Monday, 22 August 2011
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.
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
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.
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.
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...............
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...............
Friday, 12 August 2011
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
It was also found out that police officers had allegedly connected electricity illegally with live wires over each other.
Read more on the link
Thursday, 7 July 2011
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
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;
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
Thursday, 14 April 2011
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.
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.
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