Day

By Innocent Atuganyira

MASINDI:
Leaders in Masindi are worried about hunger outbreak in the district following the increased sugarcane growing in the area.

The concern was raised recently during the supervision of government programs in the district by the parliamentary committee on agriculture, animal industry and fisheries.

Cosmas Byaruhanga, the Masindi district LCV chairperson told the parliamentary committee members in Pakanyi Sub County in Buruli County that most farmers with limited land within the district have resorted to sugarcane growing something he said may result in hunger outbreak in the district.

‘’Many farmers with limited land have resorted to sugarcane growing which may result in a hunger outbreak in the district,’’ he said.

Byaruhanga therefore asked the parliamentary committee to intervene in the matter.

In the recent district council sitting, Byaruhanga also raised a concern of people storming his office seeking for food due to hunger, something he claimed would not happen in the past.

‘’In the past, people would come to my office seeking help in terms of school fees, but now they are requesting for food’’ he told the council.

Recently during the launch of farmers Weigh Bridge in the district, Byaruhanga asked residents with limited land to desist from growing sugarcane if they want to fight hunger in their families.

In her response, Janet Grace Akech Okori-Moe, the parliamentary committee Chairperson said the issue would be discussed during their meetings.

Fred Ssebuguzi the Masindi District Production officer confirmed hunger outbreak in the district saying that the issue of farmers with limited land venturing into sugarcane growing has been on for the past five years.

He however disclosed that they are now feeling the impact of farmers with limited land venturing in the sugarcane growing business.

The Production Officer also attributed hunger outbreak to hailstorm that hit some parts of the district and also wild animals destroying plantations more especially those neighbouring Murchison Falls National Park.

On issue of hailstorm, Ssebuguzi said that they sent a report to the office of prime requesting for relief food, and on the issue of wild animals, the Uganda Wildlife Authority is hunting the wild animals destroying crops.

‘’Last season we registered a reduction in maize production, and the above issues are blamed for the reduction. We are sensitizing farmers with limited land to desist from sugarcane growing,’’ he said.

Meanwhile Robert Atugonza, the Chairperson Masindi Sugarcane Farmers Association Limited {MASGAL} admitted that there are farmers with limited land venturing in sugarcane growing.

He however said that the majority of farmers who have small land holdings are practicing intercropping while others are planting in the boundaries.

Atugonza asserts that the government needs to improve on extension service delivery, look for markets for agricultural produce and support farmers with quality seeds to increase food production in the district.

By Innocent Atuganyira

MASINDI:

Struggling Francis Kulabigwo, 78, a Former Uganda Cranes star has appealed to the government to help the ex-national team players after a colleague miserably died in Masindi.

Kulabigwo is a resident of Kyakatabuka in Kiryanga ward, Nyangahya Division, Masindi municipality.

The father of seven grandchildren explains that the government awarded them with medals without money attached, something he said has led to the suffering of ex-national Uganda Cranes Players.

His appeal comes after the miserable death of another former national team and Express FC legend, Jimmy Muguwa at his brother’s home in Kihande cell after battling dementia for nine years.

Kulabigwo wants government to carter for them as national icons as they struggle to survive in the current situations noting that his great former team mates who among others include Jimmy Kirunda, Omondi Philip, Timothy Ayeikoh, ‘Tank’ Mubiru, Mike Kiganda, Moses Nsereko, Eddie Ssemwanga all died in miserable ways.

Rogers Byamukama, the Bunyoro region FUFA delegate said Muguwa’s miserable death was unfortunate as a national icon but called upon the government to help the remaining legends to survive in the country.

He however said FUFA has always rendered help to the legends though he declined to reveal the help saying it’s not to help someone and then make it.

Who is Francis Kulabigwo?

Kulabigwo is a resident of Kyakatabuka in Kiryanga ward, Nyangahya Division, Masindi municipality in Masindi Municipality.

He is also referred to ‘’Kuli Beckenbauer’’ by Burkhard Pape, the German tactician who coached Uganda in the early seventies was born in 1944 to the late Lawrence Kabugano and Faburonia Kayimura of Kiryanga, Masindi.

Kulabigwo started out as a striker for Masindi Dynamo, a non-league team in 1966 at the age of 22.

The ex-cranes player was the star of the Western side that won the regional tournament from where he joined topflight Coffee FC and played in three Nations events (1968, 1974 and 1976), 4 clubs (Coffee, Police, Simba and Nytil).

He won two league titles (1971 and 1978), one Uganda Cup (1976) five Cecafa Cup titles with the Cranes (1969, 1970, 1973, 1976 and 1977) and was part of the Uganda cranes team that stormed the 1978 AFCON finals in Ghana.

Kulabigwo won several trophies as a player and coach but he is mostly remembered for the 1995 league title, Kakungulu cup and semifinals slot at the Africa championship with Express FC and was part of the Uganda cranes team that stormed the 1978 AFCON finals in Ghana.

By Kweronda Ambrose
RUKUNGIRI

Police in Rukungiri is holding a couple over the murder of their 35-year-old casual laborer
Luciano Tumwesigye 43 and Tumusiime Ruth 33 years are being held at Rukungiri central Police station over the death of Dickson Orireba 35 a casual laborer at their home in Nyamijumbi village Kigiiro parish Kebisoni sub county Rukungiri district.
According to ASP Elly Maate the Kigezi region Police spokesman, the deceased’s body was first discovered by a resident lying in a pool of blood near the gate of his Employers residence.
The first respondent informed the home owner and some neighbors about the presence of the body and proceeded to work as he alerted other residents
Police was at Mabanga police station was informed about the matter and moved to the scene only to discover that the body had been moved and dumped in a nearby eucalyptus plantation about 70 meters away from where it had been first sighted.
Suspecting foul play, The Primary and secondary scenes of crime were visited and documented by the District CID Officer and team, who introduced the police sniffer dog to the secondary scene with an intention of finding out the people who moved the body from the first scene to the second.
The sniffer dog traced the scents of the suspects to the homes of Luciano Tumwesigye and Mark Rugogo Rukirabashaija.
Tumwesigye and his wife Tumusiime were arrested for interrogation while Mark Rukirabashaija is on the run.
Maate says the body was taken to Rwakabengo health centre 111 for Postmortem to ascertain the actual cause of the death.
Inquiries underway.

By Sandra Tummwekwase
RUBIRIZI

Police in Rubirizi are investigating circumstances that led to the mysterious death of a 24 year old bar owner.

The deceased has been identified as Cleophas Kyarimpa a resident of Kyakabunda cell nyakasharu ward Rubirizi district.

According to Kaitesi the sister to the deceased, she called her on the morning of 11/9/2022 at around 1040/ c telling her she had some issues that were disturbing her.

However she didn’t open her bar up to 1300/c which got residents concerned and went knocking on her door but nobody responded.

SP Martial Tumusiime the greater Bushenyi police spokesperson told this reporter that they got a report about the incident at Nyakasharu police post ,visited the scene ,opened the house only to find kyarimpa lying dead on her bed, with vomits in the basin near her.

SP Tumusiime said they recorded some statements and recovered some exhibits

Body was taken to Rugazi health center 4 pending KIU hospital for autopsy whole inquiries are at hand under sudden death VIDE DEF 06/2022