Day 1 in pictures at the Supreme Court in Kampala
by AdministratorMEDIA: PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION PETITION NO.1 2016 AMAMA MBABAZI Vs YOWERI MUSEVENI
SOURCE: ( New Vision, 10th March, 2016, https://tseverinoadvocates.com/politics/in-pictures-polls-petition-day-2/ )
by AdministratorKaramoja’s Structural Challenges and the Imperative for the KAPATU Project
Kampala, Uganda – East Africa / February 14, 2025.
By Counsel Twinobusingye Severino
The story of burying the pen and the book at Lomukura in Karamoja remains one of the most symbolic narratives in the region’s educational history. It reflects a deep-rooted tension between the promise of formal education and the painful experiences associated with colonial administration.
At the time, the elders of Karamoja were divided. One group supported the introduction of formal education for their children, while another strongly opposed it. Those opposed associated the pen and the book with colonial exploitation. They accused colonial authorities and their local agents of using the pen to conscript their children into foreign wars from which many never returned, while the same instrument was used by tax collectors to impose harsh and burdensome taxes on the local population.
As a result, the more radical elders resolved to bury the pen and the book at Lomukura in Kotido Municipality, treating them as symbols of oppression and collective suffering. Although a small number of families secretly sent their children to schools in Moroto District and Ngora in the neighboring Teso sub-region, the overwhelming majority of elders rejected formal education.
The KAPATU President, and also the Bishop of Kotido Catholic Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dominic Eibu MCCJ, together with the Deputy Vice Chancellor-Academic Affairs Prof. Annette Kezaabu, during a visit to Namejio Community Kraal School (NACOKS) and Akurun Akaalam monument in Lomukura village, Kotido Municipality, the site where elders from Karamoja unearthed the pen
The KAPATU President, and also the Bishop of Kotido Catholic Diocese, Rt. Rev. Dominic Eibu MCCJ, together with the Deputy Vice Chancellor-Academic Affairs Prof. Annette Kezaabu, during a visit to Namejio Community Kraal School (NACOKS) and Akurun Akaalam monument in Lomukura village, Kotido Municipality, the site where elders from Karamoja unearthed the pen
Nearly six decades later, a significant turning point emerged. On 5 November 2003, the First Lady of Uganda, now Minister for Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, presided over a historic ceremony at Lomukura during which the elders formally unearthed the pen and the book. This act symbolically reopened the path for education to take root in Karamoja.
A monument was erected to commemorate this milestone, marking a new era in the region’s transformation journey. Around this site, the local community established a makeshift community school where children gather after returning from herding cattle to acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills. However, despite operating for several years and enrolling significant numbers of learners, this school remains unrecognized by government authorities. It lacks basic infrastructure, including classrooms and sanitation facilities, highlighting the persistent gap between community initiative and state support.
The mere existence and sustained attendance of this community school is a clear testament to the profound shift in attitudes toward education among the Karimojong. It demonstrates that the community is now ready to fully embrace education as a pathway to development.
Nevertheless, education in Karamoja continues to face severe structural challenges. The sub-region records the lowest literacy rate in Uganda, at 30.4%, compared to the national average of 76.1%. School dropout rates remain high, compounded by poor infrastructure, chronic hunger, child labour in mining activities, and deeply entrenched cultural preferences for pastoralism. Although cattle rustling has historically exacerbated insecurity, the Resident District Commissioner of Kotido, Mr. Charles Ochogor, has confirmed that the area is now largely peaceful and poised for development.
Available research further indicates that more than 50% of children aged between 6 and 24 in Karamoja have never attended school, while approximately 86% of the youth population lacks any formal education. Youth unemployment exceeds 40%, affecting the most productive age group, which constitutes nearly 60% of the region’s population. This situation has fueled cycles of violence and social instability. Poverty levels in Karamoja remain the highest nationally, standing at 74.2%.
Equally concerning is the large proportion of extremely idle youth, estimated at between 60% and 68%, who are neither employed, enrolled in education, nor engaged in formal training or skills development. This represents a significant loss of human potential and a critical development challenge.
In light of these realities, only a holistic and transformative intervention can adequately address Karamoja’s development deficit. According to Dr. Robert Limlim, Head of the Karamoja Professionals Association, the sub-region suffers from long-standing underdevelopment driven by limited access to skills, knowledge, and institutional capacity. He argues that Karamoja urgently requires a comprehensive and sustainable solution.
It is within this context that the establishment of the Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) must be understood. The official unveiling of the KAPATU project on 23 November 2025 at Losilang, Kotido Municipality, by His Excellency the President of Uganda, represented by the Rt. Hon. Amama Mbabazi SC marked a decisive response to these challenges. KAPATU is envisioned as a transformative institution capable of addressing the structural roots of Karamoja’s underdevelopment.
KAPATU is a tripartite initiative involving the Catholic Lawyers’ Society International (CLASI), chaired by Counsel Twinobusingye Severino, who also serves as Chairperson of the KAPATU Council; the Kotido Catholic Diocese, led by Rt. Rev. Dominic Eibu MCCJ, who is also the KAPATU President, and the Government of Uganda.
The idea for KAPATU was conceived in 2014 following extensive research conducted by CLASI, which revealed a significant socio-economic and educational gap between Karamoja and the rest of the country, necessitating a holistic institutional response. In April 2023, the concept was formally operationalised when His Excellency the President, represented by Her Excellency the Vice President, Maj. Jessica Alupo, officially launched the project at the Uganda Episcopal Conference headquarters in Nsambya. This was followed by a groundbreaking ceremony at Losilang in July 2023, paving the way for the project’s formal unveiling in November 2025.
The local community regards KAPATU as a strategic anchor institution capable of driving socio-economic transformation, fostering peace, and promoting regional stability. Notably, on 16 December 2025, the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) conducted an inspection visit to KAPATU’s main campus at Losilang to assess its readiness to commence academic operations. The process toward the grant of a provisional license is currently underway, representing a major milestone in the realisation of Karamoja’s educational and developmental aspirations.
Through KAPATU, Karamoja stands on the threshold of a new chapter—one defined not by marginalisation, but by opportunity, skills development, peace, and sustainable transformation through education.
The writer is the Chairperson Council-KAPATU.
ABOUT KAPATU
KAPATU is a Nucleus National Public University established jointly by the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Kotido and Moroto, the Catholic Lawyers Society International (CLASI), headed by its president, Counsel Severino Twinobusingye, and the government of Uganda. Its main campus is situated at Losilang, Kotido municipality (Karamoja). The initiative aims to foster peace and sustainable development in the region through education.
It was conceived in 2014 but actualised on 29th April, 2023, in a colourful ceremony at Nsambya presided over by the Vice President of Uganda, H.E. Maj. Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, who represented H.E. the President. The KAPATU project is being overseen by a Strategic Leadership Committee comprising President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Chair/Founding Chancellor), Vice President Jessica Rose Epel Alupo (Founding Deputy Chancellor), and First Lady, also Minister for Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataha Museveni.
The government has, in the FY2025/26, allocated Shs180bn for the university’s establishment following a special cabinet sitting on 16th December 2024, chaired by H.E. the President and also attended by H.E. the Vice President.
Meanwhile, in her remarks, Prof. Biira explained that for NCHE to have come to Losilang, it was a testament that the Council received KAPATU’s Application for a License proposing a number of programs, the objectives and aims for which the University is being formed in addition to the academic facilities in place among others.
“Today is my first time to be in Karamoja and I now understand why we need this university and I think it’s the right time that we have this vision bear the fruits. So, we are here to celebrate the unearthing of the Pen. We urge you to give us the necessary information so that we write a report and forward to NCHE that is going to put the final nail” she said.
Prof. Biira said the team was impressed with the level of preparedness at KAPATU noting the availability of necessary Human resource already in place even before the University begins. She urged the management, Staff and Deans who have decided to be part of KAPATU to stay forever so that their report can stand a test of time.
The team was also impressed with availability of land to allow future expansion, noting that in other universities, they are a one-stop center with industries and innovation centers within the university.
“So, because you have land, this is also possible,” she said. Other areas of excellent score according to the team’s assessment included land ownership, ready policies in place, availability of infrastructure including library, computer lab, offices, availability of utilities, certificates of occupancy, Partnership MoUs, Mobilization of necessary financial support to sustain the university, human resource and academic programs. The team however, recommended some areas of improvement including engraving of KAPATU property for proof of ownership, separation of governance and management structures to avoid micro-management and recruitment of more core staff to run the proposed programs.
In his closing remarks, Bishop Eibu described the visit as historic, noting that the day shall remain in the books for years to come.
ABOUT KAPATU
KAPATU is a Nucleus National Public University established jointly by the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Kotido and Moroto, the Catholic Lawyers Society International (CLASI), headed by its president, Counsel Severino Twinobusingye, and the government of Uganda. With its main campus situated at Losilang, Kotido municipality (Karamoja). The initiative aims to foster peace and sustainable development in the region through education.
It was conceived in 2014 but actualised on 29th April, 2023, in a colourful ceremony at Nsambya presided over by H.E. the Vice President, Maj. Jessica Alupo, who represented H.E. the President. The KAPATU project is being overseen by a Strategic Leadership Committee comprising President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Chair/Founding Chancellor), Vice President Jessica Alupo (Founding Deputy Chancellor), and First Lady, also Minister for Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataha Museveni.
The government has, in the FY2025/26, allocated Shs180bn for the university’s establishment following a special cabinet sitting on 16th December 2024, chaired by H.E. the President and also attended by H.E. the Vice President.
by AdministratorProtecting the Gains! CLASI President Twinobusingye Severino Rallies Citizens to Prioritize Peace Ahead of Uganda’s Presidential Elections
Kanungu, Uganda – East Africa / January, 2026.
The President of Catholic Lawyers’ Society International (CLASI), Counsel Severino Twinobusingye, has emphasized the need for Ugandans to prioritize peace and security as critical gains they must safeguard as they go to elect their President tomorrow.
The elections are due to take place tomorrow, January 15, 2026, countrywide, with voters expected to elect the President, Member of Parliament, and District Woman Representative.
Counsel Twinobusingye who also doubles as the Principal Legal Advisor to the Chief Coordinator of Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), as well as a Senior Presidential Adviser on National Defense, General Salim Saleh, made the remarks while appearing on Kikinzi FM, a local radio station in Kanungu district (Western Uganda).
He noted that the upcoming election is critical for the continuity of the prevailing national security, peace, and wealth.
“All the developments that we have experienced over so many years have been around under the leadership of President Museveni and have been as a result of Peace. The central message is the protection of the gains achieved under the current leadership. So, it is peace that matters more than anything else” he said.
In pictures:
According to Counsel Twinobusingye, Peace is fundamental for everyone’s health, education, and stability. He explained that, whereas some people argue that one cannot eat peace, they forget that without it, wealth becomes a storm and disappears.
“To understand peace, one needs to experience war. If you have ever found yourself in a situation of war, that’s when you can appreciate what it means, because with peace, you can work and have money. But if bricks are flying over your head, bombs are all over the place, then that’s when you will realize how important peace is. Those who say without money in your pocket, there is no peace, do not understand the meaning of Peace. Peace enables people to plan and invest because the economic future is predictable. And so, the vote that we are going into is a vote of Peace,” He said.
He advised citizens on the message from the Office of the President, urging them to vote peacefully as the country is stable and the security situation is under control.
Regarding sectarianism, Counsel Twinobusingye strongly advised citizens against mixing religion and politics, emphasizing that politics is about the management of society and providing services like roads, hospitals, and schools.
He cited his personal childhood story of having to walk 14 kilometers every day to a Catholic school instead of attending a nearby Anglican school, attributing this to religious divisions at the time. He, therefore, urged voters to shun any leader who tells them to vote based on their church or mosque.
“Religion is a private matter between a human being and God. Otherwise, who knows the religion of the medicine we use? Is it Catholic, Protestant, or Muslim? It is just medicine. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) leadership is accommodative, all-embracing, and non-sectarian,” He rallied.
Twinobusingye also downplayed arguments by some individuals demanding the ruling NRM to leave power, having spent 40 years, saying such views are merely a marketing strategy by opponents who want to get into power.
He cautioned people against wasting their precious time at polling stations after casting their vote, under the guise of protecting their votes. He explained to the people the whole process, as it goes right from voting up to the declaration of results, emphasizing that whether voters remain at the polling station or not, it is irrelevant. He warned that the slogan encouraging people to ‘secure their vote’ after voting is only intended to promote violence.
“Once the ballot paper has been put in the ballot box, it will be removed and counted and recorded on the Declaration Form, entered in records, and what follows next is the announcement by the Electoral Commission. So, what does your waiting add to that exercise? You stand there for the whole day after voting. Why are you wasting time? Why don’t you go and do other things? Nobody should allow chaos. If you have finished voting, just go home, rest, and wait for what the Electoral Commission will say. The Electoral Commission is mandated to count, record, and announce the results; voters have no control over this process,” He guided.
Regarding the implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), Counsel Twinobusingye explained the importance of this program and urged the masses to shun whoever advocates for its dissolution. He said the program is a government system designed to ensure that it puts money into people’s pockets, especially the most vulnerable poor, who constitute about 36%.
He said OWC, under the guidance of the President and General Salim Saleh, has been instrumental in ensuring money from the PDM goes into people’s pockets.
“You can see when someone says that he’s going to close this, it means that he’s saying that this 36% people in Uganda should be completely left over and they remain in poverty. We are saying that under certain circumstances, they must be gotten out of poverty. We have tried, and we are determined to do that,” He said.
by AdministratorREPORT: Narrative Brief to H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Inauguration of KAPATU
The Narrative Brief presented to H.E. the President of the Republic of Uganda and KAPATU Founding Chancellor, Gen. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is both a historical reflection and a declaration of transformation. It chronicles the long, complex, and redemptive journey of the Karamojong people from cultural resistance of formal education, symbolized by the rejection and ‘burying of the pen’ in Akwapowa-Nadunget-Matheniko of Moroto in 1911 and Lomukura-Losilang-Jie of Kotido in 1942, to intellectual renaissance of embracing formal education symbolized by the ‘Unearthing the Pen’ in November 1995, culminating in the November 2025, establishment of the Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) — a monumental institution that symbolizes the triumph of peace, education, and national unity under Your Excellency’s visionary leadership.
by AdministratorNCHE Visits KAPATU Project Main Campus to Assess Readiness for Starting Academic Programs
Kotido, Uganda – East Africa / December 16, 2025.
On December 16, 2025, the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) visited the Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) project’s Main Campus located in Losilang, Kotido Municipality. The purpose of the visit was to assess the university’s readiness to commence academic programs, following a recent application from its management for a Provisional License from the Council.
The team, led by Dr. Saphina Biira, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration at Busitema University, was welcomed by KAPATU President and Kotido Catholic Diocese Bishop Dominic Eibu MCCJ, along with the university management and strategic leadership team.
During the visit, the team toured various facilities at the Losilang campus, including key offices, the Main Library, Computer Lab, dormitories, sports facilities, and the sickbay, among others. The team also requested all necessary legal documents related to land ownership, including Certificates of Occupancy issued by the local government that confirm the suitability of all existing structures for human settlement and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with partners.
In his welcome remarks, Bishop Eibu explained the strategic importance of KAPATU to the Karamoja region, noting that the government intends to use the institution to address issues of insecurity in the area.
“I am pleased to observe that what started as a small initiative is evolving into a substantial project. The President has fulfilled his role by providing electricity, and now it is time to begin transforming our people. The Jie community is now joining the rest of Karamoja to unearth the pen” he said adding that although KAPATU applied for a Provisional License, His Excellency the President envisions the proposed University to be a Nucleus National Public University.
The Vice Chancellor Prof. Rev. Fr. Callisto Locheng AJ, informed the team that KAPATU is a serious business with a vision shared passionately by several people.
“We are all here to give you support so that you get all the information you need to facilitate the transformation and development of this university” he assured the team.
The RDC Kotido district Mr. Ichogor Charles, described KAPATU as a magic bullet that is going to trigger the desired socio-economic transformation of Karamoja in particular and Uganda in general. He said KAPATU would play a pivotal role in bringing about peace and stability in the region.
“As government, we are going to work together and ensure that KAPATU fulfils the manifesto of Protecting the Gains. Nobody should interfere in the process of establishing this university. We have waited for so long, and the time is now,” he said, adding that Karamoja is now peaceful and needs development.
“We’re disrupting the society of Karamoja. Karamoja needs to be disrupted in a positive way so that it can catch up with the rest of the world,” added Amb. Lt. Gen. Phillip Idro, the Chief of Security at the KAPATU project.
Meanwhile, in her remarks, Prof. Biira explained that for NCHE to have come to Losilang, it was a testament that the Council received KAPATU’s Application for a License proposing a number of programs, the objectives and aims for which the University is being formed in addition to the academic facilities in place among others.
“Today is my first time to be in Karamoja and I now understand why we need this university and I think it’s the right time that we have this vision bear the fruits. So, we are here to celebrate the unearthing of the Pen. We urge you to give us the necessary information so that we write a report and forward to NCHE that is going to put the final nail” she said.
Prof. Biira said the team was impressed with the level of preparedness at KAPATU noting the availability of necessary Human resource already in place even before the University begins. She urged the management, Staff and Deans who have decided to be part of KAPATU to stay forever so that their report can stand a test of time.
The team was also impressed with availability of land to allow future expansion, noting that in other universities, they are a one-stop center with industries and innovation centers within the university.
“So, because you have land, this is also possible,” she said. Other areas of excellent score according to the team’s assessment included land ownership, ready policies in place, availability of infrastructure including library, computer lab, offices, availability of utilities, certificates of occupancy, Partnership MoUs, Mobilization of necessary financial support to sustain the university, human resource and academic programs. The team however, recommended some areas of improvement including engraving of KAPATU property for proof of ownership, separation of governance and management structures to avoid micro-management and recruitment of more core staff to run the proposed programs.
In his closing remarks, Bishop Eibu described the visit as historic, noting that the day shall remain in the books for years to come.
ABOUT KAPATU
KAPATU is a Nucleus National Public University established jointly by the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Kotido and Moroto, the Catholic Lawyers Society International (CLASI), headed by its president, Counsel Severino Twinobusingye, and the government of Uganda. With its main campus situated at Losilang, Kotido municipality (Karamoja). The initiative aims to foster peace and sustainable development in the region through education.
It was conceived in 2014 but actualised on 29th April, 2023, in a colourful ceremony at Nsambya presided over by H.E. the Vice President, Maj. Jessica Alupo, who represented H.E. the President. The KAPATU project is being overseen by a Strategic Leadership Committee comprising President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni (Chair/Founding Chancellor), Vice President Jessica Alupo (Founding Deputy Chancellor), and First Lady, also Minister for Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataha Museveni.
The government has, in the FY2025/26, allocated Shs180bn for the university’s establishment following a special cabinet sitting on 16th December 2024, chaired by H.E. the President and also attended by H.E. the Vice President.
by AdministratorSpeech by Rt. Hon. Amama Mbabazi SC at KAPATU Unveiling
Kotido, Uganda – East Africa / November 23, 2025
The Chief Guest Rt. Hon. Amama Mbabazi SC, KAPATU Chief International Fundraiser, and Special Envoy of the President of the Republic of Uganda for the Great Lakes Region, South Sudan and Ethiopia, delivers a speech at the Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) Project Thanksgiving and Unveiling ceremony in Losilang, Kotido District on November 23, 2025.
Rt. Hon. Mbabazi presided over the event as the Chief Guest, representing H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the President of the Republic of Uganda, and the Founding Chancellor of the KAPATU Project.
Watch the video below:
by AdministratorVIDEO: Speech by Hon. David Bwangamoe Pulkol at KAPATU Unveiling
Kotido, Uganda – East Africa / November 23, 2025
Hon. David Bwangamoe Pulkol, KAPATU Chairperson Appointments Board, delivers a speech at the Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) Project Thanksgiving and Unveiling ceremony in Losilang, Kotido District on November 23, 2025.
by AdministratorVIDEO: Speech by Mr. Charles Ichogor at KAPATU Unveiling
Kotido, Uganda – East Africa / November 23, 2025
Mr Charles Ichogor, Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Kotido District, delivers a speech at the Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) Project Thanksgiving and Unveiling ceremony in Losilang, Kotido District, on November 23, 2025.Watch the video below:
by AdministratorVIDEO: Speech by Rev. Can. Dr. Alex Kangume at KAPATU Unveiling
Kotido, Uganda – East Africa / November 23, 2025
Rev. Can. Dr. Alex Kangume, Deputy Executive Director – National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), delivers a speech at the Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) Project Thanksgiving and Unveiling ceremony in Losilang, Kotido District on November 23, 2025.
by AdministratorVIDEO: Speech by Hon. Paul Lotee at KAPATU Unveiling
Kotido, Uganda – East Africa / November 23, 2025
Hon. Paul Lotee Komol, the LC5 Chairperson of Kotido District, delivers a speech at the Karamoja Peace and Technology University (KAPATU) Project Thanksgiving and Unveiling ceremony in Losilang, Kotido District, on November 23, 2025.