Manasseh Wepundi

The Perilous Path of Uganda’s Opposition Election Challengers: 2001-2026 (Don't Try This at Home) Being an opposition leader and the primary challenger to President Yoweri Museveni, who has held power for 40 years and is set to extend his rule to 45, remains one of the most perilous political roles anywhere. For two decades, Dr Kizza Besigye (L) faced an unending campaign of suppression during every election cycle: 2001: Following the election, Besigye was forced into temporary exile in South Africa after facing threats of arrest and violence. 2006: Upon returning to run, he was arrested and charged with treason and rape just weeks before the vote. Despite being acquitted, he was arrested over 50 times throughout his career, often during election periods (and has been in jail since November 2024). 2011: Shortly after the polls, during the "Walk to Work" protests, Besigye was brutally assaulted by security forces, partially blinded by pepper spray, and required emergency hospitalisation in Nairobi. 2016: Besigye was placed under immediate house arrest following the vote, while his home was placed under a security blockade. The "siege" of his residence lasted years. The 2021 and 2026 elections saw the mantle pass to Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) (R), with the state employing similar, if not intensified, tactics: 2021 Election: After the January 14 vote, the military and police laid siege to Kyagulanyi’s home for 11 days, effectively placing him under house arrest until a court ruling ordered their withdrawal. January 15, 2026: Following the just-concluded general election, Kyagulanyi was again placed under immediate house arrest, with a heavy military and police presence cordoning off his residence in Magere, Kampala. January 16, 2026: In a dramatic escalation, security forces reportely broke into his compound. He was seized and taken to an undisclosed location, presumably to prevent him from leading any public rejection of the results. The events of January 2026 confirm that in Uganda, the transition from candidate to prisoner is a standard feature of the electoral process. It is certainly not a job for the faint of heart, or even one you can casually wish on your enemy.

As the year draws to a close, we are reminded of a heartbreaking discovery made weeks ago at Leopard Beach, Kwale County, where a whale was found dead. A postmortem conducted by KWS Veterinarian Dr. Asuka Takita revealed a plastic container lodged in its intestine. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 - 𝐢𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. Plastic waste in the ocean persists for years, drifting and sinking through marine ecosystems where it harms and kills marine life. This loss demonstrates the far-reaching impact of human pollution. As we look to the 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫, let us choose responsibility. 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬. #StopOceanLitter #ProtectOurOceans #SaveMarineLife #TunzaMaliYako

Eritrea has withdrawn from East African regional bloc Igad, accusing the organisation of "becoming a tool against" countries. Eritrea's foreign ministry says that the bloc is also failing its founding principles and not contributing to regional stability. bbc.in/3MveXLz

Breaking news: WE WON! The Kenya Seed and Plants Varieties Act, which threatened to fine and jail farmers for sharing uncertified seeds, has been declared unconstitutional! Farmers break into celebration at the offices of Greenpeace Africa, which sponsored the case

Bodabodas keep our cities moving, but the smoke that trails behind tells another story. Most motorcycles run on petrol, releasing carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and fine particles that pollute the air we all breathe. Switching to electric motorcycles means cleaner air, quieter streets, and lower fuel costs. It’s a win for your wallet, your health, and our planet. Take a moment to listen to Kulema, the Bodaboda Association Chair in Nairobi, as he shares why the future of transport is electric, and how riders can lead the charge. #BreatheNairobi #CleanAir4Nairobi @047County @CleanAirFund @BreatheCities @UNEP @WHO

My brothers and sisters, As I promised, allow me to bring to your attention something extremely dangerous we’ve uncovered this month. For weeks, my team and I have been investigating the type of cooking oil used by ordinary Kenyans. In the process, three employees from within the power sector reached out to us, terrified but determined to speak. They revealed that some individuals have allegedly been selling transformer oil to food vendors in Kisumu. We didn’t believe it at first. We posed as restaurant owners, made calls, and yes someone was ready to sell the oil, saying it "fries better" and "lasts longer." They are selling the oil at KSh 500 to 1000 per litre. In Nyanza, there’s believed to be a depot where the oil is stored and delivered to clients, with payments allegedly done in cash. They say it makes fish crunchier and fries crispier. Now I don’t want you to take my word for it, if you have internet, go and search what transformer oil does to the kidneys and liver, and what cancers it can cause when used in food. Yet many ordinary Kenyans may be eating it unknowingly when buying fried fish or chips. We even traced possible leads of similar sales in Nairobi and Mombasa. We’ve shared what we found with journalists for further verification because this issue is too serious to stay silent about. Two of my colleagues have already received threats, but we won’t stop. This is not politics. This is about our health, our children, and our right to safe food. But my brothers and sisters, this is bigger than just a story. This is about our lives. This is about what we eat. This is about a system that has failed to protect us. Don’t wait for a press conference. Don’t wait for denial. Protect your families. Question what you eat. If possible avoid these fried foods on streets Because as always, we are on our own.

A University of Bremen study has uncovered that many popular health and fitness apps transmit user data before consent, using manipulative design tricks and vague privacy policies that undermine true transparency. digitaltrends.com/wearables/brem…

Female Track Athlete of the Year nominee ✨ Repost to vote for @Kipyegon_Faith 🇰🇪 in the #AthleticsAwards. Voting closes on Sunday 19 October at 11:59 PM CEST.

Interesting feature from banks in Nigeria: "These banks are quietly rolling out 'panic passwords' and fake-balance modes that let you survive a robbery without losing your savings" Anything like this in Kenya? (via @NiNanjira)

The prospectus of Kenya's latest Eurobond issuance (US$750.0M 7.875% 2033 & US$750.0M 8.80% 2038) curiously states that the 9th Review of Kenya's ECF/EFF program with the IMF was concluded on July 10th, 2025 & yielded a US$976.0M disbursement. Huh? Are we looking at the same program? The 9th Review was aborted on March 17th following what the IMF indicated was mutual agreement with Kenya's authorities (See quoted tweet). The prospectus indicates total disbursements since the inception of the program stood at US$3.8 billion, my math is at US$3.6 billion.

Migratory birds connect not only ecosystems, but also people and nations. Saturday’s #WorldMigratoryBirdDay highlights the importance of living in harmony with nature — by building bird-friendly communities and cities. worldmigratorybirdday.org

Today is #WorldMigratoryBirdDay! This year highlights the importance of creating more bird-friendly cities and communities. Through good city planning, creating healthy habitats, reducing pollution and preventing collisions w/ glass and other objects, everyone can take action.

🌿 This #MazingiraDay, GBM & @NakuruCountyGov bring together 200+ youth at @egertonunikenya to lead Kenya’s green revolution. The youth hold the key to Kenya's 15 Billion trees target. 🌱Read more in today’s People Daily featuring our Advocacy Manager, Job Mwangi. 💚#TeamGBM

I dared to try 💜 #Breaking4 was about showing the world that we have to push ourselves. This one was for all the young girls and women out there to show that you have to believe in yourself in everything you do.

If I were to give you a simple answer, then it'd just be... Uganda. But now that Too Early for Birds exists to tell Kenyan history in a dope way, then let me narrate the whole disappearance story of one Kung'u Karumba! Thread🧵:

@KenyaPower_Care @KenyaPower The power poles of this power line in Mashuuru, Kajiado, have collapsed for months now. The transformer too. How much longer? @EnergyMinK

Chinese-owned fishing barges are operating in Lamu. The Chinese boats are registered in Kenya and operating in Lamu, where local fishermen struggle to earn a living through small-scale fishing. The Chinese-funded crews harvest fish on an unsustainable industrial scale. The Chinese fishing boats do not bring anything of value to the Lamu community but just take. They put kilometre-long nets that destroy the environment, as well as catch all the fish in the area. Numbering about 20 people, they have camped in Mada, Lamu. Each boat has a captain and five crew members of Kenyan nationality. The fishing crew is managed by a Chinese national, Wu Zhili. Yesterday, they went out and put about 50 lobster traps in the sea. How is intensive fishing allowed by the authorities? If nothing is done, there will be nothing left for the Lamu fishermen soon, pushing their families into abject poverty. #SemaUkweli

Hi ladies, my friend and I were violently attacked and robbed on Sunday while hiking at the Ngong Hills. This happened at 1pm. Now, I understand that this has been ongoing and nothing is being done. They know the guy and even his MO. I don’t want anyone to feel as helpless as I did that day. If anyone knows someone at DCI who can help us please let me know. I can ping my phone’s location and would like the thug arrested. In the meantime ladies, please stay clear of Ngong Hills or only hike as a group with a man in the group. Thank you. Kaleah. PS: Kevin McCool rider No. 7 was shot in an attempted mugging at Ngong Hills. We thought his condition was stable but sadly he didn’t pull through. @KeForestService @DCI_Kenya @NPSOfficial_KE

Tuesday, December 5th at 9–11 a.m Discover master's and PhD opportunities in China at our upcoming webinar. Mr. Noah Namwamba, an ongoing PhD student, will share valuable insights on the application process. Mark your calendars! #Scholarships #StudyinChina #Lastingimpressions

Four Kenyan women living with HIV have won a legal battle against Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Marie Stopes International and state-run Pumwani Maternity Hospital over being sterilised without their informed consent. This is their story. #WorldAIDSDay