Rev Ven. Kwesiga Emmanuel Katamunanwire, the archdeacon of St Johns church of Uganda, has urged the youth to have hope in Jesus Christ if they want to be saved from sin.
Rev Ven. Kwesiga Emmanuel Katamunanwire made the call while speaking during the official opening of the 2nd Annual youth and children convention, 2023 of Kazo Archdeaconry under the diocese of North Ankole on Thursday Evening at Kazo secondary school in Kazo district.
Speaking as the first speaker during the same occasion, the Kazo District Education Officer, Agume Robert Rwabwizi asked youth to do the work of God and obey his roles in order to live with harmony.
This year’s convention will run from 12th to 14th January 2023 under the whole diocese theme; “…Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29.
The state Minister of defense in charge of army veteran affairs in Uganda, Mrs. Oleru Huda Abason has revealed that the amendment of UPDF 2005 Act, yet to be tabled in parliament as a bail is intending to solve issues of army veterans like compensation, pension, health treatment among others.
Meeting army veterans in Kiruhura district yesterday at Kiruhura headquarters, Minister Huda received several complaints from these veterans about the problems they are facing.
Some of the complaints are that veterans face difficulties in the process of getting their pension yet it is little, they are ignored by the government among others.
One of NRA veterans told Minister Huda that government did not trace them or relatives of those who died and that up to now they are not helped.
In response, Minister Huda encouraged them to be patient adding that their issues will be solved after the parliament passes UPDF 2005 Act into law.
She added that compensation, creating referrals, pension payments are some of the major issues targeted.
Minister Huda urged army veterans to remain hopeful not immediately relinquish yet good things are coming to them from the government.
Hon. Tayebwa Herbert, MP for Kashongi County also noted that army veterans in Kashongi are struggling with many challenges that need solutions to improve their standards of living.
Hon. Wilson Kajwengye, MP for Nyabushozi county noted that for both FRONASA veterans and NRA later UPDF veterans, spouses of those deceased should be considered by the government.
George Bakunda, the RDC for Kiruhura told the veterans that although they are suffering, government has a plan for them.
Residents of Rukinga-Bugarihe, Rwemikoma sub-county, Kazo district led by their LC I Chairperson Mweteise David have protested the arrest of a one Beigana Robert by the Kazo district Security team accusing him of operating a meat collecting center illegally in Rukinga.
The arrest follows the outcry of the area residents who have been living in fear following an outbreak of a raging strange disease suspected to be anthrax from dead animals.
The residents however say that the people who died from the strange disease were not working in any butchery and even Robert did not sell them meat asking district health team to focus on bringing the results to confirm the disease saying that they are all in fear.
Al Hajji Umar Mawiya Lule, the Kazo Resident District commissioner (RDC) said the case is registered at Kazo police post under SD Ref No 05/10/1/2023.
Mawiya advised the people of Kazo to stop eating meat from dead animals and urged them to report anyone found selling it for security to intervene.
Addressing the issue of confirming results from samples, the Kazo district health officer, Dr. Samuel Tweheyo Kiroha said the samples were taken to the Uganda Virus Research Institute in Gulu and are expecting the results before this weekend.
With this rare disease, you first develop a bruise on the arm (Akahere), the arm starts swelling which spreads to the chest, then the rest of the body and eventually resulting into death.
Dairy sector stakeholders in Ibanda district have called on the sector watchdog to institute stringent measures to stamp out illegal practices that are affecting milk quality.
George Mutara, the Ibanda town-based bulk milk buyer said some of the dealers were encouraging the illegality by buying the low quality milk, and they are not even punished.
Mutara was speaking during a dairy sector training workshop on milk quality, dairy standards and regulations conducted by the Dairy Development Authority (DDA) southwestern regional office on Tuesday.
Peninnah Natumanya, the DDA southwestern region dairy inspector, said milk quality is also negatively affected by poor handling, right from the farm up to the selling points and collection centres.
“Some farmers also scoop off the cream reducing milk quality,” added Natumanya.
The sensitization workshop held at district council hall attracted farmers, milk retailers and bulk buyers and suppliers, dairy cooperatives, and the district extension workers.
The southwestern region accounts for about 45% of the country’s total milk production, making it the biggest milk producer in Uganda, according to DDA.
The stakeholders noted that milk adulteration was widespread and Natumanya pointed out that dirty cow udder, cow dung, dust, cowboys that milk without washing hands, not washing milk containers properly, among others affect milk quality.
The Bishop for East Ruwenzori Diocese, Rt. Rev. George Turyasingura has asked the youth to have hope in Jesus Christ if they want to be saved from sinning.
Speaking as the guest of honor at the 12th Annual Youth and Students convention at Kaaro high school in Kiruhura district, Bishop Turyasingura urged the youth to have unconditional love for one another, listen to the good advice from others as well as sharing problems for comfort.
The Bishop also implored the youth to change their bad morals to good ones.
Youth attend a session during the 12th North Ankole Diocese Annual Youth and Students convention at Kaaro High School.
Rev. Dr. Benson Tumuhairwe of Junamagara Ministries; Kampala noted that there is cultism, unreligious and ungodly acts that are happening in the world which youths should be careful of like homosexuality and incest among others.
Rev. Dr. Benson castigated the acts of wedding homosexuals by the church, adding that world and church need deliverance.
The Bishop of North Ankole diocese (host), Rt. Rev. Steven Namanya also emphasized that youth should do away with doing evil deeds like theft, sexual immorality, drug abuse and others asserting that sinning is the deliberate violation of God’s will.
The convention was held from 5th to 8th January under the theme; “…Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29.
Officials from the Ministry of Water and Environment ministry have assured the general public that water from the Nyabuhikye-Kikyenkye gravity water project will reach their homes in Ibanda and Kazo districts in March this year.
Speaking during the project tour by media personnel on Thursday, Engineer Moses Ebalu, the clerk of works at the UGX 20b project, said the works are scheduled to be completed by February 28 and the project handed over to the government.
Ebalu noted that about 1,000 residents of Keihangara and Kikyenkye sub-counties will, however, be the first beneficiaries of this water project.
The Nyabuhikye-Kikyenkye Water Supply and Sanitation System, a gravity flow water scheme located in Igorora town council Ibanda South, is funded by the African Development Bank and the government of Uganda.
The first phase of the project is targeting to serve 41,000 people in the two districts of Ibanda and Kazo.
The multibillion water project which started in 2017, was slated to take 18 months, ending in late 2018 is being undertaken by Mbarara-based Block Technical Services.
Duncan Kangwangye, the Block Technical Services supervisor at the project, said despite the numerous challenges, the change of project managers by the ministry and facilitating payments to the contractor, enabled them to do the work as per schedule.
Eng Ebalu attributed the project’s delay to challenges like government’s delay to compensate the landowners along the route of the raw water pipe, Covid-19 pandemic and low cash flow in government among others.
Eng Ebalu revealed that the landowners were paid by the government almost a year ago, enabling works to progress well as per new timelines.
Meanwhile, Godwin Muhumuza, the Ibanda district speaker, has appealed to the public to be patient, saying that the government has committed itself to delivering the water by March.
Residents of Rukinga, Bugarihe parish, Rwemikoma sub-county, in Kazo district are living in fear after an outbreak of a raging ‘strange’ disease that has caused the death of three people.
These residents from Rukinga led by their LC I Chairperson Mweteise David and their village health team leader, Bugarihe Parish; Esau Baigana confirmed the incidents saying that they are all in fear and urged the government together with district teams to intervene in the matter.
Taremwa Justus, one of the survivors narrated to our reporter that with this rare disease, you first develop a bruise on the arm (Akahere) and the arm starts swelling.
According to the residents, the rare disease was first reported in the month of November when it killed a 60-year-old farmer who was from Rwomuhoro.
He developed the same signs and symptoms of painful swellings on the arm spreading to the chest, he died within five days and was buried in Rukinga.
The latest victim is Bamutunga Yonasani, also a resident of Rukinga Bugarihe parish, who is currently in a critical condition.
Bisaba Imana Benon, the health assistant in the Rwemikoma sub-county confirmed the outcry noting that they are working hand in hand with the district health teams to have some samples taken to the laboratory for proper diagnosis.
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.
