The Ntungamo District members of parliament are at loggerheads with political and civil servants for shunning district roads committee meetings.

According to the district roads committee chairperson who is also Mp for Kajara county, Hon Timuzigu Michael Kamugisha, the letter dated 6^th June 2024 invited the members to meet yesterday 20th June 2024 at 9:00am in the district council Hall, but it was their dismay to receive another letter from district Engineer, Kushemererwa Charles, a few hours to the meeting that it had been postponed to a later date.

Hon Timuzigu noted that the district Eng usurped the powers of the chairperson Roads committee to postpone the meeting without his knowledge.

He revealed that it was a shock for all political and civil leaders including the chief administrative officer to shun the meeting expressing that there must be something they are hiding.

Hon Timuzigu assured the general public that the meeting has been rescheduled for today Friday 21th June, 2024 and if the district team fails to turn up, they will petition the Uganda Road fund and office of the IGG to swing into action to investigate if the UGX 1.7Bn road fund had been utilized efficiently.

He said that no money should be returned to the coffers yet the District roads are impassable.

The MP Rushenyi county Hon Naome Kabasharira noted that as MPs will not sit back and watch yet the road funds in the district are being mismanaged by the technocrats.

Hon Kabasharira noted that they had been requesting for the BOQs (Bill of Quantities) but in vain which raises a suspicion that there must be some rot in the district roads.

However, the postponement letter noted that the political and civil leaders are engaged in PDM work with the Office of the Prime Minister in Kampala from 18^th to 21^st, June 2024.

Three inmates at Kiburara Government Prison Farm in Ibanda North County, Ibanda District face more years in Jail. The trio is suspected of breaking into the prison’s food store and running away with grains estimated at Ugx950,000.

They reportedly stole three sacks of beans estimated to weigh 350kg and about 20kg of maize.

Prison Sergeant Wilson Bigira, of Kiburara Government Prison Farm, told the Ibanda Grade 1 Magistrate’s Court yesterday, June 18 that Nicholas Byamukama, 21, Nelson Muhwezi, 30, and Ronald Kule, 25 reportedly took advantage of the early Sunday morning rains to steal the grains on March 31, 2024. Bigira was testifying as a prosecution witness.

Bigira told court which was presided over by Grade 1 magistrate, Esther Murungi that Muhwezi informed him about the theft. He further revealed that Muhwezi was working with the sergeant at the store as part of his rehabilitation.Muhwezi is suspected to be the mastermind of this act.

The trio faces two counts of breaking into the store with intention to steal which is contrary to section 297 of the Penal Code Act, and theft, which contravenes sections 254 (i) and 261 of the Penal Code Act.

The trio was remanded to the same prison till July 2 when hearing of prosecution witnesses will continue .

Police in Kazo district are investigating circumstances surrounding the death of a 45 year old woman. Rosset Tushabe, a mother of three, and a businesswoman who operated and resided in Meru Meru A, Kataraaza Parish, Nkungu Sub county,Kazo District, succumbed to the injuries sustained from cuts by a sharp object in the region of arms, waist and head.

The deceased was returning from her shop on Sunday June, 16 at around 9:30 pm when she met unknown assailants who cut her severally.
On the way to Kagongo Hospital in Ibanda district where she was being rushed to,Tushabe breathed her last.

Rev. Messach Kahembera , the father of two of the deceased’s three children intimated to our reporter that  some of his family members including his wife and son, are in custody at Kazo Central Police Station in this matter.

The LC I chairman, Meru Meru A, John Arinaitwe, has confirmed the arrest of the suspects identified as  Mary Busingye, 45 and Arthur Agaba, 29. The duo accused Tushabe of practicing witchcraft against them and threatened her life on several occasions.
The deceased has been laid to rest today at her home in Nkungu. May her soul rest in peace.

A 13 year old girl who went missing for close to eight months from Kagaramira Nkungu Sub County, Kazo district was yesterday reunited with her mother following an intensive search mounted by security operatives. At the time of her disappearance in January 2023, Nyamwija was 12 years old and was a pupil in Primary four.

Blessing Nyamwija was on Tuesday June 11 re-unified with her mother, Jescah Kemirembe amidst relief and joy. The teenager was found in Kakindu Kisubi Katabi Wakiso district yesterday.

According to Kemirembe, a one Goden Niwagira for whom she worked, asked to assist her by educating Nyamwija to which request she consented in January 2023. The girl was taken to Mbarara from where she went missing.

She reported the matter at Kazo Central Police Station and charges of child trafficking were preferred against Goden Niwagira, Nyamwija’s parternal uncle but the police authorities could not do much to alleviate her worries. She continued to receive threats to her life and took hostage at Kazo Victory Church in Kazo Town Council.

While speaking to our reporter on March 7,2024, a desolate Kemirembe intimated that she had not received any information about her daughter but rather received threats and being reminded about being poor but the faith in her kept her moving until yesterday when she embraced her daughter whom she feared had been sacrificed.

Kemirembe was visibly happy at receiving her daughter and she was apologetic to Niwagira,”I am sorry,I gave my child to you out of love, but I was angry because I never got clear feedback from you (Niwagira).I am very happy to have her back”, Kemirembe said.

Nuwagira expressed happiness upon receiving the girl in good health. He also revealed that he was so much worried about the life status of his niece.

Nyamwija, apologised to her mother for the pain she took her through and asked his uncle to also forgive her mother for the allegations that could have tainted his name.

The Ntungamo District woman MP Hon Bata Kamateneti has urged financial institutions to promote financial literacy and inclusion through education programs that can help improve performance and members’ financial situation.

According to Hon Kamateneti,these programs will enhance financial understanding and encourage responsible financial behavior, enabling individuals to make informed decisions about savings, investments, and borrowing.

She made observations on Friday while presiding over the official launch of Igara-Buhweju Tea Farmers Sacco (IGABU) Kagarama Branch in Kagarama Town council Kajara county Ntungamo district.

Hon Kamateneti commended the IGABU stakeholders for extending financial services to Ntungamo district and asked the members to have the zeal of saving culture to improve their household income. She also advised boda boda cyclists to engage in cooperatives instead of begging self-seeking politicians to use them as ladders during political campaigns.

 The LCV Ntungamo Samuel Mucunguzi Rwakigoba warned Sacco members to stop the habit of acquiring loans which they cannot service. The deputy RDC Atuhaire Rosemary hailed women for embracing government programs saying that it accelerates the development of their families.

The chairperson board of directors IGABU Adrine Kobusingye promised to service the people of Kagarama Town council and Ntungamo district at large diligently. She requested the general public to join the Igara-Buhweju Tea Farmers Sacco as one way to save and get loans at the interest of 2.3 for youth, women and 2.5 for men.

Igara-Buhweju Tea Farmers Sacco which started in 2018 has four branches and ten outreaches with 13,000 members. Other speaker were District commercial officer Seth Niwagaba, Kagarama Town council chairperson Musinguzi Dan Ruhemba and general manager Lillian Nuwagaba.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Sports Ketty Lamaro has urged the nurses and midwives to treasure patients, expectant mothers and homes they will be visiting in order to provide excellent services to the community.

This was contained in a speech read for her by Dr. Safina Kisu Musene, the Commissioner of Business, Technical, Vocational Education, and Training in the Ministry of Education and Sports during the 3^rd graduation ceremony of Ntungamo College of Nursing and Midwifery Nyarutuuntu in Ruhaama county Ntungamo district today.

Lamaro appealed to graduates to deliver quality services as holistic nurses and midwives by extending expert medical aid to the population with mindfulness of professional and ethical responsibilities.

 Dr. Safina Kisu Musene hailed the principal Ntungamo College of Nursing and Midwifery Nyarutuuntu Wilber Tukamuhaabwa for a steady growth and continued establishment of a vibrant college in the country.

She also commended the former LCV chairman Denis Singahache and the then district council for the initiative that has made a remarkable stride in fostering an environment of excellency, innovation where education is treasured.

The chairman LCV Ntungamo Samuel Mucunguzi Rwakigoba applauded nurses and midwives for consistently demonstrating exceptional integrity and professionalism while caring for patients in hospitals and pledged to allocate 50% of the jobs for students who passed through Ntungamo College of Nursing and Midwifery Nyarutuuntu.

The principal Wilber Tukamuhaabwa congratulated students upon the milestone taken and parents for the sacrifice of providing scholastic to their children.

Tukamuhaabwa thanked the first lady and education and sports, the commissioner Dr. Safina Kisu Musene, the former district chairperson Singahache Denis and members of governing council for the splendiferous work done towards the progress of the college to exist.

The chairman governing council Dr Twesiime Innocent implored the graduates to always chase their dream and pursue further studies to expand their skills and serve the country more effectively.

A total of 321 graduated and received various qualifications, including certificates in Nursing and Midwifery.

Ntungamo College of Nursing and Midwifery which was formerly Ntungamo Health Training Institute is a government college that was established by Ntungamo district in 2011 to train nurses and midwives at certificate level.

Later, Denis Singahache, Aida Nturanabo and the District council among others were awarded plaques and certificates of appreciation.

Environmental experts say that up to ten billion shillings is required to protect the River Rwizi catchment area annually.

The money is to fund technical as well as psychosocial interventions in the 16 districts of southwestern and central Uganda through which the river passes.

This was revealed by experts from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Victoria Water Management Zone under the Ministry of Water and Environment, during the issuance of the progress report on the intervention program to save River Rwizi, which started in 2019. 

River Rwizi provides a livelihood to the population in 16 districts of southwestern and central regions and has had its water levels reduced due to illegal human activities along its banks.

Environmentalists have been warning that the trend of river bank encroachment and wetland degradation if not reversed would lead to the extinction of River Rwizi and its tributaries.

Ivan Tumuhimbise, the WWF Country Head for Uganda, said that the first two phases of the program were about boundary markings, as well as mobilizing communities along the river.He adds that the marked boundaries include nature-based initiatives like tree planting to avoid river silting.

The Uganda AIDS Commission has revealed that young girls between 16 to 28 years are increasingly getting HIV in Mbarara city and district with the prevalence rate standing at 8.4% and 14% respectively.

According to Dorcus Twinabeitu, the Mbarara city HIV focal person, as of march 2024, 31852 people were confirmed to be living with HIV in care in Mbarara City compared to 31764 recorded between October and December 2023.

Twinabeitu notes that girls of the age of 15 to 28 are the most infected and testing positive in the city attributing it to a number of factors that among others include uncontrolled alcohol use, low condom use, poverty and reluctance on ARVs uptake.

According to the Uganda AIDS Commission’s HIV prevention officer for Mbarara, Dr. Steven Asiimwe, Mbarara district tops the Ankole sub region in the HIV prevalence standing at 14.4% followed by Kiruhura at 9.5%, Bushenyi at 9.2% Mbarara city comes at 8.1% Ibanda at 7.3% Sheema at 7.5%, Ntungamo 5.9%, Rubirizi at 6.1%, Mitooma 4.1%, Buhweju at 3.8% and least is Isingiro at 3.0%”

Police in Masindi is holding a 30-year old man, on allegations of hacking his father, for calling him a thief in a clan meeting.

The suspect has been identified as Nelson Okecha, while the deceased father is 60-year old Alex Omochi, both residents of Nyakabaale Village, Kiruuli Sub-county in Masindi District.

SP Julius Allan Hakiza, Albertine Region Police Public Relations Officer reveals that Okecha hacked his father who was also the Nyakabaale Village Chairman yesterday, after the deceased convened a clan meeting that also involved some neighbours complaining that his son had become a serial thief stealing his property including an asortment of solar panels and a woofer among others.

The suspect would then leave the meeting, but returned with a machete, forcing people to scatter and eventually hacked his father.

After committing the crime, the killer fled the scene along with the machete to an unknown hideout. Police however mounted the search and arrested him and is detained at Masindi police station.