Day

By Ambrose Kweronda

Kabale

Residents of Greater Kabale District continue to question why the President of the Republic of Uganda, His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, has not yet fulfilled his pledges, which are crucial for service delivery.

According to Mr. Edison Kakuru, the Chairman of the University Council, who recently spoke at the 8th graduation ceremony was held at the Kabale University playground in Kikungiri Cell, Southern Division, Kabale Municipality where 13,087 students graduated, says that President Museveni, who was the guest of Honor in 2016 at their graduation ceremony by that time, pledged 40 billion Ugandan shillings to improve the university’s infrastructure.

Kakuru noted that the university administration has been waiting in vain for the pledge to be fulfilled.

At that time, the university was struggling to provide sufficient accommodation for students, forcing them to seek housing outside the university. Currently, the university lacks sufficient classrooms and offices for lecturers, which remains a significant problem. This inability to provide decent accommodation and facilities has hindered the university’s efforts to attract students from neighbouring countries.

During the recent International Women’s Day celebrations in Kabale District, held at Kyanamira Sub- County playground in Ndorwa East County, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja was the guest of honor. Hon. Catherine Atwakiire Ndamira told the Prime Minister that in June 2015, President Museveni promised to tarmac a 20.2-kilometer road connecting Kyanamira, Maziba, and Kaharo Sub-counties in Ndorwa East County to the main Kabale-Mbarara Highway. However, this pledge remains unfulfilled.

In response, Prime Minister Nabbanja stated that the government is still in the process of tarmacking tourism roads in Kigezi and establishing two ferries on Lake Bunyonyi. She encouraged women to participate in government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) to help eradicate poverty.

In May, during the distribution of various self-help items to residents of Rukiga District at Kantare Playground in Kantare Village, Rutengye Parish, Kasyambya Sub- County, where Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs in the Office of the NRM National Chairman (ONC), was the guest of honor. Leaders in Rukiga District expressed their disappointment with President Museveni for fairing to fulfill his pledge to tarmac the Muhanga-Kisiizi and Rutobo-Kyogo-Muhanga roads.

The 33-kilometer Muhanga-Kisiizi road connects Rukiga and Rukungiri Districts, while the 38-kilometer Rutobo-Kyogo-Muhanga road connects Uganda and Rwanda. Both roads fall under the jurisdiction of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA). During the 2001 presidential campaigns, President Museveni promised to tarmac the Muhanga-Kisiizi road, a promise he reiterated during the 2016 presidential campaigns. Additionally, he pledged to tarmac the Rutobo-Kyogo-Muhanga road during a campaign rally at Kamwezi Playground. However, local leaders are frustrated as these roads have become increasingly impassable over the years.

Elineo Bandaganire, the Kashambya Sub-county Chairperson (LC3), expressed the community’s dissatisfaction, stating that the unfulfilled pledge has hindered the sub-county’s development.

Mbabazi Robert Kakwerere, the Rukiga District Chairman (LC5), echoed this sentiment, noting that despite their patience, the president’s promise remains unfulfilled.

The Rukiga District Woman Member of Parliament, Caroline Kamusiime Muhwezi, mentioned that she has been persistently reminding the President about his pledge and asked the locals to remain patient.

By Isaac MUmbere

KASESE

Over shillings 57 million have so far been rescued from conmen who have been obtaining money from job applicants in disguise of helping them get jobs awarded to them by Kasese District Service Commission.

The said amount of money has been rescued by Kasese Youth Link for Development, A Community Based Organization that promotes Human Rights.

Mr. Ronald Kato, the organization’s Executive Director, says he picked interest to advocate for the victims after being told that very many people had allegedly been conned of their money by people masquerading to be agents of the members of the District Service Commission.

Mr. Kato told our reporter in an interview at his office in Kasese town that most of the people who have lost their money to the conmen are teachers and health workers with the biggest percentage being women.

According to him, after getting tips from the affected persons, they would investigate them and then summon the accused persons to refund the money.

To his disappointment, some of the conmen are government employees with the district. He, however, declined to mention their names in order not to jeopardize the investigations.

Asked for a comment about the issue of alleged bribery, Mr. Lawrence Tiruganya, the Chairperson for Kasese District Service Commission, told our reporter that he was also receiving rumors from the public about the same, adding that no one has ever launched a formal complaint in his office.

ENDS

By Isaac Mumbere

KASESE

Mr. Saulo Maate, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Commissioner in-charge of Rwenzori sub-region says he is disappointed with the District Disaster Management Committee for asking the victims of the recent floods and landslides currently living in some temporarily established camps to go back to their respective homes.

While addressing the press last evening at his office in Rukooki, Mr. Joseph Singoma, the District Disaster Management Focal Person who is also the District Senior Planner, called upon the victims to leave the camps and go back to their homes from where they would be helped.

According to him, his office had compiled a list of names of victims who would be followed up at their respective homes in case of any relief from government and Nongovernmental Organizations.

However, his remarks have not gone well with Mr. Maate who today morning called for a press conference at the Kasese branch FDC offices in Kasese town and expressed his disappointment.

Maate argued that despite suggesting to the victims whose houses were completely destroyed by the devastating floods to go to homes of their relatives, the Disaster Committee did not mind about the way and an assortment of items that they would go with to join their relatives.

The outspoken Maate revealed that as the FDC fraternity, they had been lobbying a number of NGOs to support the victims through giving them food and non food items while in the camps. He now wonders where they will be finding them since they have been told to leave the camps.