The deputy Resident City Commissioner Mbarara city south, Moses Aruho has suspended the operations of Mbarara City Traders Association (MBACITA) for allegedly obtaining UGX 105 million fraudulently from youth.

According to Aruho, in February this year, Simon Sezi Mwijuka, the chairman MBACITA solicited over UGX 100 million from 35 youth promising to take them on a benchmarking trip in Taiwan.

However, Aruho says that his office has received complaints from various youth demanding refund of their money from MBACITA after the association failed to take them for the trip.

He further revealed that Mwijuka is accused of soliciting UGX 3.5 million from Mbarara central market fresh fish vendors whom he promised to negotiate on behalf of them with Mbarara city council on rental fees.

The president’s representative intimated to our reporter that the committee members of the association accuse Mwijuka of working in isolation and mismanaging funds of the association.

It’s against the above background, that the office of the Resident City Commissioner suspended the operation of the association until Monday when Mbarara city leaders will meet over the same issue.

Residents of Kaaro vilage, Kyengando Parish, Engari Sub-county in Kazo District are engulfed in grief and shock after finding the body of their fellow drowned in a dam.

The deceased who has been identified as Sabiiti Wellen has been serving as the head teacher at Kiguma Primary School in Burunga Sub-county, Kazo District.

Godfery Mugisha Bigirwenda, the father to the deceased revealed that Sabiiti came from school on Thursday with a purpose of attending a fundraising function that was scheduled to happen on Saturday, 23^rd September 2023.

Bigirwenda intimated to our reporter that his son was in good harmony with the family and the residents therefore he cannot guess the cause of the matter.

Mukasa Philip, the Kazo District Police Commander revealed that preliminary reports suggest that Sabiiti was murdered because he was found with a deep cut on his head.

Mukasa told our reporter that the security team retrieved the body and took it to Ruhoko Health Centre IV for Postmortem examination.

Mukasa added that the investigations into the matter continue.

About Sabiiti Wellen

Sabiiti Wellen was born on 1^st July 1973 and taught in various schools including; Kyengando P/S, Kakindo P/S.

He was later promoted to the post of Head teacher and he served at Nyabubaare P/S, Rwakahaya P/S in Kanoni Sub-county, and finally Kiguma P/S in Burunga Sub-county.

At the time of his death, Sabiiti survived by 3 children and one wife, he will be laid to rest at his home in Kyengando parish, Engari Sub-county, Kazo District.

Police in Rubirizi District are holding a 32-year-old man on charges of defiling his 4-year-old biological daughter.

Martial Tumusiime, the greater Bushenyi region police spokesperson identified the suspect as Ibrahim Ssentongo, a peasant and a resident of Mugogo 11 village, Ryeru Sub-County in Rubirizi District.

Tumusiime said the suspect separated with the victim’s mother about three years ago and early this year she brought two children (the victim and her brother) back to their father.

Police said that the suspect used this chance of absence of the mother to sexually abuse his daughter.

It is said that on 19^th September, a one Kyarimpa Ronia reported to Pamela Musimenta, a member of the Village Health Team (VHT), that Ssentogo was found defiling his biological daughter.

According to Pamela Musimenta, 34, a member of VHT and resident of Mugogo ll village, Mugogo parish, Ryeru sub-county in Rubirizi District, the victim was tested and found out that she has been defiled several times.

According to Tumusiime, the suspect has since been apprehended and investigations into the matter continue.

The Mitooma district woman MP, Juliet Agasha Bashisha has launched a campaign to fight against early marriages and pregnancies in the district.

During the monitoring of government programs in Ruhinda North, Bashisha said it’s really worrying to find that most girls drop out of school and get married and become young mothers.

Speaking during a meeting at Cope School, She vowed to set up a committee that will help them identify people who are engaged in such early marriages including both the couple and parents so that they can get arrested.

Her main areas of worry were Bikungu where he said it’s now worse because even boys who are below 18 are already husbands and fathers saying this is one of the reasons why they even fail to think better and develop their families and community because they are still young.

The legislator noted that she will support parish SACCOs plus offering training services, especially to the youths on how to use the parish development model money.

Authorities in Kazo district have presided over the inauguration of the first Board of Governors for Kazo Vocational training institute at Rwanyamuzira in Kazo town council, Kazo district.

The inauguration saw Dr Mugume James elected as the first chairperson replacing zirimenya Nsubuga, the Kazo district Chief Administrative Officer who has been working as the interim chairperson steering committee.

The members of the New Board of Governors were nominated by different stakeholders of the school, foundation body, parents, teachers and government before they were approved by the education ministry as per the education act 2008.

Nsubuga, who has been working as the chairperson steering committee since January 2023 revealed that there is no politics in this institution noting that it has started officially and it is open to the public for use.

Rev Samuel Mugisha Katugunda, the Kazo district LCV chairperson pledged to support the institute where necessary to see that the people of Kazo district benefit.

Eddy Turyatemba, the Assistant commissioner for Vocational and training at the Ministry of Education and Sports asked the board to support the institute to grow high in order to solve unemployment noting that Vocational training is the way to go.

Nkurunziza Obadiah, the principal Kazo vocational training institute revealed that although he has been working, with support from the Board they are going to add value to the institution.

The other members inaugurated include; Natukunda Leah Munene, the councilor representing Kazo sub-county, Nuwagaba Wilson Kajuga, the head teacher Engari Secondary School and other 9.

In a bid to increase the revenue through cross-border trade for Uganda and Rwanda, immigration officials of both countries have presided over the official opening of the Rwempasha -Kizinga border.

The opening of Rwempasha -Kizinga border which separates Uganda and Rwanda in Ntungamo district at Ngoma follows a three-year closure.

While addressing the public, Maj Gen Apollo Kasita Gowa, the director citizenship and immigration control in Uganda said the essence of doing this is to facilitate trade between Rwanda and Uganda.

Immigration Chiefs pose for a photo at the official inauguration of the Kizinga-Rwempasha border post. (Courtesy photo)

The Director General of Immigration and emigration from Rwanda, Lynder Nkuranga has advised both Rwanda and Ugandan citizens to always use legal crossing and avoid the idea of smuggling.

In her remarks, the Ntungamo District woman MP, Hon Joselyn Kamatenesi Bata appreciated both countries for reaching this agreement, noting that she is hopeful that it will boast revenue.

A section of residents from both Countries who graced the official opening expressed their happiness and requested that both countries should enable border crossing at any time. 

Rwempasha -Kizinga border is an addition to the three other border crossing points including; Katuna border in Kabale district, Mirama-Katigumba in Ntungamo and Cyanika border in Kisoro district.

Authorities in Mitooma district have given a one-week ultimatum to all parish chiefs who have not dispatched Parish Development Model funds to do the needful or risk losing their jobs.

Mitooma district RDC, Francis Kibuka Amooti issued the ultimatum during a meeting between office of the RDC and all PDM stakeholders in the district that was held at Mitooma church of Uganda.

The meeting followed the public’s outcry that some parish chiefs are using their powers to delay the money disbursement with intentions of extorting money from the beneficiaries.

RDC Kibuka gave the parish chiefs one week to dispatch all the remaining funds and also vowed to deal with any of them who will be found sabotaging government programs.

The Mitooma district deputy RDC, Merishent Ariyo noted that some parish chiefs especially males are using their powers to seduce women before giving them money which she says is against their moral ethics of work. 

Monday Swaibu Lwanga, the Mitooma district PDM focal person noted that the dispatch exercise of PDM funds in Mitooma stands at 54% with 46% of funds not distributed, attributing the delay to limited computer access. 

Relatedly, Thomas Tayebwa the Deputy Speaker of parliament who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Ruhinda North County in Mitooma noted that despite some implementation challenges, the community is overwhelmingly appreciative of this government programme.

Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament also MP Ruhinda North County in Mitooma district addressing his constituents.

“PDM is going to change the fortunes of my constituents,” said Tayebwa.

Tayebwa revealed that he gathered this feedback from both beneficiaries and yet to be beneficiaries during meetings he convened during a two-day monitoring visit to his constituency where he covered Rutokye Town Council and Kigyende Sub-county and Kanyabwanga Sub-County.

Councilors in Bisheshe Division, Ibanda district have today suspended council indefinitely in protest over the Ibanda Municipality leaders’ failure to secure government land from illegal occupants.

During the aborted council meeting on Thursday, Perez Tukwatanise, the division council speaker, said the councilors are not happy with the municipality leadership for never implementing the division’s resolutions on the land grabbers.

While moving the motion to suspend council sitting, Anna Tumuhairwe, the councilor representing Karangara ward, said they wanted to send a clear message to the “municipal leaders so they act on the issue of land grabber. The motion was seconded by Sylvia Twongyeirwe, the councilor representing Bugarama North ward.

When the division speaker put the question to the council, it received unanimous support from the councilors.

Earlier, division chairman Johnson Kanyomozi, said council has been allocating money for titling the lands in the division since 2018, noting that none of its 23 pieces of land is titled.

Kanyomozi threaten to mobilize LC one and two leaders in the division to join councilors in a protest against the land grabbers and municipality leadership, if they continue ignoring their concerns on the issue.

The contested land includes land that hosts Bisheshe trading centre, for which the occupants pay ground rent to the division.

However, some of the encroachers have put up schools and others planted eucalyptus forests on the land.

Fish vendors in Mbarara central market have vowed not to vacate or pay rent despite the city council’s one week ultimatum.

These fish vendors, who typically pay a monthly rental fee of UGX 100,000, have refused to pay for the past twelve months, arguing that the amount is too high given their low income status.

It’s worth noting that last week, Assy Abireebe Tumwesigire, the Mbarara city clerk emphasized that non-compliant vendors will be required to vacate the market within one week with the option of paying all rent arrears owed to the council or face legal action.

In response, the vendors have declared their intention to remain in the market and have threatened to carry out peaceful protests.

According to Abireebe, the council calculated the rental fees based on the expenses required for market maintenance, amounting to UGX 30 million monthly.

Quraish Rugemwa, a fish vendor who doubles as the Publicity Secretary for Mbarara Central Market Vendors Association, explained their reluctance to pay the fee of UGX 100,000 monthly.

He noted that there are other additional expenses such as electricity bills of UGX 300,000 for deep freezers, water bills of UGX 22,000, and the rent, totaling UGX 422,000 monthly, which they consider exorbitant compared to the other vendors in the market.

Kazo district has launched the distribution of 153,440 treated long-lasting mosquito nets received from Ministry of Health in the campaign against malaria.

Ndyaguma Laban, the district health inspector also the malaria focal person Kazo district said the Village health team and village chairperson have already began the door-to-door distribution of the mosquito nets.

He also asked the residents to embrace the exercise in the fight against malaria in the district.

Bahemuka Keith, the deputy chief administrative officer, commended the ministry of health for the serious intervention saying malaria remains a top killer disease in the country.

Ainebyoona Emmanuel, the ministry of health spokesperson said as part of the campaign to end malaria, government of Uganda through the ministry of health launched the distribution of mosquito nets across the country.

He added that this exercise which started in May is expected to end in November and is aimed at the distribution of 28m treated mosquito nets in 18 districts in western and central Uganda.

Ainebyoona noted that reports from the western region indicate that there has been massive turn-up of residents and urged those receiving the nets not to misuse them in poultry and fishing activities.

In addition to Kazo district , this distribution phase will also cover the districts of; Bukwo, Bulambuli, Buyende, Ibanda, Iganga, Jinja City, Jinja, Kamuli, Kamwenge, Kapchorwa,Rwampara, Kyegegwa, Luuka, Mbarara, Mbarara City, Namayingo and Ntungamo.