Day

By Aggrey Twesigye
www.mknewslink.com
In Mbarara

Farmers in Mbarara were yesterday awarded certificates for participating in the National agricultural show and exhibitions which took place in Jinja last year.
The ceremony which was organized by Mbarara district was meant to thank Farmers in Mbarara who participated in exhibitions and merged the national overall winners.
The chief guest, the deputy RDC Mbarara Emmy Kateera Turyabagyenyi told farmers to always work hard and practice commercial farming to gain more profits.
The chairman Mbarara District Farmers Association Francis Baryamwijuka warned farmers to be on alert following the invasion of desert locusts in Karamoja sub region.
The function was attended by farmers from different areas and institutions like Kamushoko, Bishop Stuart University, and Mbarara District Farmers Association

By Domisiano Ayebare
www.mknewslink.com
In Bushenyi
The minister for general duties in the office of the Prime Minister Mary Karooro Okurut has set next week for the final launching of skilling programme at the sub county level in Bushenyi district.
Karooro who is also the Bushenyi woman MP today 15th Feb. 2020 while speaking in a meeting at Motiver grand suites in Bushenyi confirmed that Coordinators will next week meet people who applied to study in skilling programme and those supposed to teach them at sub county level.
According to Karooro, this programme is from the government of president Museveni and it aims at equipping the youths with vocational skills in order to fight unemployment among them.
She called upon people to always engage themselves in government programs so that they can benefits from the government for development.
She added that sometime back through skilling programme 800 youths gained skills in different courses of; tailoring, building, motor vehicle mechanics and driving and other courses

By Sylvia Kugonza
www.mknewslink.com
In Kabarole

Cases of men abandoning families in Bunyangabu and Kabarole district are on rise a problem which is affecting children’s growth and wellbeing.
Children from such families struggle to get school fees for themselves as early as at primary level which is affecting their education.
The Rwenzori west community liaisons officer Solomon Mugisa has disclosed that at least 30 cases of family neglect are reported to police in one month.
Mugisa said that most cases are men neglecting their responsibilities to women.
The common cases are failing to provide food for the children, paying school fees among others.
Mugisa attributed the increased cases to polygamy, alcoholism, and poverty.
Mugisa further explained that this has affected many children resulting to drug abuse, family break up, early marriages among others.
Nyakaisiki Annette of Kabarole district who did not want to use her voice, a single mother explained that her husband abandoned the family after producing two pairs of twins and one other child convincing them that he was leaving for work but till now he has never returned
According to her, life has been complicated for her and the five children after they were chased from the house where the husband left them due to debts.
Currently the family is at the mercy of a well-wisher who temporarily offered them house as they look for where to go which the mother says they don’t have.
Pan cakes business is the only source for the children’s school fees and all the children from the young one to the oldest participate in baking, frying and selling of pancakes to look for their school fees and other scholastic materials.
This is a daily routine for these children in holidays, weekends and sometimes in the evening after classes despite other home cores like fetching water.
The single mother cannot currently dig after getting stomach operation thus calling for good Samaritans interventions for the future of her children.

By Grant Ahumuza
www.mknewslink.com
In Rukungiri

Sub county chairpersons and chiefs are set to receive motorcycles from president’s office to perform their duties effectively.
This was revealed by the Uganda Local Government Association (ULGA) chairperson for western Uganda Patrick Besigye Keihwa while addressing leaders at River side hotel in Rukingiri district yesterday in the ULGA annual meeting.
Keihwa revealed that some government programs haven’t been performed effectively because leaders do not have means of transport to reach rural areas.
He promised to take the message to the president such that every local chairperson and sub county chief gets a motor vehicle.
Keihwa said that even LCI and II are supposed to be provided with bicycles.
Josephine Kusemerelwa Kalege who represented the general secretary for ULGA promised that they will make a subscription for local revenue by amending the constitution of the association because the revenue collected from local government is sent to Uganda Revenue Authority in Kampala which has hindered independent decisions.
The meeting was attended by over 400 members from the regions of Rwenzori, Kigezi, Bunyoro and Tooro mainly to revise the aims of the association
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By Ronald Kabanza
www.mknewslink.com
In Rukungiri

The Uganda Local Government Association wants a ban on the creation of new districts and lower local government units to pave a way for effective service delivery. The call to the ban streams from the realization that some of newly created districts are grappling with lack of resources to run their planned activities.
Patrick Besigye Keihwa, the south western region association president told the annual western region meeting on Friday in Rukungiri that the central government should consider clear objectives in the creation of new districts.
He equally appealed to the communities to consider the advantages and disadvantages of creating new districts and lower local governing units because they have become a hindrance in service delivery.
Josephine Kushemererwa, the acting general secretary told the meeting that as an association, they have decided to devise means of advising the central government on operationalising the already existing administrative units other than coming up with new ones that cannot be funded.
The meeting delegates later agreed that parliament should formulate clear laws to guide creation of new district other than granting powers to any sitting president to create district status to appease people.
Already people of Rubabo County in Rukungiri district are demanding for creation of a new district as politics takes on the stage now.
Uganda local government association is an umbrella association of all districts and lower local government units in Uganda. Currently, the association covers 134 districts and over 2000 operational lower local governments.

By our reporter
www.mknewslink.com
In Kampala

Total Uganda and National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) have launched their partnership in hosting the 20th African Water Association (AfWA) Congress and Exhibition at the Total Head Office on plot 48th street.
The bi-annual congress is held by the African Water Association as part of a mechanism to enhance exchange of ideas and seek for innovative solutions related to the water and sanitation sector.
The Congress is organised by AfWA in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Environment and National Water and Sewerage Corporation on behalf of the Government of Uganda.
The AfWA Congress which will be officiated over by the President of Uganda, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, will focus on the new breakthrough solutions and innovations to address the current water and sanitation challenges in Africa It will be held at the Kampala Serena Hotel from 24th -27th February under the theme; “Breaking New Grounds to Accelerate Access to Water and Sanitation for all in Africa.”
Total Uganda has contributed $25,000 towards the activities and preparations of the AfWA Congress and will be hosting various activities for over 2,000 delegates and exhibitors.
Speaking during the launch, Obi Imemba, Total Uganda’s Managing Director said; “The importance of water and sanitation cannot be overemphasized. Total Uganda is guided by its goals to improve water and sanitation as a top priority in the communities we operate in.
Our partnership with NWSC shows our commitment to enhance the lives of people in our communities and ensure sustainable development. One of our main key focus areas is environmental sustainability and we believe that through our efforts, we can turn water and sanitation into a critical line of defence against climate change.”
Eng. Silver Mugisha, the Managing Director of NWSC said; “This partnership with Total goes to show that the concern in ensuring that there’s clean safe water for all is not only a government concern but that shared by the private sector too. This makes the drive to achieve the sustainable development goals come 2030 even more attainable.”
In the past, Total Uganda has been at the forefront of promoting health and sanitation in its areas of operation with donations to boost the fight against cholera in Hoima and Bulisa, aiding community health through donations of garbage bunkers and bins to Pakwach and Anaka towns and the rehabilitation of sanitary blocks destroyed by a storm at Kirama primary school in Bulisa district.