Day

By Wilber Muhwezi Kasibante

In Bushenyi–

The minister of Justice and Constitutional affairs has disclosed that Mitooma district is now peaceful after the censure of the district chairman; Benon Karyeija.

In an exclusive interview with www.mknewslink.com at BMC in Sheema municipality over the weekend Kahinda said Karyeija divided the people of Mitooma when he was the district chairman; a reason why he was censured.

Benon Karyeija who was censured
The Mitooma district councilors on Monday July 24, 2017 impeached Karyeija basing on Tribunal’s report that convicted him on three counts of abuse of office.
The tribunal which was presided over by Justice David Matove heard from the district councilors that Karyeija fraudulently sold mine- earth[marram] at Rukukuru government prison without the procurement unit procedures.
The councilors also accused Karyeija of hiring a private personal driver without using the district service commission.

After being censured, Karyeija through his lawyers; Alex Kibandama and Paul Tusubila Advocates lodged an application in Kampala high court for injunction order against his councilors which was granted to him on July 28, 2017.

However, the councilors challenged him in court of Appeal and his impeachment was stayed.
Now Kainda says the district is progressing because Karyeija no longer has powers to destabilize development.
Silver Tumukuratire who was formerly the vice chairman is currently the acting district chairman.
Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email: wmuhwezi75gmail.com
Tel:+256702680106.

By Wilson Asiimwe
In Kasese–

Agricultural experts in the Rwenzori sub region are in fear over the
looming famine following anticipated poor maize yields in the region.

Kabarole, Kasese, Kamwenge, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa and Bunyangabu are majorly known for maize production, each district produces between 80,000 to 100,000 tons of maize per season according to the records at the respective production offices.

However several farmers are in loses following the drop in production due to the prolonged dry spell which hit the region at the end of last year.

Jacob Magara; a farmer in Rugendara in Kitswamba sub-county Kasese district said that he invested over 10 million shillings in the cultivation and preparation of 20 acres of maize but only harvested 100 kilograms.

“Am already in loses all my maize dried in the garden due to the prolonged drought I can’t even get half of the money which I injected in the farm,” Magara said.

Magara said that the loss will not only affect the farmers but also the
business community, especially maize processors and seed companies. He also anticipates high food prices due to the low yields.

Bwambale Fred, the manager Rugendabara maize millers association, one of the leading processors in Kasese said that the scarcity is already being felt. He said his company is only able to buy an average of 50kgs of maize a day, compared to the four tons bought daily during the normal harvesting season.

Bwambale even farmers who have the old stock fail to preserve it and it is therefore of poor quality. The price per kilogram has risen from 600 to 800 shillings.

“Many farmers are suffering loses and the little maize that was produced is also being exported to areas of South Sudan, Eastern Congo, Rwanda and Kenya and that has led to the increase in the cost of a kilogram of maize flour from 1200 to 2400 in the recent,” Bwambale said.

In Kamwenge the production of maize is severely under threat from a fast spreading maize disease known as Maize Lethal Necrosis Diseases.

Some of the affected farmers in the sub counties of Nkoma, Bwizi and
Nyambani said that the disease has been ravaging the areas since 2016.

Maize production in the district has since dropped by over 40 percent as a result of an outbreak of the disastrous virus disease that has ravaged the district.

“Several farmers have started abandoning the growing of maize because of the disease and maize is the main food crop and source of income for the people,” said Mwebembezi Joseph a farmer in Nkoma sub- County.

Maize Lethal Necrosis Disease is mainly spread by a vector, transmitting
the disease from plant to plant and field to field. Affected maize is
identified as having progressively yellowing leaves and stems with rotting cobs and in some cases, stunted plant growth.

Dr. Mugisha Richard an agriculturalist in Mubuku, Kasese district said all of the maize varieties grown in several parts of the Rwenzori region are susceptible to the disease.

“The only solution of eliminating maize lethal necrosis disease is to
develop resistant varieties otherwise many farmers are going to suffer
loses,” Mugisha said.
Uganda is still conducting confined field trials on maize in Kasese,
Namulonge in Wakiso and Serere districts as the country waits for the
passing of the Biosafety and Biotechnology law.
Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email: wmuhwezi75gmail.com
Tel:+256702680106.

By Wilson Asiimwe
In Kabarole–

41% of children aged six and below in Kabarole have stunted growth and 53% are anemic due to malnutrition.

Apollo Katisa the project coordinator for Uganda Mult –Sectoral food
security and nutrition project said on Saturday in Fort Portal town that
malnutrition is still a very big challenge especially in the rural parts of
Kabarole.

Katisa said that they had established school gardens in over 100 schools to sensitize both the learners and teachers on good feeding.

“Kabarole is still grappling with high cases of malnutrition which accounts for 41% of stunted children and 53% of anaemic we are working with schools in ensuring that children learn how to prepare and preserve local foods for proper nutrition,” Katisa said.

Jacob Businge a nutrition expert at Fort Portal regional referral hospital
said that malnutrition accounts for over 50% of the deaths among children aged six and below at the facility.

He said micro-nutrient deficient are widespread among children in Kabarole with 40% of children under five years are deficient in vitamin A while 40% of women between the ages of 15 and 50 are anemic.

Rehema Nabukeera, a member of the Orugali group under the Kabarole Resource and Research center (KRC) and Hivos, non-government organizations that advocate for the consumption and preservation of indigenous foods said that they are currently sensitizing people on the consumption of local food as one way of fighting malnutrition.

Nabukeera said that in 2016 several farmers were trained on how to prepare
and preserve indigenous food so as to fight malnutrition.

Some of the trained farmers
“As Orugali group we work with KRC and Hivos to advocate for the
consumption and preservation of indigenous foods through food festivals at
community level or major events,” Nabukeera said.

Nabukeera said the group also uses traditional cooking methods that
preserve food values and keep the food safe.

The indigenous food advocate is also a member of the Coalition of the
Willing-a group of 20 people which consist of National Organic Agriculture Movement, Fort Portal Municipal council, village councilors, street food vendors, small and medium enterprises, elders and artists mentored and supported by KRC that voluntarily came together to raise voices and concerns about healthy diets and the general food system in Kabarole District.

Currently malnutrition stands at 41.6% in Kabarole higher than the national rate of 35% according to the ministry of health.
Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email: wmuhwezi75gmail.com
Tel:+256702680106.

By Deo Okoodi
In Sheema–

President Museveni has ordered all parish chiefs in the country to
count and monitor mosquito net use in their respective areas of
jurisdiction.

Speaking at a closure out event of the mass mosquito net distribution
in the country at Kabwoe in Sheema over the weekend, the president directed the ministry of health to purchase a bicycle for each of the five thousand parish chiefs to enhance their movements counting and registering the use of distributed nets in each family.

The president’s directive follows concern earlier on raised by Dr
Yonas Tegen Worldemariam the world health organization country
representative who said that Uganda is not on track to achieve the
2020 targets of the WHO global technical strategy for malaria adding
that last year alone malaria incidences increased and called for the
president’s political might like the one he exhibited on HIV/AIDS so
as to enable the country to get back on track and eliminate malaria
completely out of the country.

The president also challenged local communities to try and prevent
themselves against malaria which he described as a disease of poverty,
saying it cripples individual and national development.

The government has since February 2017 distributed insecticide treated
mosquito nets and the campaign dubbed chase malaria sleep under
mosquito net.

The AMF country representative to Uganda David Masiko assured the
president that his organization will fund a two year post distribution
monitoring project during which 100.000 households in 58 districts
will be reached to provide information on net use and condition that
can help with ongoing malaria control efforts.
Source: www.mknewslink.com; a western Uganda news website.
Email: wmuhwezi75gmail.com
Tel:+256702680106.