Angry residents of Kyeikucu cell in Kagongo Division, Ibanda Municipality have burnt a vehicle of suspected cattle thieves.

Edirisa Kyeyune, the Ibanda district Police commander (DPC) confirmed the incident and said Pascal Mugisha, the owner of the car who is currently the main suspect in the theft of the cow is on the run and so are two of his accomplices.

The suspects are said to have stolen the cow valued at UGX 2m during the night of November 20th from Francis Kasamba’s farm in Rukokoma village.

Charles Bamwine, the LCI chairperson Rukokoma II cell, said the Toyota Premio REG No UAR 749A was found loaded with meat at about 3am, prompting the community members to set it ablaze.

Bamwine said the community was venting its anger following a spate of insecurity in the area, mainly caused by vanilla and livestock thieves.

He explained that the car was coming from Katengyeta to Kyeikucu, when it got stuck in mud after the heavy downpour and was making noise deep in the night.

DPC Kyeyune said that no one has been arrested for participating in the burning of the car, however, he cautioned the public against mob action.

Leaders and residents of Mahyoro town council in Kitagwenda district are worried over alleged water and soil pollution by gold mining firms.

Moses Mushabe, the area district councilor, said River Buhindagi, on which livelihoods of people and livestock in 10 villages of the town council depend, has been filled with residues from the gold mine operated by Chinese mining firm, Tyang Tyang.

Mushabe, who is also the deputy speaker, was reacting to the natural resources department budget proposals during the district’s budget conference.  

While responding to the concern, Kitagwenda district natural resources officer, Moses Turyamureba Bujara, said the mining firms have not been cooperative, adding that it was hard for the district officials to access the mines said to be heavily guarded.

Communities from the villages of Kitomi, Karokarungi, Kanyabikyere and Omukarere as well as Kyendangara, Buhindagi, Rwetuuma, Zambia, Kachindo depend on the River Buhindagi for water for domestic use and to water the animals. 

When contacted on November 11 to comment on the matter, Yusuf Mugarura, the gold mine site manager, referred this reporter to the energy and mineral development ministry, to explain the situation. He said they were duly licensed to operate in the area.  

Mugarura also accused the media of ‘interfering’ with investment projects in the country. 

River Buhindagi pours its waters into Lake George and also serves Buhweju and Ibanda districts.

Residents of Nshwerenkye cell II in Rushere town council and Akaanara cell I in Keitanturegye Parish Kinoni sub-county, Kiruhura district are living in fear after unknown thieves started stealing food from their gardens.

A section of the resident said cassava and bananas are the crops stolen the most from their gardens time after time and this has caused fear of hunger and famine in the long run in these two cells amidst the economic crisis.

Hagabomwe Ambrose, a resident of Nshwerenkye cell II intimated to our reporter that he believes that this act is done by people who not want to work.

Hagabomwe added that security in the community is available but only reporting of crimes by the people is still poor.

Namanya Justus, the secretary for defence in Akaanara cell I also said that stealing of bananas from the plantation is rampant in this cell. He called upon security personnel to intervene on the matter.

Rt. Sergent Apollo Tushemereirwe, the coordinator of crime preventers for Kiruhura district warned the culprits involved in the act of stealing food from people’s gardens to stop or else they risk facing the wrath of the law.

Story by Mutatiina Medison

Nine people have been remanded in Kiruhura government prison in Kiruhura district on seven counts of cattle theft in Kazo district.

Court presided over by Ndaazano Joshua, the Kazo grade one magistrate on Wednesday heard that the suspects including Bangyenda Samuel aka Brown from Kibale district, Namakula Hilda from Ngomba district, Kobwengye Richard from Kyegegwa district, Bagoza Patrick, Kutesa Ronald, and others were arrested in the month of October on charges of cattle theft.

The arrest of the suspects followed an incident in which 24 cows were on 8^th October 2022 stolen from a one Nobert Turyahika’s farm in Kakoni, Buremba sub-county, Kazo district.

The prosecution told court that more cattle were stolen from Nshemereirwe Coleb’s farm, and Ahimbisibwe Didas all from Engari sub-county in Kazo district.

The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges and were immediately sent on remand till 30^th November 2022 when they will reappear in court.

Kazo district has been hit by a wave of cattle theft in recent months, according to police reports, the stolen cattle are smuggled into other districts like Kasese and Kampala. 

After the State Minister for education, Dr. Joyce Moriku  Kaducu declared on Tuesday this week that pre-primary, primary and secondary schools will be closing early not beyond 25^th November 2022 to contain the spread of Ebola in the country, a section of people in Kiruhura district have expressed mixed feelings over the ministry’s decision.

Rev. David Kagumya, head teacher of Bishops Girls’ school said that although children will lose a lot academically, it is better to close schools instead of them contracting Ebola from school.

Rev. Kagumya noted that parents need to create time for their children to read notes while at home during holyday.

Maremasa Obed, one of the parents said that early closure of schools will lead to the loss of money by parents they have already given schools. Maremesa said parents are impoverished by the economic crisis that they do not need lose what they have already got.

Kitakureka David, a councilor for Nshwerempago parish also supported this government’s move saying it is necessary to save the lives of children.

Kaducu directed all pre-primary, primary and secondary schools across Uganda to close on 25 November 2022, two weeks before the scheduled end of term on 9 December 2022 after 23 Ebola cases were confirmed among school going pupils, including eight children who have died from the virus.

By Mutatiina Medison

Local leaders and stakeholders in Kitagwenda district have called for strong interventions to curb teenage pregnancies that have risen in the district.

The call follows a report indicating a big increase in the number of girls aged between 15 and 19 years who got pregnant in Kitagwenda over the past three years ending June 30, 2022.

A report by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) indicates that the district recorded 3,420 teen pregnancies over the period, 33 of whom were girls below 15 years old, while 3,387 others ranged from 15 – 19 years of age.

According to the district health officer, Dr. Christine Karungi, Mahyoro sub-county registered the highest number of teen pregnancies with 941 girls between 15 and 19 years of age conceiving over the reporting period. It is followed by Kitagwenda town council and Nyabbani sub-county, which registered 721 and 691 teenage pregnancies, respectively.

At only four, Kicheche sub-county registered the least teenage pregnancies over the period. Buhanda recorded 376 teen pregnancies, Kabujogera 308, and Kanara 379.

Yasin Kezimbira, the District male youth councillor called for strong measures to ensure that girls stay in school, saying this provides them the much-needed safety net.

He said parents who are found to have removed their children from school should also be punished.

Kezimbira called for creation of skilling centres especially in the sub-counties with high teen pregnancy rates, to cater for the young mothers who can’t return to school.

The two officials were speaking during the district’s budget conference.

Residents of Rwemikoma sub-county in Kazo district have expressed dissatisfaction over the poor state of Kazo –Kyegegwa road particularly towards the Rwemikoma trading center.

Speaking to our reporter on Monday, these angry residents said that the potholes on this road have greatly affected the movement of people and their goods to the market centers.

The residents also argue that the place is a hotspot for accidents in this area.

Hajjat Nasamba, a resident and Women’s chairperson in Rwemikoma said that pregnant women suffer a lot while passing on this pothole in search of health services from either Kazo or Kyegegwa districts.

These residents demanded a quick response from the government through Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA).

Mwesigye Richard, area LC I chairperson also revealed that he has been getting reports from people affected adding that this particular spot gets even messier when it rains.

Mwesigye noted that this road has many vehicles and urged the government to work on it.

Sam Kakajara, the chairperson LC III Rwemikoma sub-county said that for over two months, the residents have decried the damaged road noting that it’s about time for the government through UNRA to intervene because this road is essential for businesses in Kazo and Kyegegwa districts.

Sheikh Abdallah Ibrahim Ssemambo, the Deputy Mufti of Uganda from Uganda Muslim supreme council, has called upon Muslims in Kiruhura and Kazo districts to have unity, one voice as well as stopping fighting against each other.

Speaking at the meeting of these Muslims at Rushere mosque, Kiruhura Muslim district headquarters on Friday, Sheikh Ssemambo told them that violence will not benefit them and encouraged them to champion peaceful living amongst themselves.

The coming of Sheikh Ssemambo comes after the frequent fights among Muslim leaders in these two districts which later led to the vote of no confidence to their District Kadhi Sheik Ausi Muyingo accusing him of irregular work for the Muslim community.

 Sheikh Ssemambo chose the interim District Kadhi who will be working for a mean time until they elect their own leaders.

However, Abdul Hakim Turyakira, the former chairman of Muslims in Kiruhura district noted that sheik Ausi Muyingo, former district Kadhi should return to the office.

Bakunda George, the Kiruhura Resident district commissioner (RDC) said that security will not allow the Muslims to fight each other.

By Mutatiina Medison

Residents of the Mbaba, Kazo sub-county, Kazo district are overjoyed after officially getting their Savings and credit cooperative (Sacco) which they started as a group.

During their first 1^ST General meeting and launch of the Sacco held in Mbaba trading center on Wednesday, these members told our reporter that this group helped them so much, adding that becoming Sacco will help them to achieve more in the future.

Mwesigye Stanly, the chairman of the Sacco, revealed that this Sacco started in the year 2020 as a group of members with the aim of acquiring the capital for starting their businesses and getting money to develop their families. 

Baguma Peter, the Kazo district commercial officer who served as the guest of honour launched them as Sacco and asked them to follow the laws governing the Saccos in Uganda in order to make their Sacco sustainable.