Coffee growers in Northwest Ankole Diocese,Ibanda district have been urged to participate in the ongoing farmer registration exercise. This call was made by Bishop Amos Magezi emphasizing that the initiative is vital for protecting households which are dependent on coffee production.

He further revealed that this will ensure stability of the church and the national economy by facilitating uninterrupted coffee exports to the European Union (EU).

This call comes at a time when Uganda is approaching a critical deadline to comply with new EU legislation regarding coffee imports from “deforested zones.” The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) set to take effect on December 30 mandates that exporters and farmers demonstrate that coffee intended for the EU market is sourced from land where deforestation has not occurred since 2020. The registration exercise aims to establish a traceability system for coffee enabling Uganda to maintain access to the EU market which has 26 member countries.

During a media briefing on October 15 at his office in Ibanda town, Bishop Magezi highlighted the urgency of completing the farmer registration process in collaboration with the government before the deadline. He noted that coffee cultivation is a key initiative for the seven-year-old diocese which has distributed over 100,000 coffee seedlings across its 36 parishes.

Bishop Magezi pointed out that compliance with EU regulations would help ensure stable household incomes allowing families to afford education, healthcare and other necessities while also potentially reducing domestic violence driven by poverty. The regulation is intended to ensure traceability of coffee from farms to market.

He also announced that the diocese’s farmer registration system has received approval from the government and the EU. Since the registration process commenced in mid-2023 over 5,000 farmers have already been registered. However, the prelate called for government support noting that enumerating farmers is a challenging and costly task. The diocese plans to invest over 80 million Ugandan shillings in this initiative.

An enumerator from Kyanyabigondo, Kitontooma parish in the Bugarama archdeaconry reported that some individuals are hesitant to register due to fears of potential taxation.

Police in Kasese district are investigating the sudden death of Sulaina Nabasirye, a senior four student at Bwera Secondary School. Her death follows the tragic case of another candidate, Emmanuel Maate, who died by hanging days prior to sitting his national exams.

On Monday, Nabasirye sat for her exams and attended study sessions with her classmates. After returning to her dormitory, she reportedly developed breathing difficulties. The school matron, Peninah Biira rushed her to Bwera General Hospital where she was pronounced dead at approximately 11:00 PM.

Rwenzori East Police Spokesperson, SP Nelson Tumushime stated that police led by the Bwera Division police commander SP Tai Ramathan arrived at the scene and collected samples for postmortem analysis as part of the ongoing investigation.

This incident marks the second reported death of a candidate during the examination period. An emergency meeting with students was held at Bwera Secondary School this morning and examinations continued as scheduled.

On Saturday, 16-year-old Emmanuel Maate, a senior four student at Karambi Senior Secondary School, was found hanging in his room. Reports indicate that Maate had been dealing with personal issues including an alleged relationship that resulted in the pregnancy of a junior student which had reportedly caused him significant distress.

A student of senior four at Bwizi Seed Secondary School in Bwizi Sub County, Kibale East, Kamwenge District identified as Susan Asiimamukama gave birth after her chemistry exam yesterday Monday October 14 has revealed that she is determined to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse.

Following her completion of the chemistry paper under the Lower Secondary curriculum, Asiimamukama welcomed a baby girl in the evening. Our reporter visited her during her preparations for her third exam, which was Geography paper 1 which she did today morning,Asiimamukama revealed that she was feeling alright and carried optimism to completing all the papers.

“My dream in education is to become a nurse and help treat people, if all goes well,” she stated.

Regarding her newborn, Susan mentioned that the baby is healthy and under close monitoring by nurses.

Festo Musinguzi, the head teacher of Bwizi Seed Secondary School, praised Susan as one of the school’s brightest candidates and expressed confidence in her performance in the exams. He assured her that the school will provide all necessary support to ensure her successful completion of the examinations.

Asiimamukama is prepared to sit for her fifth exam, physics paper 1, tomorrow morning and then fine art in the afternoon.

The Buhweju District Vice Chairman, Expedicto Rukundo died on Thursday in the afternoon following a longtime of illness. Rukundo succumbed to multi-organ failure at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital where he had been receiving treatment for close to a year.

Rukundo joined Buhweju District Council in 2011 representing Karungu Subcounty and served in various capacities with all the three different district chairpersons Buhweju District has had. He was elected speaker in his second term as councillor and he held this position until he was appointed the vice chairman in 2021 by the incumbent chairman,Deo Atuhaire aka Omuhatiizi.

Rukundo was a social scientist who took up teaching as hobby and politics as a calling. He taught at Mbarara Modern Secondary School before being elevated to the position of deputy head teacher of the same school.

Due to his love for education,Rukundo teamed up with his friends to start up Karungu Secondary School which is currently called Karungu Seed Secondary School, a name it attained after it was sold off to government of Uganda. In the chase of his childhood dream, Rukundo and his colleagues teamed again and established another secondary school, St.Victor Secondary School Katara.

According to Deo Atuhaire, the Buhweju District Chief, Rukundo had been undergoing kidney dialysis at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital with hope that he would gain strength and be flown to India for further management.

Atuhaire revealed that his deputy was a man committed to quality service delivery to his people a task he kept playing until he breathed his last. ”Even on his sickbed, Rukundo still coordinated activities on phone, said Atuhaire.

Atuhaire further revealed that “Buhweju District has lost an illustrious son who was open to working with anyone regardless of their political or religious affiliation” .

The Buhweju County Legislator, Francis Mwijukye described Rukundo as “a great pillar in Buhweju” whose death ”has left a big gap” .

There will be a special council sitting tomorrow Friday October 11,2024 starting at 9:00am in the District Council Hall in Nsiika Town Council in his honour and thereafter a funeral mass at Kashorero Catholic Parish in Bitsya Subcounty .Rukundo will be laid to rest on Saturday October 12 at his ancestral home in Ntobora Karungu Subcounty.

Police in Bushenyi District are investigating the circumstances surrounding a students’ strike at Ishaka Adventist College which occurred on Tuesday night following the cancellation of Independence eve celebrations.

Martial Tumusiime, the Greater Bushenyi region police spokesperson confirmed the incident that resulted into significant property damage with losses amounting to millions of shillings.

According to reports, students had planned to celebrate the evening with dancing, bonfires, drama, and singing. They had even distributed flyers with their planned activities including “sex competitions that would allegedly start at 6:30 p.m. until late.”

Tumusiime stated that the school headmaster had advised against the celebration but the students disregarded his instructions culminating into a violent riot that resulted in widespread destruction of property. This included smashing dormitory and classroom glass windows as well as damaging vehicles, chairs, and desks.

Efforts by school administrators to calm the students were unsuccessful and the matter was promptly reported to the police who intervened to restore order. Police and military personnel were deployed to prevent further damage and secure the premises.

Tumusiime noted that this type of celebration had been a tradition at the school, but a change was instituted by the administration following a meeting on October 3rd, 2024. Students learned of this change on Monday which may have contributed to their unrest.

Both O and A-level students participated in the strike during which violence escalated with stones being pelted at literally anything at the school campus. Some students were hospitalized due to injuries sustained during the chaos while others reportedly fled the school after the incident.

Police and military presence remains heavy at Ishaka Adventist College as investigations continue.