Kasese cries out to the president over cotton prices

Mr President,

I wish to refer you to the National Development Plan of the Republic
of Uganda which you approved and made public, the National Resistance
Movement (NRM) campaign manifesto 2010, and other government flagship
programmes which the government has endorsed as national strategies to
creating wealth and employment for the youth.

Mr President, following the flagship programmes on wealth creation of
the government, I personally mobilised the youths in my village and
sub-county to embrace the government programme and picked farming. I
offered land in Bukangara, Nyakiyumbu Sub-county, Kasese District.

To begin with, the youth planted groundnuts in March. The proceeds
from groundnuts were invested in cotton farming for which we thought
we would get a better deal following your advice to the youth to
become self-employed and to engage in gainful work.

Mr President, we planted 10 acres of cotton where we invested as
follows: hiring land- Shs250,000x 10 = 2,500,000, hiring tractor-
Shs80,000x 10= Shs800,000, five bags of cotton seeds- Shs 3,000x5=
15,000, pesticides- Shs200,000, food and water- Shs500,000, labour
during weeding-Shs2.4 million. Other general costs like airtime for
linking with the tractor managers, transport, supervision- Shs500,000
totalling to Shs6,915,000.

This is recorded expenditure for a single group, but there are many
more farmers in the cotton sector; if this is multiplied by the total
number of cotton acreage, the farmers have indeed invested a lot and
paid taxes while procuring inputs like pesticides and cotton seeds
thus contributing to the national treasury even before harvesting our
cotton.
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Mr President, this is a single case. Kasese District is a cotton belt
but the farmers are concerned about the cotton prices that were
announced in the media. At the beginning of November, the Cotton
Development Organisation announced a price of Shs1,600 as farm-gate
price in the media (Kasese Guide Radio) but while the Minister of
Agriculture was appearing before a committee of Parliament on
Wednesday, December 14, the minister’s response to the questions by
the committee were unsatisfactory and I was prompted to seek the
audience of the President through the media to expeditiously address
the plight of cotton farmers who, by now, have no clear information
about farm-gate price for cotton.

The news that cotton farmers in Soroti have cut down cotton was
shocking; what will the farmers pay back to the Saccos?
Mr President, while I support liberalisation of the economy-- you
might recall how you have changed the milk industry-- the cotton
farmers have not had a chance of engaging with you on how we can
change the sector but only rely on the private sector which has
decided to cheat us yet we have invested a lot of money in the
project.

I therefore request you, Mr President, that as a voice of the people
of Uganda who entrusted you with power through our vote, and as a
farmer, use your constitutional powers to prevent the cotton farmers
from being cheated. Also, we appeal to the government to set a minimal
price of cotton atShs2,500 per Kg. If the cotton sector is ignored by
you, our economy is likely to lose a lot based on what we earned from
the cotton in the last financial year.
For God and My Country.

Mr Baluku Odyek is a cotton farmer in Bukangara, Nyakiyumbu
Sub-county- Kasese District.

By:

jimodyek@gmail.com
Jimmy B
+256772184582

Kasese swims in Poverty-LC5

Despite of the abundant natural resources in Kasese, hundreds of people are still swimming in poverty, the District Chairperson retired Lt.Col Mawa Muhindo has said.
"The District is endowed with fertile soils, fresh water, good weather and roads, electricity, salt lakes, national parks and the Geo-economic proximity", Muhindo said.
He was presenting a status of the District report to the seating of the council chambers on Friday.

"If God came to Kasese today, he would punish the leaders for not guiding our people to harness this God and Government given wealth", Muhindo said.
He urged leaders to entice residents of Kasese, currently estimated at 721,000 to tap the huge market in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which he said has about six million people.
Muhindo asked the leaders to work on reducing the gap between the existing resources and poverty in the District.
He also urged the leaders to work on the negative attitudes of the people by discarding the dependency syndrome.
"I therefore urge this council to positively provoke the people into wealth creation," Muhindo said.
The District speaker Zephanus Mubingwa, blamed the development challenges in the district on poor co-ordination among the various organs of the council.
Mawa hailed the Central Government for the financial support, noting that the district had so far received sh 1.72b of the 2011/2012 budget out of the required 35.51b.
He said while the central Government had injected over 10.9b, an additional sh612m had come from the Belgium Technical Cooperation.

Adopted from New vision 12/12.2011 pg 9

KASESE E-SOCIETY RESOURCE CENTRE GOVERNING COUNCIL ORIENTED

In the bid to prepare for future sustainability and governance of the E-society resource center in Kasese District, RIC-NET spear headed the E-society Governing council meeting. This was held at Rwenzori the Gardens Hotel in Kasese Municipality on 16th November 2011.
The meeting attracted all parties that compose the ESRC Governing council. Among these were representatives from the Civil society and Local government staff (civil servants) headed by the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Kasese Mr.Asaba Wilson.
The meeting that was chaired by the A.C.A.O started at about 11:00 am with a word of prayer led by one of the RIC-Net staff.
The ACAO welcomed all members who had turned for the meeting and having responded positively towards the invitation. He also said that meeting was as a result of a previous meeting that was held at the District that came up with a resolution of orienting the Governing council about their responsibilities towards the E-society resource center.

He later gave time to the Executive Director RIC-NET to highlight a number of issues about the E-society resource center.
The ED RIC-NET started by thanking the members for having honored the call and immediately outlined the composition of the governing council as follows;
• CAO Local Government to present three members chaired by the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
• District Heads of departments atleast three with District Information Officer (DIO) inclusive
• Four members from the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) with the District Network
• RIC-NET was to remain as a member but not permanent also for technical back up
The ED also lamented that the CAO was to choose two other private sector partners working in the district to be part of this governing council.
He (ED) also highlighted the roles of the Governing council. Among others were;
• Governing council be the body proposing the policies in terms of governance, sustainability and operation of the E-Society center.
• Look at future plans and recommend the kind of direction that would be suitable
• Financial management
• Ownership of the E-society
• Governing council to look at how to expand and when to expand the ESRC
• Proper maintenance of documentation of the ESRC (minutes and other documents)

The District information Officer (DIO) later sited that a number of policies were already outlined by the ED and that therefore there would be need to translate these policies into a document that would go through the Governing council for approval, discussed to the District Technical Planning Committee and later signed by the Chief Administrative Officer to be a Governing document.
He (DIO) said the document would look at the;
• Mandate
• Vision
• Objective s
• Goal
• To describe membership and the tenure of membership
• Management/Administration
• It’s operations in terms of maintenance
• Sustainability
• Resource mobilization
• Need for partnerships among others.
Later a number of reactions were raised by the participants and action points were drawn. Among others were;
Technical sub committees be formed
At least two;
Policy and business plan committees.
The session was adjourned at around 1:00 pm.
Later in the afternoon the District Executive joined led by the District Vice chairperson Hon. Naome Mbambu to have lunch with the Governing Council E-society. The group later moved to the E-society resource center for inspection.
The ICT Officer RIC-NET took the District Executive through the District online resources that is the District website www.kasese.go.ug, kasese e-library, CSOs portal, the Kasese news portal and the D-group. They appreciated all efforts right from the beginning to date.

RIC-NET CONDUCTS D-GROUP TRAINING

As RIC-NET in partnership with RWECO try to improve social accountability and information sharing among the community and the leaders, D-group training was held on the 15th Nov.2011 at the E-Society resource center in Kasese District.
The D-group or simply Discussion group is one of the online platforms administered by RIC-NET. It allows members who have signed up with it to initiate, respond and receive messages or discussion topics. The training attracted a number of participants from Kasese and Kabarole Districts Local Governments, members of the CSOs and all RWECO focal persons.
The training started at 10:00 am being facilitated by the ICT Officer RIC-NET who introduced members to web browsing terms since these terms were to be used most often later in the practical session of the training. He explained a number of web terms to the participants.

He was later joined by the Executive Director RIC-NET who also went through the practical session of how one can sign up or join the D-group, and advantages of this discussion group. Participants signed up with the D-group and were approved as members to this group. They (participants) were challenged not to stop at that but go ahead and initiate discussion topics and respond to those that they receive. Members were also briefed that these discussion topics would automatically get to their e-mail inboxes as long they could have been approved by the administrator and that a member would be free to reply to that message just as he/she would reply to other e-mail messages.
Participants were also informed that they could initiate a discussion topic by sending it to dgroups@kasese.org which would later be approved by the administrator and then sent to the rest of the members. The administrator of the group reserves rights to reject a topic in as long as it may not be genuine.
The Executive Director later led participants through some other online platforms like the Uchaguzi platform, and informed them another platform has been designed called the huduma that is going to monitor service delivery. Blogging was yet another issue that was explained thoroughly.


He also informed members about the U-report that UNICEF is running. He told members to join this by sending join to 8500 and that every message sent is free of charge.
The training was successful and it was adjourned at around 2:00 pm.

Early marriages hamper Kasese education

Efforts by Kasese authorities to improve the education of girls have been frustrated by early marriages and unwanted pregnancies among school-going children, the district education department said.


“Pregnancy cases are high in our schools. The situation is not good, especially in secondary schools,” the district education officer, Mr George Mayinja, told Daily Monitor last week.

Mr Mayinja attributed the vice to superstitious and cultural practices among parents who do not believe and value girls education. According to Mr Mayinja, parents also contribute to this problem as they fail to provide their children with basic needs such as food, shelter and school fees. “Girls are easily lured by rich men for survival,” he said. The district chairman, Lt. Col. Dura Mawa Muhindo, said early marriages are part of Bakonzo culture, with girls and boys as young as nine years taken for nurturing and some would eventually get tempted to get married.

The district vice chairperson, Ms Naome Mbambu, said the district has already passed an ordinance about child protection with the help of Save the Children Uganda, an NGO.

Rwenziruru Kingdom Health Minister Enock Muhindo Rwenzururu said early marriages are a serious issue because it is embedded in the Bakonzo culture, where women are still regarded as a form of reward. Mr Herizon Masereka, a head teacher at Maliba Secondary School, said his school had more than 40 girls who declared themselves young mothers.

Ms Janet Mujungu, 19, a student at Maliba SS said she decided to get married after her mother died. “My father re-married and my stepmother never gave us food. I was forced to get a boyfriend who unfortunately impregnated me and my father chased me away from home” she said.

She said she has since rented a house where her relatives support her to look after her child and pay her school fees.
District authorities said in 2009, seven girls sat for their PLE exams with babies.

In a research carried out by Women International Cross Cultural Exchange, a women’s organisation based in Geneva, last month in Munkunyu, Karambi, Maliba, Mpondwe-lhubiriha town council and Lake Katwe sub-counties, Munkunyu and Maliba were found with the highest number of young mothers numbering more than 400.

Save the Children Uganda has come up with the Accelerated Learning Programme to empower school drop-outs with necessary vocational skills.

Kasese Municipality MP faces court over building in wetland

Kasese Municipality MP James Mbahimba could be prosecuted after the municipal authorities accused him of constructing a structure in a wetland on Kilembe Road in Nyamwamba Division.

The municipal authorities claim that the legislator is erecting an illegal structure and ordered him to stop forthwith but he has since defied the order. Mr Mbahimba is accused of erecting a structure said to be a shopping mall in a drainage channel and under the high power voltage line without an approved plan.

Legal route
Kasese Town Clerk Francis Byabagambi on October 13, reportedly issued a notice to Mr Mbahimba quoting section 32 of the Physical Planning Act, 2010, directing him to immediately stop the construction of the building in the channel and to wait for the council’s decision on his plans.

“Immediately stop the construction since your building is in a channel. Wait for advice from council officials and failure to comply with the notice you are entitled to pay 48 currency points (Shs960,000) fine, prosecution in courts of law and demolition of the structure,” the notice addressed to Mr Mbahimba reads in part.

The Kasese Municipal Mayor, Mr Godfrey Kabyanga, described Mr Mbahimba’s action as a controversy to his slogan during campaigns of ‘a clean and well-planned town’. Some of the councillors have since vowed to make sure Mr Mbahimba’s construction is stopped.


Councillors claim that the land, on plots 136 to 138, was reserved as a green belt and for washing bays. Attempts to get a comment from Mr Mbahimba were futile as he could not pick our calls but his political assistant Johnson Mwanamwolho claimed that the MP is being witch- hunted by his political rivals. “That is political persecution,” he said.

Cholera Kills 4 in Kasese

Authorities in Kasese District have ordered the closure of all eating places that do not meet minimum health standards following a cholera outbreak that has left four people dead and 50 others admitted to hospital.
The district health officer Yusuf Baseka said the sale of cooked food and juices along the roads and in markets has also been temporarily banned until the spread of the disease has been contained.

“The disease is spreading very fast. It is now in Bukonzo West and East and Busongora North and South constituencies. Four people have so far died and by this evening we have about 50 cases admitted at various health units in the district,” Dr Baseka said on Saturday. He said the disease was first reported in September in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) fishing villages of Kyavinyonge and Kasindi Pole along Lake Edward which are adjacent to Kasese.

The two eastern DRC fishing villages correspond in cross-border business with Uganda’s fishing village of Kayanzi where the first cases in Kasese were reported during the last week of October.

Dr Baseka, who met health workers from the eastern DRC at Kasindi on Friday before briefing the press in Bwera, said a joint strategy had been drawn by the two sides, which he said will involve intensive educating the people along the common border villages on how to prevent infections.


Bwera Hospital Administrator Pedson Buthalha said a temporary isolation centre had been established at Kayanzi Fishing Village. He said children aged between one-and-half and 10 years were among the affected but most of those admitted so far were aged between 22 and 49. “But we have a problem of lack of protective gears, spray pumps and polythene bags to wrap the dead,” Mr Buthalha said.

The district health educator, Mr Gabriel Tibuhwa, said although the district boasts of 84 per cent latrine coverage, the latrines are not up to the minimum standards.

HIS MAJESTY OMUSINGA CALLS FOR UNITY IN THE RWENZORI REGION

His Majesty Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere Irema-Ngoma has hailed the Kabarole resource Centre (KRC) for beginning a historical land mark that will reconcile the two Kingdoms of Toro and the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu.
In the early 60’s, the representatives of the Bakonzo/bamba led by Isaya Mukirania walked out of the Toro Kingdom parliament citing mistreatment of the Bakaonzo/bamba by the Toro Kingdom.
Omusinga Made the remarks yesterday while closing a regional leaders training at Kasunga conference centre in Kyenjojo district.
His Majesty Charles Wesley was closing a training that was opened by the regent of Toro Kingdom who represented King Oyo.
Mumbere encouraged the people of Rwenzori to forget the past in order to enhance development in the two Kingdoms.
The training that was organized by Kabarole Research centre attracted members of Parliament, RDC’S, Chairperson LC5’s, civil society organisations and Cultural leaders among others.
The training was organized under the theme “Enhancing adoptive capacity to the variability climate change”.
In His speech, the Minister of Defence Dr. Crispus Kiyonga commended the efforts of the two Kingdoms for endorsing unity of the region that has begun with the conference.
His Majesty Omusinga was accompanied by the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Thembo Kitsumbire among other Ministers.

KASESE POLICE TO UNDERGO CIRCUMCISION

In what is taken as a preventive measure for the HIV/AIDS, police men in Kasese will soon be circumcised, the officer in charge of Kasese central police station has said.
The OC Station Esau Opio told Kasese Guide Radio that a sensitization exercise of the police men and their spouses about the exercise before it is implemented.
Following confirmations from studies in recent years that circumcised men have high chances of not contracting the HIV virus, the Uganda Police Force headquarters has embarked on the exercise.
Opio said the matter remains in the hands of the uncircumcised police men and their wives to agree on being part of the exercise.
He refuted claims that most of the police men ran away on Friday as the team from the headquarters reached the station, thinking they would be circumcised by force.
Opio said the men will not be circumcised until the police force agrees on terms with service provides like hospitals and health centers.
The OC station revealed that on Friday, there was only voluntary counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS for police men.

Government starts talks with claimants to resolve Kasese land dispute

The government is holding negotiations with people who claim that it distributed their land to Basongora pastoralists who were evicted from Virunga National Park in DR Congo.

Response from BTC on Electricity in Karambi sub county

Dear Mr Balikenga, Thank you for your email and concern for the
development of Karambi sub county.Your email is a genuine call for
accountability and update of communication. The sub county, the Kasese
District and BTC share the concern of the delay of the electrification
programme in all the sub counties.It has been discussed many times and
regular follow-up is made at the Rural Electrification Agency. Allow
me to give you a quick overview of past events:1. Karambi sub
county has done its home work – one first sub counties to mobilise its
local contribution. Therefore, the sub county and chairperson of
electricity task force should have our praise and full support.2.
Kilembe Investments made the draft design & bill of quantities in Oct
2010. REA reviewed and issued the final bill of quantities in May
2011.3. Karambi citizens contributed about 21 million Ush while
MTN contributed a large section of the line
in kind. 4. In Dec 2010, BTC contributed 116.5 million Ush for
Karambi. About 26 million is still remaining on the Karambi
electrification account and can be used another extension provided
further local contribution is raised. 5. The combined
contribution was transferred in May 2011 to the Rural Electrification
Agency (REA) account.6. Given the liquidity shortage of the
central government, REA had to ensure the availability of funds in the
first semester 2011. REA is main the executing and funding agency
(70% funds).7. On 4th August 2011, REA published the
advertisement for the works in the New Vision (see attachment). 8.
REA has many districts with some high on the political agenda.
Kasese is only one of those districts without being a particular
central political priority. This workload explains the delay together
with the long bureaucratic regulations of public procurement and the
earlier shortage of central government funding. Please, find in
enclosure a PDF file with general information about the
electrification programme.In the table below you find information
regarding the costs and co-funding (including Karambi). Name of
ProjectTotal
Project Cost Community
Contribution 30%REA
Contribution 70%Avail Community
ContributionKDPRP Com *Kyarumba 900,020,821
270,006,246630,014,575270,006,246 227,929,000 42,077,246
Karambi 523,038,402 156,911,521366,126,881156,911,521
116,560,000 40,351,521 Ibanda - Bugoye 510,205,007
153,061,502 357,143,505 153,061,502
83,061,502 70,000,000 Ibanda - Nyakalingijo 454,393,394
136,318,018318,075,376136,318,018 71,202,698 65,115,320
Total Cost 2,387,657,624
716,297,287.201,671,360,336.80716,297,287.20 498,753,200
217,544,087 *This community contribution sometimes includes
contributions made by firms (MTN, Bukonzo Joint, Tronder Power).
Without their valuable efforts the electrification funding would not
have been possible. We are contacting regularly REA to make sure
Kasese remains on the agenda. In theory the procurement
process should be finished by December 2011. The contractor needs to
mobilise the materials and finance, so hopefully the lines will be
constructed in quarter1 2012. We all regret those delays but from
the above information you can see that the sub county / Kilembe
Investment / private co-funding companies/ BTC have done what they
could do. Efforts are now focusing on REA and for other sub counties
on payment of connection fees and 6% local contribution from the
households that want electricity. What can you do as a citizen of
Karambi to speed up the electrification works?1. Talk to the sub
county leadership to get first hand update, Avoid speculations as this
undermines the credibility of the programme and therefore the
mobilisation of the local contribution. 2. Mobilise your
community and talk as a group to your area MP and other high ranking
political representatives. Request that they continue contacting
regularly the
executive director of REA and the Ministry of Energy to speed up the
procurement process.3. If resident along additional line,
provide your contribution and become a member of the electricity task
force to mobilise the community. 4. Support the way leave
campaign (sign documents that allow access of poles through the land)
that is a pre-condition before construction works will start. I hope
that the above information was adequate to address your concerns.
Yours sincerely,Steven HollevoetKasese District Poverty Reduction
Programme / BTC From: Timothy Balikenga [mailto:tbalikenga@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2011 1:11 AM
To: Kasese E-society
Cc: stephen BTC KASESE
Subject: Electricity in Karambi sub county Dear Friends
It seems the element of truth is no long existing among some leaders
in kasese District . The community of karambi sub county was asked to
contribute funds in 2010 in order to have electricity transported to
the sub county. District leaders concerned promised the community that
within four months after community contribution electricity would be
available. Now its a year,nothing is seen.

secondly,the community was informed that BTC was to add on some funds
towards the project but we do not if BTC contributed or not?

Friends,if any one has information about the same, kindly help the
community of karambi sub county to know what is going on or if someone
can have a one to one talk with the BTC staff in kasese,present our
issue

Kasese initiates clubs to fight cases of child abuse

In spite of concerted effort by different stakeholders to fight child abuse, the vice remains a major challenge to the local authorities in Kasese District, child rights activists have observed. Between 10 and 20 cases are recorded by police in the district everyday.
The police officer in charge of child and family protection unit, Ms Zebia Kabugho, says they receive cases of defilement, missing children, child neglect and mother failure to declare the rightful fathers to their children.
Since police and other stake holders have not been able to identify all sorts of abuses committed against the children, a non-governmental organisation has come up with a new project aimed at providing a platform for children to air their views on problems affecting them.
The platform called “Child rights integrated programme” under the section of child rights governance, aims at alerting members of the community to take action on major child rights violations in the district.
Mr Bright Antony Malere, the programmes officer at African Network for the Prevention and Protection Against Children Abuse and Neglect (ANPPCAN), says because of so many unreported cases of child abuse cases in schools and villages, the NGO has been forced to introduce the children council.
Council’s work
This council is mandated to monitor child rights violations in the district and hold regular meetings to disseminate their findings. From August 2010 to July this year, ANPPCAN settled more than 232 child abuse-related cases committed in Kasese.
This council is composed of district officials and 12 committee members from each of the 12 schools in the six sub-counties counties where the project is implemented.
Mr Ronald Makewo, a parent of Nyabugando Primary School, said the child rights committee at their school has helped stop corporal punishment by reporting the teachers to the authorities.

According to Makewo, defilement cases have also reduced because the club has publically exposed such teachers. Ms Ritah Ntegyerize, the children programme officer Save the Children - Uganda that funds the project through Anppcan asked the children to report any crimes to the council. “You too can do something and cause a change,” she added.

Kasese has the highest number of early marriages:

The authorities in Kasese are struggling to contain the increasing number of child-mothers in the district due to defilement and high rate of early marriages. The Rwenzururu kingdom health minister Mr. Enock Muhindo said all the stake holders should educate people against the traditional practice among the Banyarwanzururu of marrying girls below the age of 18.

At the National Peace exposition Day planning meeting held in kasese under the title “EARLY MARRIAGE AND CHILD-MOTHER IN THE DISTRICT “he said many child-mothers are finding it difficult to cope with the health along this rising economic situation’s Ruth Ojiambo Ochieng,the executive Director of the ISIS-women international cross cultural exchange, the organizers of the program said their findings show that kasese has the highest number of early marriages and consequently child-mother in the region.

The high rate of early marriages reported among some communities in the Rwenzori sub region and Kasese in particular may result in a socio-economic crisis if not curbed.
The district V/c/person Ms Naume Mbambo said the district is also facing problems of poor maternity facilities. “Our health units in rural areas lack delivery items in the maternity ward” she said there is a shortage of beds, mattresses, gloves and other necessities for the expectant mothers. Due to poor communication network in the District some mothers have been forced to deliver on the way or at home, in other related issue, some parents look at daughters as source of wealth and made it difficult to fight defilement.

It is believed that Kasese District has 3 hospitals and 63 health Units out of which 16 are government aided while 46 are privately owned. Doctor to population ratio stands at 1:31300 midwife/nurse to population ratio at 1:2196.female fertility rate at 7:4 children and maternal mortality at 39%
Source; the monitor of 30th sept 2011

Mumbere speaks out on Gadaffi fall

The Rwenzururu king has described the fall of Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gadaffi as unfortunate for African cultural institutions.

Charles Wesley Mumbere was speaking on Sunday during a dinner at Rwenzori Basecamp Hotel, Ibanda.

He had hosted leaders of corporate bodies, the business community and politicians in Rwenzururu kingdom.

Read more on the link.........

Kasese District Current Leadership List

Retired Lt Col Mawa Muhindo is the district chairperson, having been popularly elected in this year’s elections. Contact: 0777296912.

The current Assistant Chief Administrative Officers (ACAOs) are Mr. Johnson Mutungwanda (in charge headquarters), Mr. Wilson Asaba (Bukonzo County) and Mrs. Muhindo Rehema (Busongora County).

Rwenzururu king: His majesty Omusinga Charles Wesley Mumbere, the Irema Ngoma

Kasese District representatives to the parliament Contacts
Bukonzo West: Hon. Dr Crispus Kiyonga (also Defence minister) 0712798581
Bukonzo East: Hon. Bihande Yokasi Bwambale, 077265801
Woman MP: Hon. Kiiza Winnie Bihande
Busongora North: Hon. William Nzoghu
Busongora South: Hon. Kafuda Boaz
Kasese Municipality: Hon. Mbahimba James


Other district leaders
Resident District Commissioner: Captain James Mwesigye 0772456598
Deputy Resident District Commissioner: Aminadabu Muhindo 0772613276
Vice c/man (also Sec Fin. Planning and Admin: Hon Naome Mbambu 0772323829
Mayor Kasese Municipal Council: Baluku Kabbyanga Godfrey Kiime 0772519652/0752890268
District Speaker: Hon Mubingwa Zephanus 0772496140
Deputy District Speaker: Hon Jane Asimwe 0772929899
Secretary Social Services: Hon John Businge 0772610473
Sec for Production, Marketing & Nat Resources: Hon Julia Masika 0779785273
Secretary Works and Technical Services: Hon Mathew Bwambale 0773650644
District Planner: Godfrey Mugisa Masereka 0772368343
Chairperson District Service Commission: Emmy Bwenge Masereka
Dist Water Officer: George Kalende 078547779
Dist Education Officer: George Mayinja 0772580216
District Director Health Services: Dr. Baseka Yusuf 0772859062
District Information Officer: Thawite B. John 0772516325
Community-Based Services Officer: Birungi Ben 0772605579
Ag Principle Personnel Officer: Joshua Miramagho 0772680343
Council Clerk to Council: Bihanikire Godwin 0772884758
Town Clerk Kasese Municipality: Francis Byabagambi
Deputy Town Clerk Selverio Mukobi
Hima Town Clerk: Robert Mwesigwa
Ag.Town Clerk Katwe/Kabatoro Town Council: Seezi Muhairwe
Mpondwe-Lubiriha Town Council: Eva Biira Ngene 0752531657/0700300883
Chairperson Dist Public Accounts Committee: Benjamin Tibisimwa
Chairperson District Land Board: Uriah Baluku
Chief Finance Officer: Kambale Ferigo 0772658111
Dist Agricultural Officer: Munyazikwiye Theresa 0772499295
Dist Production Coordinator: Dr Muhindo Xavier 0752885952
Principal Dist Fisheries Officer: Julius Baluku 0772624683
District Veterinary Officer: Dr Kalule Godfrey 0772888426
District Forestry Officer: Wilberforce Bwambale 0772555183
Dist Physical Planner: Katikiro Alex 0772514526
Dist Natural Resources officer: Katswera Joseph
Head Procurement & Disposal Unit Moses Mugisa 0772633519/0702633519
District Police Commander: Moses Kafeero


Top Religious Leaders
South Rwenzori Diocese (Anglican): Rt. Rev. Jackson Thembo Nzerebende 0772713736
Catholic Diocese of Kasese: Egidio Nkaijanabwo 0772430776
Pentecostal Churches: Pastor Nathan Ibrahim Turyamureeba 0772469147
Ag. District Khadi: Sheikh Abdul Hakim Juma
Executive Director S.W Uganda Field SDA Church: Pastor Mutwanga

Kasese District expresses fears of hunger and poverty in the 2012

The Kasese district Secretary for production Julia Masika has expressed fears of hunger and poverty in the 2012 following the abandonment of food crops by farmers opting for cotton this season.

Speaking to Kasese Guide Radio yesterday, Masika who is also the Munkunyu sub-county woman district councilor said farmers have not planted enough food crops which indicates that they will not save money from the cotton harvest.

The cotton season that starts in August runs concurrently with food crops cultivation especially beans, maize and ground nuts.

Masika said that the situation in January and February next year will force farmers to buy food for home consumption because there will be low harvest.

She said poverty may not be dealt with if people use cotton incomes to buy food instead of using the money for investment and paying school fees for their children.

She urged farmers to also consider the food crops that can grow well in cotton gardens like Maize so that they are assured of what to eat during harvest.

THE Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu will be commemorating the demise of the first King Isaya Mukirania Kibanzanga 1

THE Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu will be commemorating the demise of the first King
Isaya Mukirania Kibanzanga 1 on the 2nd.sept. 2011

The Kingdom spokes person Hon. Nyamunungu Patrick confirmed the event to Kasese
Guide Radio this evening.

The founding King died on 2nd.9.1966 in the Rwenzori Mountains, he was laid to
rest at Bulemba in Ihandiro sub-county in Kasese district. His grave is in the
Rwenzori National Park where a monument has been erected.


Hon. Patrick who is also Minister of Information told Guide Radio that the
function to mark this day will be held at Bulemba adding that those
Banyarwenzururu who will not make it at Bulemba will assemble at Buhikira royal
Palace in Kasese Municipality, where his Majesty Omusinga Charles Wesley
Iremangoma will address them.

Hon. Christopher Kibanzanga, the chief Prince will represent the royal familyat
Bulemba, and will lead all the Banyarwenzururu to the Isaya Mukirania’s grave
in the Rwenzori mountains National park while Hon. Kule Walyuba the minister of
cultural sites and environment will deliver Omusinga’s speech to the
Banyarwenzururu.

The function will be celebrated under the theme “Building on the tradition for
promotion and preservation of cultural values and practices which enhance:
heritage, dignity, development, conservation and equality of life”.

The Kasese district vice chairperson Naume Mbambu challenges men

The Kasese district vice chairperson Naume Mbambu has challenged men to always attend to places of worship if many of them are to reach the Kingdom of heaven.

Speaking shortly after the service at Base Camp church of Uganda in Kasese Municipality today, Mbambu said most men have backslidden in faith because they rarely attend to churches on Sunday.

Mbambu noted that majority of the women have managed to overcome earthly challenges because they always go church to praises and pray to the almighty God.

She said that women should stick to the faith in God in order to have stable and productive families.

In his preaching, the lay leader of the church Joshia Kighotha urged Christians to always pray for the needy especially those in prison who need the mercy of God as they serve their sentences.

Kighotha added that prisoners also need the word of God in order to repeat the sins they committed so that they can quickly be rehabilitated when released.

Land Disputes in Kasese

Police in Kasese are investigating circumstances under which
cultivators attacked pastoralists in Muhokya sub-county over a
disputed land.

Cultivators hailing from Kibiri village and other areas last night
reportedly attacked Kisongora Village about a kilometer from Muhokya
sub-county headquarters and butchered three cows and eight goats.

According to the Deputy Commander of the Field Force Unit in Kasese
Charles Sanya, three other cows were injured in the overnight.

The officer in Charge of Criminal Investigations at Kasese Central
Police Station Alex Ojok also confirmed the attacks saying police
officers have been deployed in Muhokya to bring the situation to
order.

Ojok said that so far no one has been arrested since the attackers
took off with cow and goat meet over night.

The CID however, said five cultivators who engaged the pastoralists in
another fight yesterday afternoon are in custody and will be produced
in court tomorrow.

He said that a pastoralist who was injured in yesterday afternoon
engagement was being treated at Kilembe Hospital in critical
condition.

The disputed land is being claimed by Alex Kabalira of the Bahira clan
who say they are the ridge leaders of the area.

Both sides have not adhered to the order of the Kasese Deputy RDC
Aminadabu Muhindo who said no more activities be carried out until an
amicable solution is reached.

Tourists Flock Kasese

This has been one of the busiest seasons in Kasese town. It has been observed that kasese town has registered the highest number of visitor buses and coasters carrying students on study tours and other visitors of different caliber from different parts of the country.Among the places frequently visited have been; Hima Cement factory, Kilembe Mines, Kasese Cobalt company, Mubuku irrigation scheme, Queen Elizabeth National park,Rwenzori mountains, Lake katwe,Edward,George and Kazinga channel to mention but a few. The appeal goes to the general public, to embrace this opportunity to develop the region by good infrastructures and provide a conducive environment for visitors and also support tourism in Uganda.

E-SOCIETY RESOURCE CENTER IS A UNIQUE PROJECT SAYS VOLUNTARY SERVICE OVERSEAS (VSO) –UGANDA’S COUNTRY DIRECTOR

E-Society Resource Center is a unique project, said Mr. Peter Barnard, the Country Director of VSO-Uganda who visited this center on 16th August 2011, located at Kasese District Local government in the education department building in Rukooki. He was accompanied by Dr Sarah Kyobe, the Program Officer (Health) of VSO.

This center is a good model to establish the concept of uniting together both the government and the civil societies to imbibe transparent and good governance by using the Information technology and Information Communication technology facilities as a management tool. This center is the brain child of Rwenzori Information Centers Network of Fort Portal led by Mr. John Silco, the Executive Director.


The center has a technical Lab where IT training is being conducted by capable trainers like Mr. Yosia Baluku and Mr. Mukamba Samuel Mumbere, The centre also has designed web portals like www.kaseseelibrary.org for the local government department who can upload their static and dynamic content like government announcement, annual reports, memos and budgetary provisions in order to make their transparent transaction easily seen by the civil societies. To strengthen the content capabilities of CSO, the center also designed a web portal www.kasesecso.org, through which CSO can share the voices of civil societies and citizens of Uganda.

Mr. Rajamohan, the Information System Adviser for RICNET and VSO volunteer received VSO delegates and detailed the center activities. Mr. Yosia Baluku, the IT Officer demonstrated the web portals of the center and related how the portals could be useful to the government and the civil societies. Mr. John Thawite, the District Information Officer of Kasese District Local Government welcomed the visitors and also shared with them the establishment of the center.

Kasese leaders face arrest over funds

Staff that diverted allowances meant for Kasese district councillors will be brought to book, the district chairman, Lt. Col. Dula Mawa, has vowed. He said this while meeting aggrieved councillors and technical staff in his office on Friday. Mawa promised to help the complainants recover their money. The councillors are claiming arrears of sh39m. Officials from the finance department said the money was diverted to pay gratuity arrears for the 2008/2009 financial year.
Mawa said whoever is found guilty of causing the mess would be held responsible.

Kasese registers most recruits

Kasese District has enlisted the highest number of UPDF cadet and recruits.

The 2nd Division army Spokesman, Capt. Robert Kamara, said Kasese took six cadets and 66 recruits because of its high population.

Read more on the link...............

Kasese police barracks lack toilets and has Illegal power connections

Authorities in Kasese Municipality have been shocked by the poor sanitation and health situation in the district police barracks.

It was also found out that police officers had allegedly connected electricity illegally with live wires over each other.

Read more on the link

ACORD VISITS E-SOCIETY KASESE

Ateam of five staff from ACCORD Uganda visited Kasese E-Society resource center on the 5th July 2011.
The long awaited visitors arrived at the center late in the evening at around 5:00pm.
They were received at the center by the ICT Assistant who welcomed them and led them to the resource room.
They were interested in a number of issues that led to their tour,Therefore we had a long discussion with them trying to let them know what the E-society center is all about.

A number of services offered at the center was disclosed to them like;

free Computer literacy training

free internet services

internship to students from higher learning institutions among others.

I was also able to take them through our online resources explaining the use of each like,
www.kasese.go.ug
http://kasesecso.org
The district news blog
The discussion platform (dgroup)and it was good experience for them, They appreciated the good work done and they left the center at around 5:25pm.

It was nice meeting and sharing with them at the E-Society center.
Reported by;
Yosia B

http://junia.hu/ter.html

We Have Come A Long Way

By John B. Thawite
District Information Officer, Focal officer E-society resource centre

Synoptic background to the E-Society

When I started working in Kasese in 1997, one of my cherished dreams was to establish a resource centre for my district.
But the question was how, given the ever-dwindling local revenue on which my department entirely depends.

In 2006, Kasese initiated the public-private partnership (PPP) strategy, one of whose focal areas was to harness the available but scattered financial, human and technical resources in the district to synergise service delivery.

Thus, the district) the public) and her stakeholders – the private and the civil society organisations – came together to chart a common development path, which came to be known as the Kasese District development path initiative.

The partnership was consolidated with the official launching of the PPP initiative in December 2006, at which the permanent secretary Ministry of Local Government, was the chief guest.

It was against this background that Kasese district local government and one of her development partners, the Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competences (RWECO), got into dialogue, to see the idea of resource centre would be addressed.

After a series of consultations, RIC-NET, a RWECO member organisation, and Kasese district signed an MoU under which the facility, which we are happy to be commissioning today as the E-Society resource centre – came to be born.

December 2009 is another historical date in the history of this facility for it was the time when RIC-NET, true to their word, started delivering 12 computers, a printer/photocopier/scanner.

This was to be later followed with the installation of a LAN (local area network) and an internet modem, a carpet and other assorted items.
At this point, I wish to recognise the Education Department for having sacrificed what should have been their board room for us to install the facility that is being commissioned today.

It is therefore, my unequalled pleasure to be alive to see my brain-child now talking the walk and walking the talk.

In other articles in this publication, other writers talk of the various online and offline ICT services that we provide.

Established in December 2009, in the spirit of the PPP, the centre is located in the District Information Office in the Education block, at the district headquarters.
The facility is aimed at bringing the society of Kasese into purview of electronic usage for poverty alleviation to improve their social, economical, health, cultural and educational status of the Kasese community.

Thus, it is hoped that the e-Society will answer the issue of inadequate access to timely and relevant information, a key aspect that limits citizen's effective participation in the planning and monitoring processes in the district.

In this way, we hope to use the facility as district to actualise our vision: to have a poverty-0free-socity.

Convinced that information is power,, we take note that poverty does not only manifest in inadequacies of the material things but it is also a mental phenomenon.

Appreciation:
I wish to register my gratitude to the following for all the unreserved support towards the development of this facility.

• The Humanist Institute for Cooperation with developing Countries, (HIVOs), the European Union , the International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) through the Rwenzori Information Centres Network (RIC-NET) and (RWECO) for their technical, financial, moral and material support.

• We are also grateful to the sitting Government of Uganda for the enabling environment which has and continues to enable the international community to support us in our development endeavours.

• The Kasese district administrative leadership for financially, materially and morally supporting me in my endeavour.
• The District Education Officer for sparing the departmental board room.

• The Kasese-based local civil society organisations for their great cooperation in moving this centre forward.

• I wish to particularly thank Mr John Silco Murugahara, the RIC-NET Executive Director for working tireless to make the centre what it is today.

• I also thank our VSO volunteer, Mr Raja Mohan, our systems advisor, the RIC-NET staff, Edwin Bwambale, Yosia Baluku, Agnes Kabugho and others for their respective roles in shaping the centre into a usable facility that it is today.

My appeal to all stakeholders within the PPP spirit is for us to not only utitlise the facility but also to continue working together for its self -sustainability.

As part of this sustainability strategy, we have established an administrative structure, the E-Society Governing Body (ESGB) chaired by the Chief Administrative Officer and comprising members from various development partners, under the PPP spirit.

We are also developing a strategy in which we spell out the future of the facility.
Wishing you a happy commissioning.

Kasese District Commissions an E-Society Resource Centre

Kasese District Local Government in conjunction with Rwenzori Information Centre Network (RIC-NET) is organizing a great function for commissioning the E-Society Resource Centre established at the District Head Quarters in Rukoki, which will be held at Kasese District Local Government Headquarters in Rukoki on 20th April 2011 starting at 9:00 am to 2:00 pm.
The function will also involve issuing of Certificates and prizes to winners of the IEC materials development competitions.
You are all invited to witness the commissioning of this public facility.

Services offered daily at the E-Society Resource Centre:
• Free Training in Computer Literacy and Internet Services
• Resourceful Reading Materials
• Information on online platforms
• Printing, Photocopying & Scanning of documents at a very low cost

Don’t miss this important function
This program is sponsored by:
 Kasese District Local Government
 IICD
 HIVOs
 European Union
 RWECO
 RICNET

THAWITE JOHN

http://128.241.197.116/limpallo.html