The Mbarara District political leaders together with the district’s technical team led by the Resident District Commissioner,Emmy Kateera Turyabagyenyi have appreciated the construction works done on the Out Patients Department (OPD) block at Bwizibwera Health Hentre IV phase II estimated to have cost shs.89m inclusive of Value Added Tax.

A privately owned company, M/S Multiple Enterprises and Services Company Limited was contracted to carry out the construction works and was funded by the government of Uganda under the Primary Health Care (PHC) transitional grant.

As was reported by the contractors and observed by the leaders, the construction works at the site stand at the completion rate of 80% and the remaining percentage would be completed in a month’s time.

In his remarks, Emmy Kateera Turyabagyenyi revealed that according to what was assessed on the ongoing works, the work is close to completion and that the contractor has done it on schedule.

Kateera revealed that the OPD faced a challenge of delayed payment from the district local government, as well as lack of enough water. He went on to say that these challenges would be addressed .

Betty Tinka, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Mbarara District also commended the contractor for being co-operative with the political leaders and the technical team.

The chairperson for works and technical services sectoral committee who is also the LCV Councillor for Bukiro Town Council, Saverius Nuwagira appealed to the political leaders entrusted with responsibilities of monitoring government projects to always make proper follow ups on these works to ensure there is value for money.

He said, ” it is funny to find issues meant for discussion in the early stages of construction are raised at commissioning stage because monitoring was not done”. He further stressed that it is hard to find solutions to some of these construction errors since they are noticed at a late stage.

Bwizibwera Health Centre IV is the biggest health facility in Mbarara district and the local leaders in the district have been calling for its elevation to a hospital status.

Police in Kazo district have arrested Christopher Karwani,60, for allegedly defiling two girls aged a six and four. He was arrested yesterday Tuesday May,14th 2024 after he was allegedly caught red handed raping and defiling a six year old by the residents of Nyabiherere 1,Nyarubanga Parish, Kanoni Subcounty.

Wilson Nabimanya, the area parish councillor, confirmed that the suspect is in custody at Kazo Central Police Station. He went on to reveal that Karwani has been sexually using the two minor sisters for quite some time. The victims are daughters of William Kariisa a resident of Nyabiherere 1 Trading center.

The area councillor further asked parents to avoid creating gaps in relationships between them and their children as a way of curbing such vices from the community. He also went on to request elders in to be good examples to the young generation.

Attempts by our reporter to reach out to the Kazo District Police Commander, SSP Joseph Nsabimana were futile as he was not in office and did not pick phone calls.

A-35 year old man who is accused of defiling and procuring an abortion has been remanded to Nyamushekyera prison in Bushenyi District.

Kenneth Mugooha Akanduhura, a former Bushenyi-Ishaka municipality Mp aspirant,a resident of Rwenjeru ward,Nyakabirizi division, Bushenyi-Ishaka municipality is accused of defiling his 15-year old house girl and later procuring abortion after she got pregnant was remanded by the Bushenyi Grade one court magistrate, Halima Omar Ahmed yesterday 13th May 2024.

The accused was arrested on 18th April,2024 by the police after girl’s sad story was aired on media, in which the girl’s relatives said the suspect had defiled the girl in Kyeitembe West ward ,central division and aided abortion and there after abandoned the girl to rot.

The Victim developed complications after abortion and she was being forced to use pampers but the accused allegedly refused to assist the family. 

The magistrate Grade one noted that her court doesnot have authority to hear to his case and remanded him to Nyamushekyera prison until 19th June,2024 when he will appear in court for further mentioning of his case.

Robert Mugabe Kakyebezi, the Mbarara City Mayor has discouraged the population from providing misleading information to enumerators during the forthcoming National Population and Housing Census 2024.

Kakyebezi is also concerned about the unscrupulous characters that have been spreading baseless information about the intentions of the exercise. He said that there are some people who are creating baseless information to discourage others from participating in this nationwide activity.

He further revealed that some people are reportedly claiming that the data is intended to inform a future decision by the government to increase taxes. Kakyebezi asked the public to discard this information which he labelled ”ungrounded” .

The Mbarara City Resident Commissioner who is also the head of security in the city, Lt.Col.James Mwesigye assured the public of security during the Census exercise.

Lydia Tuhaise, Principal Statistician at Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) who also doubles as Mbarara City Census Commissioner asked every Ugandan to stand out and be counted during the forthcoming census exercise which will run throughout the country. She assured masses of secrecy to the information provided during the enumeration exercise.

The forthcoming National Population and Housing Census will be held under the theme “It matters to be counted” and it aims at including everyone from the homeless street children, prisoners and patients in health facilities to ensure comprehensive data collection.

Uganda is set to conduct its 6th National Population and Housing Census since independence. This year’s enumeration exercise run for 10 days starting on Friday 10th May, 2024 to 19th May 2024.

The Mayor of Kazo Town Council, Mr.Mugarura Justus Muhimbuura, encouraged coffee farmers in  Ruzinga Village, Rwempiri Ward Kazo Town council, Kazo District to strengthen security around and within their coffee plantations.

This follows a surge in cases related to invasion of people’s coffee plantations and harvesting the ripe and unripe coffee cherries . This concern has severally been raised by the locals in the Villages that make Rwempiri Ward.

It has been observed that these acts have become a security threat that needs the intervention of the district security committee before the situation gets out of hand.

Mugarura  said that all these could be fueled by individuals who have refused to plant coffee even when the government gave out free seedlings to farmers. And more so, it is fueled by those who fail to report the thieves.

Edward Tumuhimbise , a coffee grower in Ruzinga Village,Rwempiri ward, Kazo Towncouncil, said that farmers have been forced to guard their plantations all the time to scare away thieves.

According to Tumuhimbise, the suspects are thought to be mainly vagabonds who do not work but have resorted to surviving on theft.

The Chairman LC1, Saturday Hillary observed that thieves have gone as far as using mosquito nets  for harvesting coffee or  cutting coffee branches off coffee trees . After cutting them off they disappear to the bushes close to the gardens and pick the cherries. They strike at night when human movement is minimal.

The Ibanda University Electoral Commission Chairperson, Collins Ayesigye,yesterday evening declared Kenneth Kasasira as a winner of hotly contested Guild Presidential elections. The students chose their 9th Guild President in a tight race where two candidates sought the mandate of their fellow students. The contest was between Mr.Anderson Kasoro and Kenneth Kasasira .

Mr.Kasasira won the election with a margin of 46 votes having garnered 276 votes while Mr.Kasoro pulled 230 of the votes cast yesterday.

Ekitii Florence, the Returning Officer, congratulated the winning candidate and asked students to celebrate responsibly. She further implored them not to be separated by electoral exercise as students but to rather unite for a purpose if they are to achieve more as students.

The Guild president elect, Kenneth Kasasira expressed gratitude to those who trusted him with their mandate and pledged good service delivery to all university students regardless of whether they voted him or not.

Mr.Kasoro’s known phone numbers were not reachable and he was equally not physically traceable for any comments after the declaration of the outcomes the elections.

The University’s electoral body was commended for the effort in organising peaceful, free and fair elections.

Elone Mwesigye, the outgoing Guild president congratulated the winner and tasked him to prepare for a transition to leadership. He also asked him to be pro-students’ binding decisions and work towards a better students’ welfare.

Peter Abaho, the Ibanda District Principal Agriculture Officer has encouraged coffee farmers in the district to strengthen security around and within their coffee plantations. This follows a surge in cases related to invasion of people’s coffee plantations and harvesting the ripe and unripe coffee cherries.

It has been observed that these acts have become a security threat that needs the intervention of the district security committee before the situation gets out of hand.

Abaho said that all these could be fueled by individuals who have refused to plant coffee even when the government gave out free seedlings to farmers.

Medard Tukamuhabwa, a farmer in Ishongororo Town Council, Ibanda North County, said that he lost about Shs100,000 worth of ripe coffee cherries to thieves recently. He said that the experience compelled him to hire guards who protect his two coffee plantations with intention of keeping thieves away.

According to Tukamuhabwa, the suspects are thought to be mainly school dropouts who do not work but have resorted to surviving on theft.

Linus Barya, a coffee grower in Nyakateete,Kigarama ward, Bisheshe Division, said that farmers have been forced to guard their plantations all the time to scare off thieves. He was concerned about his neighbour who lost over two sacks of two half-dry coffee cherries to thieves.

The Chairman Kashangura Coffee Cooperative Society, Januario Turyateemba observed that thieves have gone as far as cutting coffee branches off coffee trees . After cutting them off they disappear to the bushes close to the gardens and pick the cherries. They strike at night or during heavy down pours when human movement is minimal.

In all this, middlemen are being blamed for fueling theft since it is alleged that they only mind about making money disregarding the quality of coffee.

Police in Sheema District have launched investigations into circumstances under which a woman was raped and murdered. The incident occurred in the wee hours of Monday April,22,2024 in Market cell, Kabwohe Division, Sheema Municipality

The victim identified as Shallot Turyahabwe, 26, a resident Nyabubare I, in Isingiro ward, Bugongi Town Council has been a waitress in one of the hotels in Kabwohe.

According to police, Turyahabwe was seen in a bar in Kabwohe at around 2:00am with other yet to be identified persons before she was allegedly raped and murdered.

The OC CID Sheema District, Paul Muhenda asked landlords to install security lights on their buildings to minimize the dark spots in the area . He asked the people to be vigilant about their security. He further cautioned women and girls to avoid dark corridors at night and he discouraged them from heavy alcohol consumption.

The Market Cell Chairman, Ssenyonga Muhammad, requested residents to always report any suspected wrong doers to their offices or to police for interrogation. 

The deceased’s body was conveyed to Kabwohe Health Centre IV for postmortem while investigations into the matter continue.

Senior Presidential Advisor on media who also doubles as the patron of Bushenyi Twetambire Association (BTA), Lay Can. Busingye Mary Karooro Okurut has challenged Ugandans to embark on herbal medicines as alternatives to treating non-communicable diseases. She made this call during BTA’s annual general meeting which was held at Ntambiko Craft Centre, in Katungu, Nyakabirizi Division,Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality.

Karooro noted that there is an increase in non communicable diseases which Ugandans need to address very carefully. She observed that these diseases have made people vulnerable but they could get relief by relying on herbal medicines as an alternative treatment.

While speaking at the same function, Karooro said that BTA was formed to help vulnerable people and other members of the community to access health services at affordable prices.

She urged people in the scheme not to politicise it saying that it was formed without political or religious affiliation.She encouraged members to always be neutral if they are to grow the association.

In the same meeting, Lucas Muhangi was elected as the new association chairperson after defeating the interim chairman Angelina Kyerisa. Muhangi asked members to remain united and stay away from being divided. By staying away from the conflicts the association will fulfill its obligation.

Residents of Kagongo Division formerly Kashangura Sub county before it was curved out of Ibanda North county and annexed to Ibanda Town Council before it was elevated to a municipality have been advised to petition office of the Inspector General of Government over their diverted health center II funds. The funds were meant to elevate Kashangura Health II to a Health Centre III status have been diverted to rather uplift the status of Birongo Health Centre II to Health Centre III.

The advice was raised by Innocent Mwiine Bakamuhara during a stakeholders meeting in Kashangura noting that it is only the office of the Permanent Secretary for Ministry of Finance that is supposed to divert funds.

Bakamuhara explained that the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Diana Atwiine does not have a right to divert funds which were released to elevate Kashangura Health Centre II in Kagongo Division,Ibanda Municipality and channel it to do the same work at Birongo Health Centre II in Kijongo sub-county, Ibanda North.

He is worried that there could be a bunch of politicians in Ibanda district who are behind this diversion of services for political reasons.

The Ministry of Health released over Shs900m to set up structures at Kashangura Health Centre II with the intention of elevating it to a health centre III status but funds meant to do this work were diverted.

Locals through their district councillor Mr. Godfrey Kamagara have been agitating for justice .With justice not coming their way,the locals have opted to run to the Ministry of Finance and the office of the Inspector General of Government to petition the decision of Dr.Diana Atwiine,Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary.