Editorial Team/Staff Writers
The Bank of Uganda governor, Michael Atingi-Ego, has removed a like from a fact-check published by OJ-UGANDA more than two weeks ago about his economist’s false budget claim.
Mr Atingi-Ego had liked the fact-check on the professional networking and career-branding platform LinkedIn, without commenting.
But after the Weekend Monitor published an article saying the bank had failed to provide evidence that the fact-check was misleading, he removed the like.
The fact-check examined a claim by economist Pumla Nabachwa who said, while explaining how treasury bills and bonds work, that Uganda’s budget delivered in June is shs3.4tn.
“They read the budget earlier this month. So, the budget is so much, so I think it’s [Shs] 3.4 trillion or something,” she said.
Her comments were captured in a video posted on social media by REALity TV Uganda, a content-creation platform. The video has been shared more than 400 times.
OJ-UGANDA rated the economist’s claim false because the approved budget for 2026/27 is shs84.39tn. Ms Nabachwa’s claim was off by more than 24 times.
Six reasons you should trust what you read on this website—and share it with confidence
1. Led by experience that travels well
Our founder and editorial director, Musaazi NAMITI, brings more than two decades of serious newsroom experience, including eight years as an editor at Al Jazeera in Doha, Qatar, and consulting for the African Development Bank, UN agencies and Globe Media Asia in Cambodia. His global exposure anchors OJ-UGANDA.COM in professional rigour and fairness—standards that too often slip in Uganda’s crowded media space.
2. We fact-check with scientific precision
Verification is NOT a box we tick; it is how we bring journalism to life. We confirm spellings, dates, figures, places—every detail that shapes a story. If a fact looks shaky, we pause and probe. Emotion does not lead us; evidence does.
3. We are a legal entity and are fully registered
OJ-UGANDA.COM is a company registered with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau. Our registration number is: 80034266163714
4. Radical transparency in how we work
We do not hide behind mystery. We show readers how information is gathered, verified and edited. You will always understand why we stand by a story—because we will let you in on the process.
5. Accountability you can see
When we err, we do not sweep it under the carpet/rug. Our corrections policy ensures every error is corrected immediately, with a clear note explaining what went wrong and what has been fixed. No quiet deletions. No half-truths.
6. Fair treatment for contributors
If you write for us, your ideas remain yours. We refine, not usurp. We share every edited version before publication, and we publish only work that is fact-based and mutually agreed upon. Your voice stays authentic—and honest.
🔴We run a clean, professional news site that prioritises editorial quality and draws readers’ attention to what matters.
The bank did not respond to OJ-UGANDA’s questions about whether it stands by its claim that the fact-check was misleading, or whether it can provide evidence supporting its explanation of the shs3.4tn figure. OJ-UGANDA also asked the bank whether the Governor’s removal of the like reflected a change in his view of the fact-check. The bank did not respond.
On July 31, the bank’s media relations lead, Ishta Atukunda, emailed OJ-UGANDA to say that the fact-check was misleading and that the economist was referring to how much the government plans to borrow through government securities.
How it unfolded
-
1
Economist makes a false budget claim
-
2
OJ-UGANDA fact-checks it, rates it false
-
3
Governor likes the fact-check publicly
-
4
Bank of Uganda disputes it as “misleading,” but the cited document doesn’t back the claim
-
5
Editor writes about it in his Weekend Monitor column
-
6
Governor unlikes the fact-check
Ms Atukunda shared the National Budget Framework Paper FY2025/26–FY2029/30, which was released in 2024, without explaining why the economist, who was discussing treasury bills and bonds, had to cite a figure from a document unrelated to government securities.
The shs3.4tn listed in the document is for the Parish Development Model, not borrowing, as Ms Atukunda had claimed.
Editor’s Note: OJ-UGANDA’s editorial director, Musaazi Namiti, wrote the Weekend Monitor article referred to in this Brief But Hot. Mr Namiti is an independent contractor with the Weekend Monitor.
🔴 Brief But Hot brings you short, sharp takes on stories that are of great public interest—politically charged, emotionally raw or socially explosive. These are not long reads, but they pack a punch. When something happens that demands attention now, you will find it here.
You must be logged in to post a comment.