Leaders and residents of Buremba town council are crying foul accusing their former LC III chairperson; George Ruyondo of grabbing over 4 acres of Sub-county land.
Ruyondo who is the current head of laity at Kyabahura Church of Uganda, was the chairperson of this Sub-county currently Buremba town council for over 17 years before he was replaced by Nicholas Murisa and later replaced by James Matagaizi, now as mayor of this town council.
These leaders and residents accuse Ruyondo of using his position to mislead other leaders to grab this land in 1995 by getting the title of more than 4 acres and yet he was given only one plot.
Joseph Ndibalema, the then chairperson of lands committee, said that they were called to confirm the land which they couldn’t recall adding that it is likely that the chairperson LC III used his position in a way they didn’t understand and he got much more land that he was given.
Ruyondo in response argued that he followed procedure to get this land title adding that whoever wants to challenge the title should go to high court but not stop developing his land.
On his intervention, the Kazo Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Al-Hajji Umar Mawiya Lule directed Ruyondo to stop the on-going clearing of the land in question before the district and Sub-county intervene.
The over 4 acres of land that was claimed borders Buremba town and is near the road that joins Bigutsyo and Kabingo.
President Yoweri Museveni has told the people of Kiruhura and Kazo to stop lamenting about bad roads in the districts as the cause of their poverty but instead focus on doing things that will improve their household incomes.
The president accompanied by the First Lady, Janet Kataha Museveni was meeting farmers and leaders of Kiruhura and Kazo districts on Wednesday at Nswerenkye Primary School, Kiruhura where he called on leaders at all levels to dedicate their energies on income-generating activities that will improve the livelihoods and families of the people they lead.
President Museveni made the remarks in response to Jovanice Rwenduru, the Kiruhura District Woman MP who raised the issue of poor infrastructure such as the bad road network in the region.
L-R Hon Herbert Tayebwa (Kashongi constituency MP), Hon Wilson Kajwengye (Nyabusozi county MP), Hon Jennifer Muheesi, Woman MP Kazo district and Shadrack Nzeire Kagutaattending the meeting with the president on Wednesday.
Rev. Samuel Mugisha Katugunda, the Kazo LCV Chairperson informed the president that out of the 35,000 households in the district, 67% are involved in commercial farming while 33% in subsistence farming citing lack of land as the reason why they are still doing subsistence farming.
President Museveni advised those with small pieces of land to venture into activities like poultry and zero grazing that do not require much land.
Re-echoing the danger associated with land fragmentation which he said is part of the hindrances to prosperity of Ugandans, president Museveni advised children to venture into collective investment and share what they get from the land instead of subdividing the land amongst themselves especially when the owner dies noting that subdividing the land cannot support commercial agriculture which is the backbone of Uganda’s economy.
“When I go to heaven, I don’t want God to blame me for not getting you out of poverty. He will at least know that I did my part but you did not listen.”
Alluding to Matthew 6:33 in the Bible, the President said: “Seek ye first homestead incomes (Entasya y’amaka), the rest will be added unto you.”
He noted that good roads have been constructed in many parts of the country to ease transport of goods and services but they’re instead being misused to dry cassava and maize.
“We shall work on all the roads but they should find stable families with improved household incomes. Tarmac roads will not take away poverty,” said the president adding that he bought land in Kisozi, Gomba with a vision to create wealth despite the fact that the area had poor road network.
Dan Mukago Rutetebya, the Kiruhura District LCV Chairman appreciated the president for setting up a regional hub for skilling youth in different fields to fight unemployment.
In response to a request by Mukago to have a general Hospital in Kiruhura district and Katugunda who asked that Kazo Health center IV be elevated to district hospital status, the president encouraged leaders to focus on disease prevention through behavior change, improved hygiene, immunization and nutrition so that the country can save money and use it for other priority areas.
The meeting was also attended and addressed by the Minister of State for Animal Industry, Lt Col (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama, the Members of Parliament for Kazo, Kashongi and Nyabushozi constituencies, Gen. Sam Kavuma, the Chairman Board of Directors of Wazalendo Savings and Credit Cooperative Society (WSACCO), District Councillors, LC V and LC III Chairpersons, Women leaders from Kazo and Kiruhura and religious leaders among others.
Kazo district local government has today received 363 bicycles from the government of Uganda to distribute to local council one (LC I) and two (LC II) chairpersons to facilitate their movement while fulfilling their mandate.
While receiving them, Nsubuga Zirimenya, the Chief Administrative Officer revealed that the bicycles are for the government and cautioned the chairpersons against the sale of government bicycles.
“These bicycles are government property and given to office bearers not individuals, so they should be handed over when leaving office,” said Nsubuga.
Nsubuga also asked the chairpersons to take care and maintain the bicycles.
Rev Samuel Mugisha Katugunda, the district LC V chairman appreciated the government for fulfilling the long-awaited promise noting that the bicycles will help the chairpersons to monitor and supervise the government projects in their areas of jurisdiction.
Katugunda further asked the government to look into their income and think about giving motorcycles to these chairpersons.
During the handover function, Al-Hajji Mawiya Lule, the RDC Kazo district also thanked the government for the effort to fulfill the promise and revealed that the NRM chairpersons also got the motorcycles and the chairman LC V saying that this will help them to monitor the government programmes.
Dan Mukago Rutetebya, the Kiruhura district LC V chairperson, has castigated the poor leadership of LC I chairpersons saying the negligence of their work has led to increased insecurity including cases of livestock theft, murder, faking stamps to steal people’s property among others.
Speaking during the security meeting at Kikatsi sub-county headquarters on Tuesday, Mukago observed that LC I Chairpersons do not attend council meetings after learning that out of the 20 chairpersons, 10 were absent from the meeting.
Mukago also noted that cases of murder have increased in this sub-county.
Dan Mukago added that there is a need for cooperation with LC I chairpersons if they are to manage fighting criminality in their villages/ cells.
Mukago also noted that Police in Kikatsi do not help local leaders to apprehend criminals or when arrested they are released by police.
Sulait Kitaka, the Kiruhura District Police commander promised that he will immediately solve the problem by tightening security in the area.
Kitaka tasked LC I chairpersons to always handle cases pertaining domestic violence.
Manya Allan, the LCIII Chairperson Kikatsi Sub-county revealed that three cases of murder have already been reported; alleging that strangers without identification may be behind the murder.
Kenneth Rindirira, the district councilor representing Kikatsi sub-county advised that head counting should be carried in every cell to know the number of people living in the sub-county noting that some LC I chairpersons do not know the number of residents in their cells which he says is a big problem security-wise.
Police in Kazo are holding a woman accused of stealing a one-month-old baby boy. The suspect has been identified as Kebirungi Immaculate, a resident of Kigarama-Akayanja, Nombe in Kiruhura district born in Kitagwenda district.
Lukooto John, the district police Commander (DPC) Kazo told our reporter that Kebirungi allegedly stole the baby from Nyangoma Sylvia last week on Monday 12th December.
The suspect (Kebirungi) is said to have befriended the victim while they were coming together from Kazo Victory Church. Kebirungi requested Nyangoma (victim) for a place to sleep and the following morning after realizing that Nyangoma had gone to the toilet, she disappeared with her baby to an unknown destination.
Nyangoma Sylvia and Kamugisha Bazil, the baby’s mother and father respectively are both residents of Rwemirondo in Kazo town council, Kazo district. They appreciated the police of Kazo for their efforts towards the search of their baby’s thief.
Joy Muhangi, the LC I chairperson Rwemirondo said that she got the information from a one Kabeho who contacted her to tell her that Kamugisha’s baby had been stolen.
Lukooto asked the residents to first get information about the people before receiving them in their homes and also urged the people to be vigilant during this festive season.
Abdul Wahabu, the husband to the suspect said that he sent the wife to her home to go and deliver noting that he didn’t know any other details.
Elderly persons in Ibanda have been advised to form groups through which they will receive government grants to set up income-generating projects.
Norbert Kamugisha, the district senior community development officer, asked the elderly to form groups of between 5-15 people to benefit from the small grants of UGX 5m per group aimed at ensuring they have sustainable sources of income.
Kamugisha revealed that persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the district were already benefitting from a similar government grant.
Kamugisha made the recommendation while addressing older persons from Bufunda Division, Ibanda Municipality who had turned up to receive their Social Assistance Grant Empowerment (SAGE) money at the division offices on Friday.
The UGX 75,000 per person is for the first quarter of this fiscal year. The beneficiaries are entitled to UGX 25,000 per month each under SAGE programme.
Commenting on the new programme, David Bigira, district male councilor representing older persons, said they were already sensitizing older persons about the government initiative. He added that they will start with those willing and later bring over 400 SAGE beneficiaries in the district on board.
One of the SAGE beneficiaries keeps his cash as he leaves the disbursement area.
Kamugisha expressed disappointment over those stealing the money from the beneficiaries. He cited a case in Kashangura Kagongo Division, where the son of the beneficiary has been taking his father’s cash but never handing it over to the old man since he accessed the SAGE payroll.
The official said he was working with the Police in Ibanda to arrest this person so he answers for his crime.
On the issue of names missing on payroll, he assured qualifying older persons that the anomaly would be addressed and they get paid.
Eighty-three year-old Emmanuel Begumana, of Kagorogoro cell in Bufunda Division said the government SAGE cash was “keeping a smile on the faces of older persons”.
Ibanda chief magistrate’s court has remanded two suspected vanilla thieves to Nyabuhikye government Prison.
Court presided over by his worship Aloysius Natwijuka heard that Edson Abaho, 32, reportedly stole 6kg of fresh vanilla beans worth UGX 240,000 from his employer on December 8th 2022.
Abaho, a resident of Nyakatookye in Kagongo Division, Ibanda Municipality was hired by John Kweyamba as a night guard in his vanilla garden, but the suspect allegedly stole the fresh vanilla beans he was employed to safeguard.
The suspect was arrested by Police on December 10th while trying to sell the beans and charged accordingly.
Ronald Rukundo, of Ibanda town, the would-be-buyer suspected that Abaho could be a thief since it is not yet the harvest season for vanilla and he alerted the Police who laid in wait for him.
Relatedly, Jonah Twinamatsiko, 24, a resident of Mahega II in Kyeikucu, Kagongo Division in Ibanda Municipality also faces two counts of vanilla theft.
Twinamatsiko is suspected to have stolen 30 kilos of fresh vanilla pods valued at about UGX 1.5m from Ivan Tumuhimbise on December 10th.
He also allegedly stole another 20kg of fresh vanilla beans valued at over UGX 1m from a 76-year-old farmer Enos Kakashaari on the same night.
Court heard that the suspect was arrested by Police in neighbouring Kitagwenda district while trying to sell the beans in Kabujogera town council.
The duo’s alleged thefts contravene sections 254(i) and 261 of the Penal Code Act and they are liable to up to 10 years in jail for each count if found guilty.
Both suspects denied the charges while appearing before the chief magistrate’s court and were subsequently remanded to Nyabuhikye prison until January 3rd, 2023 when their cases will come up for hearing.
Boda Boda riders in Engari sub-county, Kazo district under their umbrella body; Engari Boda Boda Tukore Group have elected their new leadership for 2023/2024.
Following their constitution guidelines, the riders were required to have this election to fill positions of leadership following their predecessors’ end-of-term in office.
In an election held at Engari parish headquarters, Kamukama Denis was elected the new chairperson Boda Boda riders‘ Engari Tukore with 41 votes against his opponent Musinguzi Innocent who scored 29 votes.
Kamukama assured all boda boda riders that he will focus on uniting them as well as pushing the group to make Sacco of Boda Boda.
“I want to call my opponents and the entire boda boda fraternity to purposely unite for our success,” said Kamukama.
Bitariho Alex, the outgoing chairperson of the Engari Tukore group urged the Boda Boda incoming leadership to keep the group going on requesting sustainability to another step from where he left them cooperating.
Nandeeba Naboth, the operations Manager, Kazo FM addressing boda boda riders on Thursday.
In his closing remarks as the guest of honor, Nandeeba Naboth, the operations Manager of Kazo FM radio urged the newly elected leadership to defend the group constitution to ensure that they work according to the interests of the majority as well as spreading the gospel of working for household income.
Residents and local leaders of Mbogo parish in Kanoni sub-county, Kazo district are crying out seeking justice on their 29 acres of community land that has since 1998 been in courts of law between Kazo district local government and one resident identified as Ketty Rwakanjara.
Speaking to our reporter, the residents and local residents revealed that they are dissatisfied saying that 24 years in courts of law is a long time and they have no clear information on when the court is ruling on this land matter.
According to the residents, they say that court made an order that this land shouldn’t be used until the ruling but the family of the late Rwakajara continued using it and fencing the space of the community they left with.
The residents asked government through Kazo district local government to follow this matter to an end. In an intervention on this matter, Kazo FM approached the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Al-Hajji Mawiya Lule who noted that he is aware about the matter.
Mawiya asked the people of Mbogo to be patient and wait for the judgment noting that when the matter is in court they have to wait and stop interrupting with orders.
Kazo district Local Government has today at compassion hall Kazo town council Kazo district launched the UGIFT small-scale irrigation program in the district, as part of the government efforts towards improving agricultural productivity through provision of water for irrigation in the district.
Kazo district is among the 95 districts under the second phase that are piloting this program in the country.
The program which is coordinated by Department of Agricultural Infrastructure Mechanization and Water for Agricultural Production (DAIMWAP) under Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries is funded by the Government of Uganda with support from the World Bank and implemented by the Production and Marketing department at the District level.
Asiimwe JohnBaptist , the District Production Officer, has said that Kazo being one of the districts affected by the drought, this program is aiming at supporting individual subsistence farmers to get water, wherever it is, to reach the gardens which will enable them to practice modern agriculture and improve their farm productivity.
Asiimwe added that irrigation will help farmers to grow crops all year round with or without rain because they will be planting and watering their crops even during the dry season whereby in the long run they will have plenty of food for both eating and selling to generate more income.
Tumwijukye Innocent , the district senior agriculture engineer also clarified that, the cost of the equipment will depend on the procimity of the water source to the land for irrigation, terrain of the land, soil suitability, evidence as to whether the farmer has access to the land for at least 12 months, eligibility to contribute to the cost of the irrigation equipment, and willingness to grow and sell high value crops like horticulture crops, coffee and that the size of the land to be irrigated must not exceed 2.5 acres.
Asection of district leaders who attended the launch led by the LC V chairperson, Rev Samuel Mugisha Katugunda and the district speaker, Dan Bwamunyonga praised the programme saying this will help the district to overcome the problem of depending on rain.
In his closing remarks, the Resident District Commissioner-Al-Hajji Mawiya Lule, appreciated the government for the project noting that the farmers in Kazo district will benefit more if they get clear information and urged other leaders to take the information clearly.
The RDC Kazo District, Al-Hajji Mawiya Lule addressing leaders during the meeting to create awareness about Micro-Scale Irrigation program.
This micro-scale irrigation program will help farmers to buy irrigation equipment at a low cost. The Government of Uganda will share the cost of the equipment with the farmers whereby it will pay between 25% and 75% of the total cost of the irrigation equipment depending on the farm situation and the type of irrigation equipment chosen by the farmer.
