A sample of 120 respondents was selected using stratified random sampling, of which 112 completed questionnaires were valid, yielding a response rate of 93.3%. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed that SACCOs in Lubaga Division implement structured risk management practices. Risk identification, risk assessment, and risk mitigation strategies were positively and significantly associated with effective risk response. Correlation analysis indicated significant positive relationships between risk identification (r = 0.63, p < 0.01), risk assessment and analysis (r = 0.59, p < 0.01), and risk mitigation strategies (r = 0.67, p < 0.01) with risk response. Multiple regression analysis showed that these risk management practices collectively explained 54% of the variance in risk response (R² = 0.54), with mitigation strategies demonstrating the strongest predictive effect (β = 0.35, p < 0.001). The study concludes that structured corporate risk management practices enhance SACCOs’ capacity to respond to operational and financial risks. The findings underscore the importance of integrating risk identification, assessment, and mitigation into daily SACCO operations to improve loan recovery, maintain liquidity, and strengthen organizational resilience. It is recommended that SACCO management institutionalize comprehensive risk management frameworks, provide regular staff training, allocate resources for risk mitigation, and ensure continuous

This study investigated the phenomenon of cognitive surrender among students in the context of increasing AI tool usage in higher education settings, and examined the effectiveness of specific pedagogical activities designed to foster critical thinking and counter over-reliance on AI-generated outputs. The study was conducted across three universities in Uganda, involving 312 students from undergraduate programs in social sciences, information technology, and education faculties who were regular users of AI tools including ChatGPT, Google Bard, and similar large language model-based assistants. A mixed-methods quasi-experimental design was employed, with students in experimental groups exposed to structured pedagogical interventions over a 12-week semester period while control groups continued with conventional instructional approaches. Pre- and post-intervention assessments using the WatsonGlaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) were administered to measure critical thinking competency changes.
Data were also collected through questionnaires, focus group discussions, and learning portfolio analysis. Findings indicated that cognitive surrender, defined as the uncritical acceptance and wholesale adoption of AI-generated content without independent verification, evaluation, or intellectual engagement, was prevalent among 67.3% of surveyed students prior to intervention. Post-intervention assessment showed that students in experimental groups demonstrated significant improvements in critical thinking scores (mean gain = 8.4 points on WGCTA) compared to control groups (mean gain = 1.9 points), confirming that targeted pedagogical interventions effectively promoted critical thinking and reduced cognitive surrender behaviors. The most effective pedagogical activities were structured AI output critique exercises, Socratic questioning seminars, collaborative fact-checking workshops, and AI-human comparative analysis tasks. The study concluded that proactive pedagogical design was essential to preserving critical intellectual agency in AI-augmented learning environments and recommended the integration of AI-critical pedagogy into curriculum frameworks across Ugandan higher education institutions.

Cultural tourism has emerged as a powerful tool for preserving indigenous heritage, yet its implementation in marginalized communities requires careful examination. This study investigates the relationship between cultural tourism development and the preservation of Batwa heritage and traditions in Kisoro District, Uganda. Using a mixed- methods approach combining semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and participatory observation with 120 Batwa community members and 45 tourism stakeholders, the research reveals that structured cultural tourism programs have significantly contributed to the revitalization of traditional practices, including pottery, honey hunting, and forest-based rituals. However, commercialization pressures and unequal benefit distribution threaten the authenticity of cultural expressions. The findings underscore the need for community-led governance structures, equitable revenue-sharing mechanisms, and culturally sensitive tourism frameworks to ensure that cultural tourism serves both heritage preservation and community economic empowerment. The study contributes to the growing literature on indigenous tourism and offers a replicable model for similar communities across East Africa.

This article examined the decision-making processes of chief executive officers operating within Ugandan private and public sector organizations, with a particular focus on the conditions under which impulsive decision-making emerged, the organizational contexts that facilitated or constrained such decisions, and the consequences of impulse-driven executive choices for organizational performance and stakeholder welfare. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with sixty-two CEOs drawn from diverse sectors including banking, manufacturing, telecommunications, agriculture, and public utilities, the study revealed that impulsive decision-making was both more prevalent and more consequential in the Ugandan corporate context than existing decision theory frameworks had predicted. The research identified a distinctive set of cultural, structural, and psychological factors that heightened the propensity for impulsive executive decision-making in Uganda, including high power distance organizational cultures, weak board governance, the personalization of organizational authority in executive figures, and the specific psychological pressures generated by Uganda's volatile economic and political environment. The findings suggested that while impulsive decisions occasionally produced positive outcomes through the exploitation of fleeting market opportunities, the systematic preference for speed over deliberation in executive decision-making had been associated with poor organizational performance, high staff turnover, financial mismanagement, and reputational damage across the organizations studied.