The LCV chairman Kiruhura district, Dan Mukago has promised the residents of Kashongi that Kashongi Market will be reopened as soon as possible.

In the meeting with the residents of Kashongi in Kashongi Sub-county on Tuesday, Mukago stated that the now open Kyenshama market in Kabushwere parish, Kashongi will remain working but also the inactive Kashongi market will be reopened to benefit residents and the district at large.

The assurance follows complaints from residents who said that this market was ignored by the district authorizes after the creation of Kyenshama market.

While giving the status report, Mukago revealed that the district administration is going to organize how the market should restart through mobilization of communities especially the business community and traders, identifying and opening the market land boundaries and fencing it accordingly and allowing market vendors to start a daily roadside market and allocate stalls to the community to pave way for the start.

Mukago said the district is ready to support the re-establishment of the market with hopes of collecting a lot of revenue from this market during its operation.

God Arinaitwe, one of the residents said they eagerly want the reoperation of this market to support the population in earning household income.

Joy Katafire, a dairy farmer, also resident noted that for a long time, Kashongi market has been helping different people to get where to sell and buy commodities as well as looking for means of survival.

People living with diabetes and hypertension in Kazo district have today launched their association dubbed Kazo district diabetes and hypertension Association with an objective to help them improve their quality of life.

Speaking during the launch held at Kazo health center IV on Tuesday, Julius Muhumuza, the association chairperson explained that they started the association to have one voice and raise it to get help from the government especially in acquiring medication.

Muhumuza noted saying that these two conditions have complications and their intention is to create awareness about it, provide training and sensitization to instill discipline and hope among the patients and improve on the care.

Al-Hajji Mawiya Lule, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Kazo district appreciated the members for joining the association and also pledged to carry out on-and-off ground monitoring to ensure that their medication and other services are available when needed.

Rev Samuel Mugisha Katugunda, the LC V chairperson Kazo district who represented the Kazo constituency MP, Hon Dan Kimosho as the guest of honor presented a contribution of UGX 1,000,000 from Hon Kimosho towards the activities of the association and pledged that as authorities from the district, they will support the association and people living with hypertension and diabetes.

Leaders of the association appreciated their leaders from the district for heading to their call and said that they are hopeful that this association will help them to get services in time.

Locals in Kanoni sub-county, Kazo district have expressed concern about the poor state of bridges in their area.

Residents made the outcry on Monday during a meeting with the Kazo district LC V chairperson in Kanoni sub-county at the small bridge that connects the two parishes of Rwakahaya and Bwagonga.

Speaking to Kazo FM, the residents noted with concern that their bridge was swept away by the floods in the recent downpours.

The residents said that this Bridge which connects them to get services from Kanoni including schools and health care was broken and they are now facing the challenge of moving long distances to get these services.

Gumisiriza Silagi, the chairperson LC1 of Rwakahaya II, said that this road has been affecting their transport movement to Kanoni where they get services like medication, education and others.

Magyenzi Henry, the vice chairperson of the LC III Kanoni sub-county who also joined the residents to do community work said that they need serious intervention noting that there is too much water in this place.

Rev Samuel Mugisha Katugunda, the Kazo district LC V chairperson appreciated the residents for supporting and engaging in the campaign to do community work to ensure that they get where to pass as the wait for the government through the sub-county to work on the damaged bridge.

Police in Kazo are holding a 23 year old man identified as Nkamuhabwa aka Salongo on allegations of defiling a 10 year old pupil at Bright Future Academy-Migina.

It is said that Nkamuhabwa, a resident of Migina Parish, Migina Sub-county, Kazo district was caught red handed defiling a young girl who had been sent to buy a bottle of soda in the nearby trading centre.  

Mugisha Steven, a grandfather to the victim told our reporter that it was on Friday Evening when the young girl was sent to buy a bottle of soda, on her way she met the suspect who attacked her and forced her into sexual intercourse.

The suspect who is said to be a husband to two wives fled the locality after being caught in the middle of the horrible incident.

The police at Migina Police station were notified and the search commenced, the suspect was found in Rwebugumya Parish in Burunga Sub-county, Kazo District.

Mugisha condemn the act adding that the girl is receiving treatment at Rwemikoma HCIII where the Medic informed them that the child was seriously injured in her private parts.

Police authorities intimated to our reporter that the investigations into the matter are still on-going.

In a bid to boost and encourage the study of sciences, Hon. Wilson Kajwegye, MP for Nyabushozi County has donated a consignment of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and English textbooks as well as laboratory equipment (apparatus and reagents) to 14 secondary schools in Nyabushozi-Kiruhura district.

During the Launch of distribution of these materials to destined schools on Thursday at Bishops girls’ school in Rushere, Kajwengye said studying sciences is so important in the country and urged parents to educate their children from schools close to their homes so that they develop their communities.

“There is no society that has transformed with no emphasis of Science, Engineering innovation and technology,” said Kajwengye.

Paul Tandeka, the chairman board of governors for Kaaro high school said sciences in Kiruhura are poorly done and appreciated kajwengye for encouraging sciences in schools.

Rev kagumya David also noted that kajwengye had done a good thing by bringing a fresh perspective where young people are given a unique ability to think up creative solutions.

According to UK-based National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), exemplary science education can offer a rich context for developing many 21st-century skills, such as critical thinking, problem solving, and information literacy especially when instruction addresses the nature of science and promotes use of science practices.

Residents of Akanara Cell 1, Keitanturegye Parish, Kinoni sub-county in Kiruhura district have expressed dissatisfaction over the concerned authorities’ delay in solving the mailo land wrangles between Mujuni Enock who claims the ownership of the land and has its tittle and tenants who have stayed on the land for long.

In a meeting with the sub-county authorities on Thursday, Natamba Charles, the LC I Chairman Akanara cell revealed that it now about ten years since the land wrangles in his cell started but till this day they have never been resolved.

Colleb Kanori, the chairman LC II for Katanturegye parish says the different authorities have failed to calm down the situation surrounding the disputed mailo land.

Mujuni Enock, the alleged mailo land owner accuses tenants of harassment emphasizing that tenants should not build permanent houses on his land.

Geofrey Atuheire, one of the affected tenants also confirmed that Mujuni wants to evict them from the land and he doesn’t want people to build.

Byaryakijuka chalse, also a tenant says they are being physically and psychologically tortured and threatened to leave the land.

Following the complaints, Mbasa Alex, the Kinoni sub-county chief, urged Mujuni, the mailo land owner and the tenants to devise means to live together in harmony.

Mbasa asked the chairman LC1s to always hold meetings with residents in the villages.

Story by Mutatiina Medison

Residents of Nyamuswiga cell in Kashungura ward, Kagongo Division in Ibanda Municipality face a threat of hunger, following an incident where a storm destroyed crops on Tuesday.

The residents revealed that the devastating storm which lasted for about five minutes destroyed bananas, beans, cassava, fruit and avocado trees.

Apollo Bigirwa, the LC I chairperson Nyamuswiga cell said that although no one was injured in the storm, but one house was destroyed, said the village leader while registering residents affected by the storm on Wednesday morning.

Bigirwa has called for food aid from the government after crops for over 200 households in Nyamuswiga were destroyed in this storm.

Bernard Taremwa, a father to three school-going children, said they will not be able to afford fees and school lunch for their children.

“We have lost our means of survival,” said Taremwa.

Clemensia Baziigatire, 83, also noted that she is worried about how she will survive after half of her banana plantation and cassava were destroyed by the storm yet she does not eat posho.

Adrian Kweyamba, the Kagongo Division chairperson, said they were going to register all the affected households and forward the information to relevant authorities for possible intervention.

Kweyamba, however, urged the residents to plant wind breakers in their land boundaries to reduce the impact of such storms in the future. 

Kitagwenda district councilors have refused to convene a planning council meeting over non-payment of their ex-gratia and committee allowances.

The decision followed a closed meeting between the councilors and Kitagwenda chief administrative officer (CAO) Richard Ssebandeka at the district offices on Monday.

The boycott which was announced around 1pm prompted an emergency meeting of the district top leadership, including the CAO, LC V Chairman Ismail Mushemeza, speaker James Baguma, DPC Henry Mugarura, the RDC and DISO.

After the meeting that lasted about an hour, Mushemeza said the money was already on the district general account but they have no rights to access the money.

Although the councilors refused to discuss the matter with the media, sources indicate that the councilors were protesting non-payment of their ex-gratia and sitting allowances for attending committee meetings and council and committees on empty stomachs.

The other grievance, the source said, was lack of implementation of a number of council resolutions, including failure to provide council a list of all district employees to weed out ghost workers.

Councillors are entitled to a pay of UGX 175,000 each per month as ex-gratia while their council and committee sitting allowance is got from 20 percent of local revenue collection in the district.

Meanwhile Kitahwenda CAO, Richard Sssebandeke, explained that the issue of delayed ex-gratia is a national challenge that is being experienced by other districts across the country, adding that the ministries concerned are working to address it.

On the way forward, district speaker, James Baguma said the leadership has agreed to hold the aborted council meeting on September 29.

Police in Kazo have arrested one suspect in connection with the kidnap of a one day old baby from Kyenshebashebe-Ntambazi parish, Kazo Sub-county, Kazo district on Sunday.

John Lukooto, the Kazo district Police Commander (DPC) confirmed the incident and identified the suspect as Twinamatsiko Hope. 

Twinamatsiko reportedly connived with the woman who took the baby.

Ninsiima Joviitah, the mother to this baby says that another suspect (who is still at large) went to her home and asked to take them to the hospital to give them help of food and money.

Ninsiima says that she then called two boda bodas; one carried the mother of the baby while another carried the suspect with the baby.

Ninsiima adds that while on their way, the suspect directed the boda boda man to ride  towards Ibanda  leaving the mother on the way to Kazo health centre IV where upon reaching, the woman who had carried the baby was nowhere to be seen.

Kamazoba Leonard, the grandmother to the baby revealed that the suspect came to their home and offered to take all mothers with newly born babies to hospital for help.

Laurence Twinamatsiko  , the chairman of LC I Kyenshebashebe cell who condemned the act said that he got information from his defence after church service and asked the security to intervene in this matter and bring the suspect to book.

Lukooto noted that investigations into the matter are still on-going.

Residents of Kazo town council in Kazo district have expressed concerns about increased rampant cases of theft in town.

Mwesigye Edson, a resident and landlord in Byeshembe cell, Kazo Town council revealed that on Thursday night, thieves broke into one of the rooms rented by lawyer Enock Tumwine and made off with television and many other items.

Asingwire Apollo, a bar owner also revealed that on Thursday night, thieves broke into the bar and walked away with most of his belongings such as TV sets, bottles of alcohol and an unspecified amount of money.

Asingwire noted that these unknown thieves target when electricity is off.

By press time, police had not given a comment about these reports.