Police in Kazo are investigating circumstances under which a decomposing body of an unidentified man was dumped in the middle of the road in Kazo town council.

The decomposing body which was found on Thursday morning caused commotion amongst the residents of Kazo town council in Kazo district, disrupted movement and business in town before the security team came to intervene.

Residents stare in disbelief at the dead body in the middle of the road in Kazo town council on Thursday.

Police led by the OC station, Jalal Muhumuza  visited the crime scene, retrieved the body and buried it at Kazo town council cemetery near the Kazo monthly market.

Police burying the body at Kazo town council cemetery on Thursday.

Muhumuza revealed that, the un claimed body was picked by police from Rwemikoma on 24^th January 2024 and taken to Kazo health centre IV.

He noted that they have launched the investigation into the matter to know who picked the body out of body store and dumped on the road.

Tumukurate Silvester, the deputy resident district commissioner Kazo said that the body in question had been kept at the body store of the health centre but he does not understand how it was brought in the road.

Leaders from Ankore sub region have tasked the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal, Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to establish a regional task force to contain the spread of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).

Speaking to our reporter, Aaron Turahi, the RDC Isingiro asked the government to prioritize sensitization of farmers on how to manage the disease.

Dan Mukago Rutetebya, the Kiruhura district chairperson urged the government to put aside funds to facilitate calendar vaccination of animals at least every six months to deter future resurgence of the Disease.

Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi, the mayor Mbarara city expressed concern with some Districts that have remained open amid the resurgence of the disease which makes it hard to fight the disease within the region.

Youth in Kazo district have been urged to utilize the funds from the government under the Youth Livelihood Program productively.

The call was made by Jacob Eyeru, the chairperson National youth council during the Kazo district youth council meeting held at Kan conference hall in Kazo town council, Kazo district on Tuesday.

Jacob Eyeru, the chairperson National youth council speaking during the Kazo district youth council meeting on Tuesday.

Eyeru appealed to the youth to understand that the government gives out the funds not for eating and spending extravagantly but to reproduce such that other youth can benefit.

Speaking during the meeting, Molly Kamukama, the former state minister for economic monitoring also asked youth leaders to get prepared and form SACCOs in order to account for their leadership.

Muguta Yabutaho, the youth chairperson Kazo who organized the meeting revealed that the objective of such meetings is to know the needs of the people they lead.

Authorities in Mbarara city have tasked the government to avail the FMD vaccination doses for all the animals in the affected areas.

The call was made by Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi, the mayor Mbarara city, who observed that the animal movement restrictions should be lifted ahead of the go back-to-school season.

This follows the resurgence of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the city area which prompted an animal quarantine to be instituted.

The affected are livestock farmers in Mbarara city in the areas of Rwenjeru, Ruti, Nyarubanga, Rwakishakiizi, Bunusya, and Rwemigiina wards among others.

Dr. Moses Amanyire, the Mbarara city Production officer, explained that FMD was first detected among cattle in Bunusya ward in Mbarara city North division last week.

Amanyire revealed that when the city veterinary team conducted tests, over 20 heads of cattle across the city tested positive for the FMD disease.

He further noted that they have now stopped the transportation of animals, including animal products in the city to contain the disease.

The move comes barely one week after the ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) slapped an animal quarantine on Mbarara city and Mbarara District over the disease.

According to the farmers and traders in the area, the closure of the livestock markets with only one week until the opening of the New Year academic term, is a big blow to the parents who sell animals in order to raise school fees.

In the parliamentary seating last week, the Deputy Speaker of parliament, Thomas Tayebwa also tasked the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries (MAAIF), Hon. Frank Tumwebaze to present a statement on interventions to curb the spread of foot and mouth disease.  

Tayebwa noted that up to 32 districts in the cattle corridor are facing quarantine and people in the cattle corridor would like to know when the quarantine will be ending and when the farmers will get vaccines.

Police in Sheema have rescued two thieves who were on the verge of being murdered by a Mob after they were caught red handed stealing goats from the farm.

Kasule Consilata, the Sheema District Police Commander (DPC) confirmed the incident and identified the suspects as Akankwasa Derrick,26, and Ashaba Peter,25, both residents of Karusegu cell, Rushozi ward, Sheema central division in Sheema municipality where the incident occurred.

Mukundane Benson, the head of security in Karusegu cell told our reporter that the suspects had two goats on the motorcycle but when he tried to intercept them they tried to knock him which prompted him to raise an alarm that led to arrest of thieves. 

Tumusiime Peter, the owner of the goats said that so far 8 goats have been stolen from his farm. He noted that thieves normally steal from his farm during the day because he is always at work. He advised youth to go to work instead of practicing theft. 

DPC Kasule further intimated to our reporter that the suspects were rescued by police and taken to Kabwohe health centre IV for treatment as efforts to arrest those involved in mob justice are underway and investigations into the matter continue.

Parents have been advised to escort their children to school to avoid inconveniences and criminals during the upcoming back-to-school period.

This advice was sounded by Rodoviko Byarugaba, the secretary for Education and Social Based Community Services Isingiro District while speaking to our reporter.

Byarugaba says that parents have a habit of sending their children alone at school and they end up making wrong decisions instead of going to school such as betting school fees, meeting with their boyfriends and girlfriends among others.

Byarugaba also challenged parents with day students to always pack food for their children, saying many parents send their day students to school without food and expect better performance at the end of the term or year.

Byarugaba noted that its high time parents know their roles on their children while going back to school by providing them with necessary scholastic materials for better results at the end of the term or year.

According to the Ministry of Education and Sports, term one for both secondary and primary school is scheduled to commence on Monday, February 5^th 2024 until May 3^rd 2024, lasting 89 days.

Police in Mbarara city have arrested a man who has allegedly been impersonating the Lord Mayor Mbarara city.

Samson Kasasira, the Rwizi Regional Police Spokesperson identified the suspect as Nelson Byarugaba, a 38-year –old resident of Kabura – Ishokye ward, Kamwenge District.

The suspect, Nelson Byarugaba, who is accused of impersonating Mbarara city mayor.

Kasasira added that the suspect was arrested from Lyantonde where he has been operating and he is currently being held at Mbarara central police station on accusations of impersonation and fraud.

Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi, the mayor Mbarara City said the suspect has been disguising as the Lord Mayor Mbarara city, calling several mayors of other cities and defrauding citizens in the guise of giving them jobs.

The suspect who is currently detained at Mbarara central police station will be taken to court after investigations are complete.

Authorities in schools have attributed the decline in PLE performance to the widened teacher-to-learner ratio in schools.

The head teachers say, compared to the PLE performance of 2022, there was a decline in the performance of 2023 PLE due to a low teacher-to-learner ratio.

Speaking to our reporter, Fredric Tumuhirwe, the head teacher at Uganda martyrs primary school in Mbarara said the government’s failure to recruit enough teachers may be one of reasons for poor performances in some schools.

According to Tumuhirwe, the government sometimes doesn’t immediately replace the retired teachers causing a teaching gap and low teacher to learner ratio.

Notably, last year, the ministry of finance, planning and economic development suspended recruitment of new government workers which has left many schools within Mbarara city grappling with staffing gaps.

According to Dan Odongo, the UNEB Executive Director, a total of 749,254 candidates registered for PLE in 2023, of whom 501,602 (66.9%) were Universal Primary Education (UPE) beneficiaries, while 247,652 (33.1%) were of the candidates were Non UPE.

Patients and caregivers at Rugazi Health Centre IV in Rubirizi District have demonstrated poor service delivery of health workers in the hospital. 

These accuse health workers for failure to handle patients especially pregnant women in time which has increased maternal deaths in the district.

Tibanyendera Jolly, a care giver, told our reporter that health workers have on several occasions tasked them to buy drugs from nearby clinics before their patients are treated, which has become expensive for them. 

Namara Stella, a patient revealed that nurses spend most of their time on smartphones and fail to attend to them in time which results in complications amongst patients.

Meanwhile, Dr. Diana Nankinga, the Rugazi Health centre IV In charge declined to comment on the incident on the phone since she was not in office. 

Rugazi Health Centre IV is the biggest health facility in the district and being the district hospital, it receives over 300 patients on average per day seeking for health services. 

Taga Valley Market authorities and traders have appealed to the Mbarara City Council to swiftly merge Katete weekly market with theirs.

Located in Nsiikye Kyera cell, Nyamitaga Ward, Mbarara City North Division, Taga Valley Market operates weekly for the mobile traders.

Martin Chireko Mwebembezi, the market chairperson said that both Katete weekly market and Taga Valley Market operate on the same day and this has killed business in the latter.

Mwebembezi called upon the Mbarara City Council to intervene and merge the two developing markets.

Justine Bakekyura, one of the Vendors in Taga Valley Market noted that she is optimistic that merging of the two markets will increase their clientele and boost business.

In response, Dickson Asiimwe, the commercial officer Mbarara City South Division said the plans are underway to merge the two markets by phasing out Katete market not only for the good performance of Taga market, but because of being in a congested risky place.

Story by Gladys Rukundo