Day

By www.mknewslink.com reporters
In Kampala–

Today, U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Deborah R. Malac presided over the swearing-in ceremony for the newest group of U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers in Uganda. The 25 Volunteers will specialize in educational activities, specifically with the objective of promoting reading and literacy.

Volunteers serve in Ugandan communities for two years, working hand-in-hand with local partners to help improve the lives of people in the communities where they live and work. Prior to the swearing-in ceremony, the Volunteers spent nearly three months in-country to sharpen their skills and immerse themselves in Ugandan culture.

This included spending four weeks with host families to learn local language and culture, allowing them to connect and interact with the residents they are to serve, and to share their own experiences about America with their hosts.

The Volunteers also received technical school-based training at Shimoni Core Primary Teachers’ College and Kira Primary School respectively. They later travelled to work sites throughout Uganda.

In her remarks at the ceremony, Ambassador Malac applauded the cooperation between the people of Uganda and America that has characterized the Peace Corps program over the years and underscored the importance Peace Corps’ educational activities.

The latest cohort brings the number of Peace Corps Education Volunteers serving in Uganda to 59 and the total number of Peace Corps Volunteers in-country to 162. The sectors covered include public health, agribusiness, and primary education. More than 1,700 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Ugandan since the program was established in the country in 1964.

Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email:wmuhwezi75@gmail.com
Tel: 0702680106

By Yosam Gucwaki
In Masindi—

Caroline Ampire, a ten year old girl who went missing in November 2016 as she was returning home from school has been recovered after almost two years.
Ampire; a daughter to Christine Nakalema Nassaka; a resident of Rufura village in Kiboga town, Kiboga district was allegedly kidnapped by a man as she was returning from Delta Nursery and Primary School. By then, she was eight years.
Ampire who was found in Kichandi Village, Rukondwa parish in Masindi district on Monday at the home of one Yoronimu Baganda says she was taken to Masindi by a strange man who had offered her a lift from school.
It is alleged that the man identified as Denis Atugonza, kidnapped Ampaire and another child Rebecca Mbabazi and took them to his
mother’s home.
According to the children, Atugonza threatened to kill them, if they revealed to anyone that he was not their biological father.
However, the girls have got a chance to narrate their ordeal after Atugonza’s death.
Atugonza was allegedly lynched by angry residents of Masindi on accusations of theft.
Following Atugonza’s death, his relatives convened a meeting to discuss how to look after the two girls. During the meeting, his father Yoronimu Baganda rejected the children saying his son had no biological children.

The issue caused tension among family members which forced Baganda to seek police intervention.
On interrogation, the children told police in the meeting that they were kidnapped by Atugonza in November 2016.

Ampaire has now been reunited with her family though police is still searching for Rebecca Mbabazi’s family.
Felix Fred Nyakatuura Ampire’s uncle wants police to investigate whether Atugonza is dead as claimed and the motive behind his act.
Before his death, Atugonza had enrolled the children at Kina primary school.

According to the police spokes person Albertine region; Allan Hakiza, the two kids were kidnapped in 2016 while they were returning from school.

He said that they were two kids noting that one returned to the parents after identification adding that the other is still with the grand parents.
Hakiza called upon the parents to always escort their children to school and pick them if they are to avoid such incidents.

Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email:wmuhwezi75@gmail.com
Tel: 0702680106

By Barak Tukashaba
In Rukungiri–
Over one hundred and four Tea farmers in Rukungiri district are stuck with over thirty million (30,000,000) tea seedlings in their nursery beds.

The tea growers say that in 2015 they were mobilized by officials from National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) to grow tea in the district and that government will buy the seedlings or construct for them tea factory with the district as one way of eradicating poverty from their families.

Farmers upheld the project since they were told that in period
equivalent to one year they will earn at least between fifty seven million and one hundred seventy million if they manage to grow over six million seedlings within the district.

Farmers claim that three years ago with the project the few seedlings they supplied they didn’t pay them, no enough land were to grow tea, and that for those that managed to grow they are yet to pluck but in the district there is no factory.

They also blame district officials for neglecting to support them in terms of guidance and taking their voices to the concerned “they just left us stranded with no help and support with the project yet they are ones always telling us to participate in government project but we are now looking at it as useless to us very few of us with money they are the ones still struggling with the project.” they said.

Apollo Bakamukunda; a tea grower in Rukungiri municipality says that the government left them stranded with the project after they have wasted in a lot of their money and time now they are tired of it even most of them don’t want to hear or listen anything concerning tea.
“I sold my plot to invest in the project because they were telling us that it is beneficial in a period not more than one year but now Iam stuck with over eight hundred thousand seedlings (800,000) in the nursery bed even the few that were distributed were on loan.” Bakamukunda told www.mknewslink.com reporter.

At least one hundred and four nursery beds were raised within
Rukungiri district.
Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email:wmuhwezi75@gmail.com
Tel: 0702680106

By Yosam Gucwaki
In Masindi–

The chairperson social services committee Masindi district local government;William Mwambu, has instructed the authorities in the district education department to compile a list of all unlicensed schools across the district and expose them to the media.

Mwambu made the directive yesterday during the social services
committee meeting at the district chambers.

He noted that they are doing this as one way of preventing parents from taking children to fake schools. He added that their many mushrooming schools in the district but they have no standard requirements.

Last year, over ten children at Horizon secondary school in Masindi municipality missed sitting for their UNEB exams because their head teacher and the director never registered them with UNEB and yet they had paid all the money for registration.

Education Authorities at the municipality tried to apply for the late
registration in vain but the students were advised to repeat in 2018.
Mwambu explained that as the committee responsible for social services they don’t want to see this happen again in the district.

Godfrey Baharagate, the inspector of schools in charge of Buruli county, said that the process has already began noting that by the end of next week the list is going to be out.
Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email:wmuhwezi75@gmail.com
Tel: 0702680106

By Our reporter
In Bushenyi—
The wars surrounding Bushenyi district local government are not yet over as the inspector general of government releases the 2017 corruption report.
According to the report Bushenyi district is ranked number 44th among the most corrupt districts in Uganda thus causing counter accusations among the local leaders, technocrats and other stake holders.

CAO:Elias Byamungu

Jafari Basajjabalaba; the district chairperson says the report is very true but accused the technical wing lead by the chief administrative officer Elias Byamungu of failure to do their work efficiently.
He said that his regime inherited rotten and corrupt offices and this has greatly affected the performance in most sensitive areas in the district.
He said that they have several times communicated to the president’s office reporting corruption in the district and how the past regime of Wills Bashaasha and former CAO Lillian Nakamatte mishandled the local government funds but no response was made.
“We inherited a regime that was too rotten and corrupt so we petitioned the IGG, Solicitor General plus the president’s office to come for our rescue.I think basing on our complaints, this is a reason why the IGG ranked the district 44th among corrupt districts.
Basajabalaba further accused the works department lead by the district Eng. Banabus Mbonimpa of doing shoddy work and extorting money from the locals to work on their private roads using government equipments.
However, when contacted the Works Department’s focal person; Eng. Samuel Katungi accused the district political leaders of using their positions to serve their interests.
“When you fail to serve these people’s interests, they start making false allegations but we look forward to try our level best and ensure that people have services”said Katungye.
Katunngye said that in the past they have been using fake Chinese machines and this has cost the district a lot of money and time in addition failure to finish the work in time.
He added that though the local leaders have a role to play, they should not interfere with the technocrats.
When contacted the district chief administrative officer; Elias Byamungu said that one of the tasks he came to do in the district was to clean all the messes done by the past regime and to ensure that all systems work.
“One of the reasons I was posted to Bushenyi was to clean up all the messes and ensure that systems are working and I will ensure that before I leave I put Bushenyi at a level where there corruption is no more ”said Byamungu.
He disclosed that he used all possible avenues to punish corrupt officers in the district, giving an example of Abias Asiimwe;the chief finance officer among others who was interdicted on grounds of mishandling government funds.
Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email:wmuhwezi75@gmail.com
Tel: 0702680106

By Elly Karenzi
In Ibanda–
A man suspected to have killed his wife has died while in police detention.
George Bishamiko,50; a resident of Kakatsi village in Bisheeshe division ,Ibanda district was arrested last week and detained at Ibanda police central headquarters and later developed some complications.
The officer in charge, criminal investigating department, Ms. Suzan Tumuramye said Bishamiko’s conditions started worsening and he was referred to Mbarara referral hospital for treatment before he died on the way.
The cause of his death was not yet established by the time we filed this story as the police were still investigating and waiting for a postmortem report from medical doctors.
Evalyline Nabaasa aged 35 was killed in a domestic quarrel at home when her husband lost temper and picked a panga, chopping off her head. Nabaasa was buried on Saturday in Kakatsi village at her husband’s ground.
The police have warned the couples against wrangles that could result into killing each other thus advising them to solve their grievances amicably at a local council level or in their respective churches.
Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email:wmuhwezi75@gmail.com
Tel: 0702680106