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By Glorias Rukundo

www.mknewslink.com

In Bushenyi—

The state minister for youth and children affairs Hon. Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi has urged graduands to take enough pride from where they have from and how far they have reached.

“Take pride in how far you have come, you will understand the journey ahead of you,” Mateke said.

She said this during a 6^th graduation ceremony at Zion Institute for Tertiary Studies held at Bushenyi playground in Ishaka Bushenyi Municipality.

Minister Mateke who was the chief guest encouraged the graduands to distance themselves from dangerous drugs and upcoming energetic soft drinks that can bring mental problems but rather participate in government programs and projects.

Derrick Kabuura the Ishaka- Bushenyi Municipality Member of Parliament asked graduands to get out from their comfort zone and start working hard in this competitive world.

He requested them to be more truthful, trustworthy and hard working.

The institute managing director appreciated both parents and graduands upon reaching on such occasion and asked the graduands to go and add big value to their communities.

Bonny Muhangi the Institute principal strongly urged the graduands to use knowledge imparted into them to create their own jobs.

The institute has graduated 105 students in different courses like fashion and design, Information Technology, mechanics, Cosmetology and hair dressing, Catering among others.

The function was graced by district councilors, clergy, parents and many distinguished guests.

www.mknewslink.com a greater western Uganda news website
Email: wmuhwezi75@gmail.com
Tel: +256702680106

By Mesharch Katusiimeh & Atucungwire Rwebiita

Sheema and Rwampara Citizens  are distressed by The Most Neglected Yet Very Resourceful Road and bridge in South Western Uganda. The case of “Milking the Cow without Feeding Her

Open Letter to the RDC Sheema & Rwampara Districts.

Roads and bridges are the most important transport communication medium in the country and are used by almost everyone on a daily basis.

Besides the fact that roads are provided for the benefit of the road user, they also play a significant role in promoting economic growth and the living standards of the population. By means of roads, people have access to markets, places of work, clinics and hospitals, educational institutions, places for sport and leisure activities.

The poor state of the Kinoni – Rwizi River – Ngoma – Itendero/Kabwohe road in Rwampara and Sheema districts is frustrating access to basic services by residents. The road is in a sorry state with numerous potholes, poor drainage and broken culverts among others. Of recent it has deteriorated to a level that one could not have imagined before. Due to the poor road network, residents are finding difficulties to access markets and health facilities especially whenever it rains.

The attainment of government development initiatives, such as: ending poverty for all, universal education for all, child health, maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS and environmental sustainability; without a proper feeder road network in Sheema and Rwampara remains hampered. It is against this background that the we decided write to attract your attention to discover the challenges facing the management of that road and bridge and the analysis underlying causes; and, finally, make recommendations to address them.

Facts about the stretch

1.      The 12 KM road is a bypass that connects two major high ways, that is of Mbarara Kasese, and Mbarara Ntungamo Kabale roads.

2.      The road connects Rwampara District Headquarters, Kinoni Town Council with Sheema Municipality main commercial town – Itendero – Kabwohe.

3.      The road is the busiest marram road in both Rwampara and Sheema Districts.

4.      It is the busiest road because of the trucks of sand that ply the route.

5.      With increased urbanization of western Uganda especially Greater Mbarara & Bushenyi-Ishaka and the need for quality sand (Kagando) which is only found around River Rwizi and particularly in Ngoma Sheema and the neighboring Nyarubungo parish in Rwampara, there is heavy traffic on the road that has not been witnessed before.

6.      Improvements in technology has meant that heavy duty trucks aka ‘sinotruk’ and trailers have dominated this route and destroyed the stretch of road beyond measure. The River Rwizi bridge is also about to collapse. It is a disaster in waiting.

7.      The damage to the road and bridge by heavy truck loads that are not limited by measured standard volumes cannot be controlled.

8.      The fees currently collected from trucks are in most cases negligible in comparison with the damage caused to the road and are quite clearly ineffective in maintenance.

9.      The community has not benefited much from sand mining as sand business proprietors have replaced local laborers with loading machines.

What has been done before to improve on the road?

1.      Local residents have tried to fill the huge potholes with soil and other substandard materials as a temporary measure. However, this has escalated the problem and small vehicles can hardly pass in the road.

2.      Both local governments (Rwampara District & Sheema Municipal Council) on average once in a year try to grade the road without putting gravel/marram and enough culverts. This probably has been worsening the situation.

3.      Local governments claim that the major problem is underfunding from the central government to local governments. For example, it is claimed that only UGX 40 million has been given to Sheema Municipal Local Government for maintenance of the road network in the whole municipality – the 2nd biggest municipality in the whole of Uganda.

Where lies the problem?

1.      Heavily loaded and unregulated trucks whose capacity exceed the tones accommodated for a feeder road.

2.      ‘Impaired coordination’ between the two local governments (Sheema Municipality & Rwampara District Local Government) as regards to the timing of road works and other related issues.

3.      The 2 local governments don’t possess road equipment’s. They rely on neighboring sister local governments road equipment’s.

4.      Alleged Corruption at local governments and mismanagement of the little funds provided by the central government for roads including maladministration that surround the meagre local revenue collected especially what sand trucks pay per route to the ‘contractors’.

5.      The owners of trucks are not united and don’t speak the same voice. The drivers and owners of the smaller trucks accuse those of heavy trucks of causing more damage to the road. They also accuse the owners of bigger trucks of the capital intensive technology being employed to extract sand thus causing unemployment in the area.

What is the contribution of locals in the area?

1.      Locals when mobilized have been quick to provide free labour when contacted and encouraged to work on the road.

2.      At times locals may provide free marram when properly mobilized.

3.      They pay all forms of taxes levied on them expecting good service delivery including proper road works and maintenance.

4.      They religiously take part in campaigning and voting for their favorite local and national politicians hoping those voted will give time to issues and challenges affecting them.

5.      They have also sounded alarm bells on poor state of that stretch but most especially the River Rwizi Bridge which is an ‘accident in waiting’.

What has been the contribution of owners of sand trucks that ply the route?

1.      In this financial year (2021-2022), the truck owners agreed to pay a fee/tax to local governments. It was said that funds realized from sand trucks was meant for road works.

2.      At times these trucks on their own bring substandard soil and haphazardly put it on hotspots (with dangerous potholes) with little or no coordination from local government road technocrats.

What has been the contribution of local and national politicians to solving the issue at hand?

1.      Overtime the coordination on how to solve this issue has been lacking from local politicians especially at the Rwampara District level and Sheema Municipality level. Over so many years, the national politicians have tended to blame local politicians without making a serious effort to do their work of lobbying for central government support especially funding to finance proper road works and maintenance of this stretch.

2.      It is said that efforts by the national politicians especially the current MPs of Rwampara & Sheema Municipality to stop sinotruks from plying the route because of the danger they pose was frustrated by local politicians & other state/government officials who accept bribes and in turn fail to provide enforcement to ensure decisions taken are adhered to.

What dangers because of the bad road?

1.      It is a security threat. Many times locals have engaged in serious and violent demonstrations citing negligence of the area by government. It is said that at times locals have wanted to engage in violent strikes including thinking of burning cars and trucks that ply the route only to be restrained after being told their grievances would be worked on.

2.      This road is a vital lifeline for people who live along as it offers access to markets, schools and hospitals. The inaccessibility of this road isolates the local population from socioeconomic benefits. Thus, the poor state of this road has always been a significant cause of poverty in these areas.

3.      For example, transport on a bodaboda from Kabwohe in Sheema to Ngoma and from Kinoni Town to Ngoma has risen from 3000 to 10,000 over the last few days because of the poor state of the road. This area is rich in bananas and other produce. Middlemen have already started cheating locals under the guise of a poor road network and the costs associated with it. The cost of moving the produce is extremely high.

What could be done?

1.      Since there has been failure to provide leadership, the 2 RDCs of Rwampara and Sheema District should interest themselves in this matter and invite a stakeholder meeting to discuss this issue and get a short and long term solution on this matter.

2.      The meeting should involve all stakeholders including truck owners, sand miners, representatives of the local people, local council representatives from LC1 up to LC5, investors in the area, national politicians especially MPs, Ministry of Works, UNRA etc.

3.      Consider requesting UNRA taking over the management of the road because of its strategic importance and linkage.

4.      Investigate how many trucks ply the route and how much they pay and why the funds collected has not been helpful in the maintenance and rehabilitation of the road.

5.      Regulate the volumes trucks carry.

6.      If local governments have failed to supervise the collection of a fee on each truck that ply the route, explore ways how these truck owners themselves especially the heavy duty ones could get involved in repairing and maintaining this road with strict supervision of respective local government engineers. This could mean stop charging the fees in return for proper maintenance of the road.

7.      Lobby the Central Government to allocate more funds purposively to have River Rwizi Bridge and the stretch from Kinoni to Itendero/Kabwohe road properly worked on to national standards. A Stretch of only 12 km is not something big considering the benefits of a very good stretch to the whole of western Uganda in particular.

In conclusion, we- emphasize that roads are an essential part of modern living. Well-maintained and usable roads make critical contributions to the economic and social wellbeing of a community. The social and physical mobility that comes with having access to a sophisticated and reliable road network is an important part of living in the 21st Century. Beyond the facilities, organizations, businesses and public services that roads give us access to, help communities grow and develop.

I call upon the national leaders especially the RDCs to take interest in coordinating this matter as it is a highly sensitive security issue. Poorly maintained roads will always be a security risk. If possible HE Yoweri Museveni, should be in the know of such issues because probably there are other areas in the country with similar conditions. Thank you.

Mesharch Katusiimeh & Atucungwire Rwebiita,
0772620852/0704372780/0782316191

Email: mkatusiimeh@gmail.com
Concerned Citizens

By Our reporter

KANUNGU

Residents of Kanungu Town council in Kanungu district are counting losses following a heavy down pour which lasted for about 3 hours and left a number of properties worth millions of shilings destroyed.

Among the affected properties were Kanungu police barracks where a number of uniports that house police officers were affected together with household properties.

Others are Kanungu prisons, Katete hospital, Makiro primary school, Nyakatare primary school, Kanungu f.m radio owned by ICT minister Hon Chris Baryomunsi

Elly Maate the Kigezi police spokesperson says a number of police officers were left without accommodation,

Property belonging to Katate health center 4  was also destroyed including medicine,

Maate says school roofs were carried away by strong wind and residents are likely to be affected by famine as their gardens and banana plantations were destroyed.

Our Reporter

Police in Rukungiri are investigating a fatal accident that claimed the life of a 61-year-old resident of Eastern Division Rukungiri Municipality

Elly Maate the Kigezi region Police spokesman has identified the deceased as Byabashija Zephrino 61 yrs a resident of Nyamayenje A cell Eastern division Rukungiri municipality, who was riding motorcycle registration number  UER 100 C Bajaj boxer red in color who died after a short admission at Nyakibale

Maate narrates that this morning at Nyamayenje village at about 06:50 AM  along Rukungiri Ntungamo road, motor vehicle  registration number  UAY 021 B Toyota Hiace white in color driven by Bashil Abdu Rashid 26 , a  resident of Ntungamo cell 10 Ntungamo municipality in Ntungamo district knocked  dead the ill-fated  motorcyclist

Maate attributed the accident to reckless driving by the taxi driver.

The body o the deceased has been taken to Nyakibale hospital mortuary pending postmortem.

Both vehicles are impounded pending inspection as the driver of the said vehicle is in detention.

By Wilber Muhwezi Kasibante

In Bushenyi.

Greater Bushenyi youth leaders led by 50 members have rejected tomorrow’s 22/ 04/ 2022 birthday kasiki for gen. muhoozi the son of president museveni and commander of land forces.

The youth leaders asserted that the birthday is unnecessary in the region. And what is needed are jobs, factories, skills, training among others.

Elite Bob abomugisha noted that the youth in greater Bushenyi need president yoweri museveni to continue leading them but not the son because president museveni has vision 2040 which he is still implementing.

The youth leaders said this and others at a press conference they addressed at peak hotel in Bushenyi town, where police first interrupted them lead by the DPC Bushenyi John Bosco Sserunjogi.

The youth leaders who are highly connected called the  secretary to state house/ PS Yunsi kakande , who in turn called the DPC and the DPC cooled down and took away all his deployed officers.

The youth leaders noted that the biggest problem for Uganda apparently is inflation, daily increase of  fuel prices, soap and other house hold commodities but not holding birthday parties for Gen. muhoozi  in greater Bushenyi.

General muhoozi should first fix those problems of inflation rather than merry making in greater Bushenyi area and other parts of Uganda.

Adrine nuwamanya youth leader in greater Bushenyi and katusiime annitah youth councilor  in mitooma noted that Uganda is not a kingdom where by hereditary system of governance is conducted. Gen Muhoozi should not look at Uganda in that perspective and think that he will succeed his father.

The youth leaders were holding president museveni’s thirts, posters, banners all reading “President yoweri museveni tibihaburwa mission 2026. They revealed that they will move all over the country sensitizing Ugandans that President Museveni is still Important and relevant to vote him 2026 and on words.

Finally the youth threatened president yoweri kaguta museveni that if he does not contest in 2026, that they will take him to courts of law of uganda.­

By Aggrey Twesigye

The Buhweju District Chief Administrative Officer Ddamba Henry has interdicted the District  principal Human resource officer  for allegedly including  ghost workers on the District pay roll and sanctioning irregular  payments  for some Districts staff.

Aggrey Twijukye

Security in South western district of Isingiro is hunting for man believed to have murdered his brother over land dispute.

The Rwizi police mouthpiece ASP Samson Kasasira identified the deceased as Bwarire Yoramu 56 who was found dead on April 16th 2022 at his home in Kakarakare village, Ngarama parish, Ngarama Subcounty in Isingiro District.

Kasasira says Bwarire is suspected to have been killed by his Brother Christopher Batondana and his friend Geoffrey Mbeta in Ngarama Isingiro District.

In retaliation for the murder, it is alleged that the Batondana and Mbeta had their property – an acre of a Banana plantation destroyed by the angry mob from the side of the deceased.

Police and UPDF rushed to the scene to calm down the irate mob which was committed to destroy the suspects property.

Kasasira says the Suspect is still on the run and investigations to ascertain the cause of the fracas is still on.

By Onesmus Ndyanabo

www.mknewslink.com

In Sheema—

Police in Sheema are holding a 39 year old man for defiling his 8 year old biological child.

Amuson Mushabe of Ryakasinga Shuuku town council, Sheema district was arrested by police from Shuuku on allegations of defiling his daughter and was later transferred to Sheema Central Police Station.

It is alleged that Mushabe picked his daughter from her bed room at night around 2Am on Tuesday, took her to his bed room and raped using her.

The incident happened when the mother of the child had gone to take care of her friend who had gone to give birth in hospital.

According to the victim’s brother, when he heard his sister crying, he rushed and called neighbors but unfortunately they found the father had escaped.

Namara who is a wife to Mushabe told www.mknewslink.com reporter that she rushed home in the morning after receiving the news and took the child to the hospital where it was confirmed that the daughter was indeed defiled.

www.mknewslink.com talked to the 8 year old child and she prayed that her father be imprisoned for 40 years.

Shuuku police station OC ASP Ronald Ouma confirmed the arrest and condemned the act.

He thanked the community for being cooperative and helping police to have the man arrested.

www.mknewslink.com a greater western Uganda news website
Email: wmuhwezi75@gmail.com
Tel: +256702680106

By Ambrose Kweronda

www.mknewslink.com

In Kisoro—–

Kisoro grade one magistrate court has committed Wilson Habiyakale 39, a head teacher of Chuho Primary School to Kabale high court over charges of aggravated defilement and aggravated child trafficking.

Habiyakale Wilson who has been on remand at Kisoro government prison over charges of aggravated child trafficking, on 5th April,2022 appeared before Kisoro grade One magistrate his worship Raphael Vueni and an additional charge of aggravated defilement was added to him.

Prosecution told court that Habiyakale Wilson between 2019 and February 2022 while at Chuho village Gasiza parish Nyakabande Sub County being a person in authority over the minor as a head teacher at Chuho Primary school unlawfully performed sexual act with the minor (whose names are withheld) because she is below the age of 14 years.

Kisoro grade one magistrate his worship Raphael Vueni committed him to Kabale high court on two charges; aggravated defilement contrary to sub section 129 (3), 4 (a) and c of the penal code act and aggravated trafficking in children contrary to section 3 (1) (a) and 5 (a) of the prevention of trafficking in persons act 2009

The prosecutor said that it is alleged that on 28th February 2022, Habiyakale 39, while at Chuho primary school enticed a 14 year old minor with an aim of having sexual intercourse with her.

Habiyakale also works with the voice of Muhabura as a Rufumbira News anchor.

He also reads after news announcements in the morning and evening.

He is also the program host of a Sabbath special that is aired on Voice of Muhabura every Saturday morning.

www.mknewslink.com a greater western Uganda news website
Email: wmuhwezi75@gmail.com
Tel: +256702680106