By Racheal Nuwahereza

Hon Gordon Bafaki aka Omwami, the former member of parliament Kazo constituency has donated 60 iron sheets for the construction of a two-classroom block at Kanoni primary in Kanoni Sub-county, Kazo district.

Peter Byamugisha, his personal assistant who delivered the donation said that as someone who always supports education, Bafaki was concerned about the recent outcry concerning the four classrooms whose roof was earlier this year blown off by wind and heavy rains.

“We found when a block of two classrooms has been constructed; we decided to boost the construction by roofing it with these iron sheets. Hon. Bafaki understands that supporting education is a noble cause, because these children are the future,” said Byamugisha.
 

Mweshezi Perez, the head teacher Kanoni primary school thanked Hon Gordon Bafaki for the support noting that they have been challenged with lack of shelter for their children.

On 15^th February 2022, heavy rains blew off the roof of the classroom block hosting the Primary 5, 6 and 7 classes and the staff quarters at the school.

Story by Byaruhanga Paddy

By Racheal Nuwahereza

Authorities in Kazo district in partnership with the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) engineering Brigade have today launched the construction of a new Kazo Health Centre IV Maternity ward building estimated to cost UGX 500m.

AlHajji Umar Mawiya Lule, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Nsubuga Zirimenya, the District Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Rev Samuel Mugisha Katugunda, the District LCV Chairperson have among others graced the launch of this construction project which is expected to be completed in the period of four months.

Speaking at the launch, RDC Mawiya Lule, said that the maternity ward will help the area in the development of the health sector.

Katugunda, the District chairperson assured the residents of Kazo district that the government knows and remembers them which is why among the 154 districts, Kazo is among the chosen ones to use this kind of contractors. 

Story by Mwebaze Deus

By Racheal Nuwahereza

The Electoral Commission (EC) has this Friday 10^th June 2022, commenced the registration of women aimed at updating the voter register ahead of the upcoming women councils and committees elections beginning on July 7^th.

Nationwide, at least 84,138 election officials have been deployed to the various stages of elections including villages, parishes and sub-county level where the elections will be conducted.

Kakaire Gastervas, the Kazo District Elections Administrator, says the officials finalized their training before they headed to the field for the four-day exercise.

“The current EC programme shows that the compilation of the village women’s register will be done between June 10^th and 13^th. This will be followed by the display of the women’s register at the village level between June 23^rd and 24^th, nomination of candidates at the sub-county headquarters will take place on June 27^th and July 1^st,” said Kakaire.

“Candidates’ campaigns for election of the village women committee will take place between July 4^th and 6^th and polling day for a five member committee will be on July 7^th,” noted Kakaire.

Kakaire urged all eligible persons from all 346 villages in Kazo District to turn up in large numbers so that the exercise can move on smoothly.

Women elections elective positions 
1. Chairperson 
2. Vice chairperson
3. Secretary
4. Publicity secretary
5. Secretary for finance

According to the guidelines released by the EC last week, ex-officials will not be allowed to participate in the elections and women councils shall consist of people who are 18 years and above and are citizens, ordinary residents in the respective villages and are willing to be members to the village council.

According to the EC, at least 9.5 million women who registered for the last elections, are expected to participate in the women elections but the number may increase or decrease depending on the outcome of the registration exercise.

Story by Mwebaze Deus

By Racheal Nuwahereza

Police in Kazo have arrested at least 10 students of St. Peter’s Rweibugumya Secondary School in Burunga Sub-county, Kazo district over a strike where students destroyed school property worth millions of shillings on Wednesday night.

Innocent Sunday, the head teacher of the school intimated to Kazo FM that they had decided to suspend all the students for damages incurred whereby several properties including; the windows and door glasses, a 42-inch TV screen, Bursar’s and the Head teacher’s offices , and the school’s canteen were all broken by the angry students. 

However, the security team led by AlHajji Umar Mawiya Lule, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Kazo district advised them to pick the ring leaders and continue with lessons.

It is said that the strike followed an incident where Rev Fr. Kanyesigye John Vianne, the sub-parish priest of Burunga Catholic Sub-Parish cut some students’ trousers arguing that they were too fitting and indecent which is not allowed, according to the school rules and regulations.

Mawiya Lule condemned the act of striking and confirmed the arrest saying the culprits are going to face the law accordingly.

Story by Mwebaze Deus

By Racheal Nuwahereza

The Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) beneficiaries from Kazo town council and Kazo Sub-county have this Wednesday received their payment at centenary bank cash point held at St. Johns church of Uganda in Kazo district.

A section of the beneficiaries have raised complaints about the pick-up point for this money being far away from their homes; adding that it is unfair to ask them to travel long distances of more than 3 kilometers to access payment.

The beneficiaries who were initially receiving UGX 25,000 per month but have this Wednesday received UGX 150,000 for three months.

The beneficiaries also argued that because of increased fuel prices, their transport costs are extremely high nowadays and higher than the money they receive.

They have appealed to the government to bring this service of payments to their villages and parishes.

Mugisha Benjamin, the councilor representing Kazo sub-county elders who doubles as the chairman elders Kazo also expressed his dissatisfaction about the long queues and the slow system used to give out money yet the people are too old.

Mugisha added that the beneficiaries were subjected to travelling long distances, high costs of transport and moving on boda bodas.

Dan Bwamunyoga, the district speaker Kazo thanked the government for giving the elderly people upkeep.

Bwamunyoga also observed that the beneficiaries faced the challenge of travelling long distances to get the money.

He promised that authorities from the district will write to Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social development to consider paying the elders from their villages or parishes.

In June 2015, the Ministry of Gender, Labour & Social Development made a decision to reach the vulnerable and often excluded sections of the population to achieve inclusive pro-poor, and equitable development.

In Uganda, Senior Citizens were the first target group through a Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) Scheme targeting older persons of 65 years and above under the Expanding Social Protection Programme.

This was aimed at enabling them to access basic services, and to start income generating activities.

Story by Paddy Byaruhanga

Following the presidential state of the nation address delivered by H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on Tuesday, a section of boda boda riders in Kazo town council have expressed concern and dissatisfaction over the fuel prices remaining high. 

The riders say that they expected the president to take about the high fuel prices whereby currently petrol and diesel are sold at UGX 6,190 per litre in Kazo.

Zakayo Gujwire, one of the boda boda riders told Kazo FM that they have been forced to increase the transport fares that they demand from passengers to see how they can survive with their families urging the government to thoroughly look into this matter.

Zakayo added that they are no longer working for their families but working only for their bosses.

Robert Nuwamanya, the chairman boda boda health centre IV stage, said they expected the solution from the President’s address and since this failed, they are also going to increase transport fares soon.

Currently, transport fares are as follows;

Story by Byaruhanga Paddy

By Racheal Nuwahereza

A section of farmers in Kamwenge district have reported an outbreak of Banana Bacterial Wilt Disease.

The disease commonly known as “kajunde” in Runyankole language was first Identified in the plantation of Twesigye Joseph, a resident of Mutwe cell, who has a banana plantation along Mutwe-Kyamwera Road in Nkoma Ward, Nkoma Kataryeba town council, Kibale East constituency, in Kamwenge district.

Twesigye says he started noticing small signs of the disease in his plantation in the month of March, adding that he is worried that he might lose 3 acres of banana plantation to this Banana bacteria wilt.

Milton Musherure, the LC1 chairperson told our reporter that they identified one case in this village and they decided to mobilize locals to fight this disease  by  putting up preventive measures.

Musherure also lauded Twesigye for alerting local authorities and agriculture officers about this disease before it spread to other places.

Mohammed Owoyesigire, the agriculture officer for Nkoma-Kataryeba on phone, confirmed the outbreak of this disease in Mutwe cell adding that he also received another case from Ntuntu II, Buregyeya Ward, also in Nkoma-Kataryeba Town council making a total of 2 cases in the whole town council.

Owoyesigire said they are doing everything possible to stop the further spread of this disease.

The major characteristics of the disease are yellowing and complete wilting of the plant starting with the most peripheral leaves. After wilting, the leaves tend to droop and the plant eventually stops growing and dies.