UNHCR boss calls for mobilization of funds to support education in refugee settlement areas

HOIMA – The country representative for United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Joel Boutroue, has called for the need to mobilize more funds to support the education of refugees and host communities.

He made the call as the Ministry of Education, United Nations High Commission for Refugees and Kikuube district local government launched a district education response plan for refugees and host communities.

The response plans will work as a guiding tool in promoting education among the refugees and host communities in Kyangwali refugee settlement area with 14,116 refugees.

The response plans will focus on addressing issues affecting the education sector resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, skilling school dropouts, and advocating for girls who got pregnant during the lockdown to go back to school.

Special consideration will also be made for construction of class rooms and technical schools, staff quarters, sanitary facilities, empowering teachers, school administration and school management committees.

The initiative will benefit 30,000 learners from eight government schools and 13 private schools.

In his address, Boutroue from UNHCR said, there is a need to mobilize funding from development partners such as World Banks (WB) and European Union (EU) to support education in refugees’ host districts in the country.

According to Boutroue, UNHCR is supporting more than 400,000 primary refugee school going children and over 4000 teachers in refugee host districts. He added that they have been supporting education with $20million every year.

Boutroue further noted that, as the world copes with the new normal, funding is inadequate to deal with the challenges affecting the education sector in refugee settlement areas.

He also noted that as the country plans to open schools next year; there are many challenges that will need to be addressed before children report back.

“Our emergency as the president said, is to open schools in January. We therefore have to plan well to ensure that by January, we have the required infrastructure or necessary organizations to put in place double shifts because already schools were crowded before the Covid19 pandemic. Now, we have two cohorts or more lining up to join school. We need to be practical about setting up temporary structures, and double shifts which mean having more teachers at a time of limited resources,” said Boutroue.

While launching the response plans in Hoima City, the State Minister for Primary Education, Joyce Kaducu commended UNHCR and other partners for supporting education.

The Minister also said, the government is planning to integrate digital education in pre-primary and primary schools to take forward the education sector.

She noted that to adapt new technology, there is need for different stakeholders to start critical planning because Covid-19 has brought on board critical thinking and effective implementation of strategies.

“Social media is something that the Education Ministry is working on. We need digital education, we need a digital rollout to the entire country but that alone needs to be regulated, to help the girls and boys to use it meaningfully because there is a lot that can destroy the lives of these children equally from the same social media,” she said.

Minister Kaducu further noted that there is a need for stakeholders to prepare for the opening of schools next year. Issues such as inadequate staffing, school structures and SOPS materials must be addressed before schools open.

The Minister also called on different stakeholders including religious, cultural and political leaders to advocate for the education of the girl child. She added that there is a need to mobilize parents to take the girl children who got pregnant during the lockdown back to school.

According to the Minister, the Covid-19 Pandemic has exposed parents’ and communities’ weakness in looking after their children.

https://thecooperator.news/host-communities-tipped-on-business-opportunities-as-pader-is-set-to-host-more-south-sudan-refugees/

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Ministry of Agriculture needs Shs 20bn for foot & mouth vaccines

KAMPALA – The Ministry of Agriculture needs a 20bn supplementary budget to buy foot and mouth vaccines for animals in the cattle corridor.

The money, half of which will also be used to procure motor bikes for the Veterinary Officers in the same area.

The cattle corridor districts include; Isingiro, Kazo, Sembabule, Gomba, Nakasongora, Lyantonde, Mubende, Luwero, Nakaseke and some districts in Teso and Lango regions and Karamoja region.

The Minister for Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze told the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, that out of the funds required, Shs.15bn would be used to buy at least 4 million doses of the vaccines that is expected to cover up to about 15 million heads of cattle.

“We shall need to procure a minimum of four million doses of the foot and mouth vaccines to cover the animals in the cattle corridor,” Tumwebaze said.

The cattle corridor districts of Sembabule, Lyantonde, Kazo and parts of Gomba have been locked in the cattle quarantine for a period of at least one year due to the infectious disease that affects animals.

Tumwebaze says, vaccination would be free to all farmers, and at some point it would be made mandatory.

“This disease causes severe production losses, and while the majority of affected animals recover, they become weak and unproductive. That is why we need to vaccinate at the onset of the disease,” he added.

Scientists have reported that areas neighboring game reserves and parks are prone to attacks, as animals share grazing fields with the wild animals.

Lyantonde, Kiruhura, Isingiro and Kazo all share boarders with Mburo National Game Park, while Nakasongora and Nakaseke have a similar challenge.

According to the Minster, part of the funds will be used to procure at least 30 motor bikes for each of the cattle corridor districts, to facilitate veterinary officers to attend to the animals.

“We shall use Shs 500 million for procurement of 30 motorcycles for each of the thirty districts in the cattle corridors,” Tumwebaze told the Committee.

Another Shs 900 million would be used for procurement of veterinary medical supplies, for the veterinarians to use.

Other beneficiaries of the supplementary allocation would be districts along the livestock trading routes, that are also prone to attacks.

These include districts like; Masaka, Kalungu, Lwengo, Mpigi, Mbale, Kumi, Katakwi, Lira among others.

The Ministry plans to start the vaccination exercise before the disease spreads during the wet season, and aims at covering at least 90% of the nation livestock population.

Foot and mouth disease spreads much in the wet seasons, when livestock movement is unlimited especially close to the wild game.

According to the National Animal Census conducted in 2020, Uganda reportedly has at least 58 million heads of cattle, with a high concentration in the cattle corridor.

The disease is reportedly widely spread by the migrant cattle keeping communities that roam the cattle corridor, although livestock traders are also to blame for the same.

The exercise will also include 16 million goats, 5 million sheep, pigs and other animals.

https://thecooperator.news/unqualified-vets-operating-veterinary-drug-shops-nda-reports/

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Unqualified vets operating veterinary drug shops, NDA reports

KAMPALA – National Drug Authority (NDA) has reported an increase in the number of fake veterinary doctors operating drug shops.

This was confirmed on Friday after the conclusion of a veterinary compliance monitoring and support supervision exercise both in public and private veterinary drug outlets.

The exercise was conducted in the districts of Nakasongola, Nakaseke, Luwero and Wakiso in central region.

According to Abiaz Rwamwiri, the Public Relations Manager, National Drug Authority inspected, 95 drug shops, a pharmacy, 3 district veterinary cold chain facilities, 8 animal feed shops and an agrochemical shop.

Rwamwiri says, during the operation, NDA noted non-compliance of issues that included; leaving unqualified attendants in veterinary drug outlets (qualified veterinarians leave their wives, husbands, children to sell drugs), improper storage of light sensitive drugs, operating veterinary drug outlets without valid NDA license, debilitated veterinary cold chain facility (lack of power backup), stocking vaccines in domestic rather than pharmaceutical refrigerators, lack of temperature monitoring devices and charts among others.

Also, NDA closed 15 drug shops due to serious no-compliance issues and impounded 55 boxes of drugs valued at over Shs 150 million.

It also impounded over one million doses of livestock vaccines which were found poorly stored from the 18 drug shops and in a pharmacy.

Out of the impounded million vaccines, 20,700 PPR vaccine doses and 2,550 Rabies vaccine doses were quarantined for destruction at both Luwero and Nakaseke districts due to poor cold facilities that compromised the effectiveness of the vaccines.

“More than 108 veterinary drug outlets were visited out of which 15 were closed due to serious non compliances issues and 55 boxes of veterinary drugs worth of Shs150 million were impounded. We also found over 1million doses of veterinary vaccines poorly stored and these have been impounded for destruction,” says Rwamwiri.

He says, this was part of NDA ‘s routine post market surveillance activities intended to protect the human and animal population from drugs and healthcare products that are substandard, counterfeit, unauthorized and unqualified persons handling drugs among others.

We appeal to the public to be vigilant and report any drug outlets that do not comply with standards on our toll-free line 0800101999, said Rwamwiri.

Lt. Col. James Mwesigye, the Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Mbarara also a renowned cattle farmer in Sembabule district, condemned NDA operations targeting employees and leaving out business owners running the veterinary outlets without any idea related to veterinary services.

“You cannot catch a worm and leave out the big fish in the waters. Why don’t they go for their bosses?” Mwesigye asked

Mwesigye added that such NDA operations should continue due to the consistent public outcry by livestock farmers decrying fake drugs in the Ugandan open market.

Dr Andrew Bakashaba, the District Veterinary Officer (DVO) Mbarara, says the veterinary profession is faced with the challenge of private veterinary practitioners who have commercialized veterinary services with unscrupulous practices.

“We have all sorts of private veterinary practitioners with different qualifications but what I know for someone to be registered as a practicing veterinarian; they must be having a Diploma in Animal Production as the minimum qualification as per the Uganda Veterinary Board Regulations. So, this business of someone completing a farm school and is also injecting animals is not allowed,” said Bakashaba.

He appealed to farmers to always ask for a license from veterinary practitioners whenever they come to their farms.

“As Mbarara district, we have embarked on registration of all the private veterinary practitioners sometimes we even work with them, supervise and we are responsible for the mentioned actions. So, we advise farmers to only use the accredited veterinary practitioners,” said Bakashaba.

The National Drug Authority (NDA) is a government-owned organization in Uganda that was established in 1993 by the National Drug Policy and Authority Statute which began its operations in 1994.

In 2000, it became the National Drug Policy and Authority (NDP/A) Act, Cap. 206 of the Laws of Uganda mandated it to regulate drugs in the country, including their manufacture, importation, distribution, and licensing.

The Act established a National Drug Policy and National Drug Authority to ensure the availability, at all times, of essential, efficacious and cost-effective drugs to the entire population of Uganda as a means of providing satisfactory healthcare and safeguarding the appropriate use of drugs.

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Local leaders protest over dormant administrative units

HOIMA – More than 68 leaders from the newly created administrative units in Hoima district have expressed dismay over government’s failure to code their sub-counties and town councils.

The administrative units were created in 2019 and up to date, they are still not operational and they do not have sub-county chiefs and even bank accounts.

They include; Kiganja, Kapaapi, Kisukuma, Bombo, Kabaale, Buraru, Kijongo and Bulindi town council among others.

In protest, the leaders that included the LCIIs and Councilors stormed the office of the LCV Chairman protesting the continued idleness of their administrative units which has rendered them irrelevant.

Led by Godfrey Mwesigwa Musonga, the LC III Chairperson, Kiganja sub-county, the leaders handed over a petition to the Chief Administrative Officer, Hoima Richard Mugolo demanding an explanation as to why the government is delaying to code these lower local government units.

In their petition, they explained that since 2018, the government has been promising to code the administration units in vain.

They noted that people voted for them expecting them to offer better services but since they took oath in May this year, they have never held any council sitting nor had offices.

They said that the local governments are mandated to supervise the implementation of policies and decisions making through councils but currently this mandate is compromised.

He wondered why the government created administrative units before getting prepared for its operations. Musonga further noted that all the revenue collections are made by their mother sub-counties which do not remit any coin to these administrative units.

These sub-counties and town councils were supposed to get COVID-19 funds worth Shs30 million; unfortunately, they were left out and all the money was given to the mother administrative units.

The local leaders in their petition argued that their areas are missing on several government projects such as Operation Wealth Creation because they are not always considered during the planning process.

“We are losing a lot of revenue to our mother administrative units because we have no accounts, so we are asking the CAO to allow us to open accounts and start collecting revenue from our areas and carryout our operations, if not government should come out and close all these administrative units instead of continuing to hoodwink us,” said Mwesigwa Musonga.

Hassan Kugonza, the LC III Chairperson, Kabaale sub-county which is hosting Hoima International Airport that is under construction says, the mother sub-counties do not mind about their operations and there is a lot of imbalance in resource allocation.

He demanded that the government expedites the process of coding these administrative units to ensure that the local people get adequate services.

Kugonza also noted that they wasted a lot of resources as they campaigned to get voted as sub-county and town council chairpersons and councillors. Unfortunately, they have not received any allowance since they do not conduct council meetings.

“We are not happy with the way the government is treating us, we cannot even offer services to people who voted for us. They think we are incompetent so we need this matter to get addressed as soon as possible and if they gave us empty administrative units, we should be told instead of wasting our time,” he said.

Moses Kajura, a Councillor for Persons with Disabilities said, they are tired of waiting and demand that the government comes out and make pronouncements over this matter. He noted that they have failed to serve their people because they have no offices to advocate for the issues affecting the electorates.

When contacted for a comment, Hoima district Chief Administrative Officer, Richard Mugolo said, the Ministry of Local Government and Finance are aware of their concerns adding that their issues are being handled.

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Amuru farmers receive rice processing machine worth Shs 80m

AMURU – Amuru farmers under their umbrella organization Pabo Rice Farmers’ Cooperative have received a rice processing machine worth Shs 80m.

The rice processing machine will be stationed in Pabbo town council, Amuru district.

Initially, the farmers used to struggle to process their rice to international standards. Now, they will be able to export their rice to the international market.

The machine has been procured through the Agriculture Cluster Development Project under the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Industry in partnership with the farmers.

Members under their cooperative contributed 33% and the Ministry 67%, according to the district Commercial Officer Samuel Kidega.

Kidega says, the machine will increase production among the members and they will be able to tap into the Southern Sudan market.

The machine has the capacity to process 1,000 tons of rice per hour.

“The machine has been stationed in Pabbo, since they are the biggest producers of rice in the district. As we talk now, the warehouse is already complete and any time the machine will be installed,” said Kidega

Grace Akello Abola, Chairperson of the cooperative said, previously they would take a lot of time to process the rice since they grow a lot and now that the new machine is in place, production will even double.

According to Abola, these developments comes with other opportunities like employment for the youth who will be contracted to run the facility.

Evelyne Akumu, a member of the cooperative said, previously they would incur extra cost in transporting their rice to Gulu City.

“Transport costs have been cut, the funds that we have been using will help us for other activities,” she said

The cooperative has more than 500 members and it was started in 1987, but due to the insurgency between the government and Lord Resistance army (LRA), most activities were put on hold.

The cooperative revived its activities in 2014.

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A Shs35b World Bank road project starts in Lira

The World Bank fundedprogram of upgrading roads in Lira City under Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development [USMID] has kicked off after months of delay.

The contract worth Shs35b to tarmac roads within the industrial city was awarded toAbubakari Technical Services in a joint venture with M/S Al-Nuami Group.

It was signed in April 2021 and was due to run for 15 months but the contractor delayed sparking off public outbursts and queries over the quality of their work and capacity to accomplish the task in time.

The roads earmarked and undergoing reconstruction include Uhuru Park, Obangakene, Bala, Noteber, Olwol, Boundary road including children park at Adyel and completion of coronation park.

The World Bank project started in 2013 with 14 Municipalities which included; Fort Portal, Hoima, Kabale, Mbarara, Arua, Lira, Masaka, Entebbe, Jinja, Tororo, Mbale, Soroti, Moroto, and Gulu.

In 2019, it added eight others, Lugazi, Kasese, Kamuli, Mubende, Apac, Kitgum, Ntungamo, and Busia to make a total of 23 municipalities.

Its target was to enhance institutional performance which includes revenue collection, service delivery among others.

The City engineer, Freddie Owiny said the work started on 1st November and they expect it to be delivered within the contract period.

“The contractor assured us that they will complete the work in time and will not ask for more time,” Owiny said.

This is the third phase of the program after the second phase ended in 2019. The work was delivered by a Chinese company, Chongqing International Construction Corporation [CICO]. They worked on Obote Avenue, Kwania, and Soroti roads.

Other roads which were tarmacked under the project include Maruzi, Oyite Ojok lane, Aroma lane, Awangemola, Mama Miria, and Oyam road among others including installing street lights,

The President of Lira City Development Forum, Moris Chris Ongom said, people should not start castigating and blaming the company for having limited equipment.

“I personally think they have financial challenges but I know they will be able to finish the work in time,” he said.

Ongom`s concerns followed a red flag raised by Mike Ogwal and Daniel Okello over the equipment the company has assembled including unconvincing work.

Ogwal represents the people of Kakooge ward in the Lira City West division while Okello is the Speaker.

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Gulu main market closed as vendors protest high rental fee

Gulu – The authorities of Gulu main market closed the market in protest against the implementation of new rental fees by City Authorities.

Last Monday, Gulu market vendors and their leadership decided not to open the gates to the market until City Authorities addressed them.

The Chairman of Gulu Market Vendors Association, Mr. Omaya Patrick told theCooperator in an interview that the market will remain closed until the issue is settled.

He accused the Gulu City Authorities of increasing rental fees without consulting the market vendors.

According to Omaya, the rental fee for stalls was increased from Shs10,000 to Shs40,000 while lockup shops moved from Shs70,000 to Shs150,000 and Shs500,000 depending on their positions to attract customers.

However, he also accused the Council of failing to control the developers whom he says are renting out their lockup shops to vendors between Shs400,000 to Shs500,000.

“What is annoying vendors are the developers, we’re not sure of their contract with the city authority. To make matters worse, they are subletting the facilities to the vendors. They pay the city council a penny but exaggerate prices when subletting out their lockup shops. One guy is renting at Shs200,000 from the council and subletting at Shs500,000. We wonder who the real owner of the facility is” he said.

He also noted that Council had summoned them for the signing of the new tenancy agreement at the municipal yard instead of the market. It was expected to begin on the 15th of November 2021, a decision he says has escalated the crisis in the market and sparked off the protest.

“Today, they told us they are starting the signing of agreements from the municipal yard. As a market management committee, we proposed that the signing should be done from here. We have a conference hall here at the market. We shall use all means to compel them to do the signing from here. We only want them to come and clarify a few issues then the market will be opened” Omaya added.

The vendors have also asked the City Authorities to explain why the Council has failed to remit back to the Council 18 percent of the revenue collected from the market to support its maintenance.

This according to him is in line with the market management guide from the Ministry of Local Government that, part of the revenue collected be saved and given back to the market for maintenance.

The walls have some cracks and the market management guide which came from the ministry stated very clearly that out of the total revenue generated from the market, they should save 18 percent for market repairs and any eventuality in the future. It is now five years and we haven’t seen the money.

Several vendors who spoke to theCooperator described the decision as unjustifiable looking at the current situation of Covid 19 with many of the vendors now struggling to do business.

Ms. Dorcus Kay Elima, who deals in cosmetics and is a salon operator in the market says, she had to acquire a loan of Shs700,000 to settle the outstanding rent arrears she accumulated during the first lockdown and now struggling to recover the losses she incurred during the pandemic.

Florence Akello, a mother of 6 children and a former LRA abductee who sells vegetables in the market urged the Council to be considerate and look at the new fee structures before implementation.

“This market is the father of my 3 children, I returned with them from captivity and I can’t trace their homes. We pray that the Council understands us” Akello said.

Beatrice Acayo, another vendor and a tailor in the market says, her rent increased from Shs20,000 to Shs70,000 even when she is only allocated a portion in the corridor.

However, Christine Atimango, one of the developers, noted that many of the developers have not recovered the cost incurred in developing the market before the government took over in 2016.

“We are not against paying the tax but we are saying the tenancy agreement be carefully looked into in a way that will not deprive us” she added.

The Resident City Commissioner [RCC], Denis Odwong Odongpiny proposed a grace period of 10 years in the tenancy agreement to give an enabling environment to the developers for joint ownership of the market with the Council.

“We are aware that many of the technocrats have allocated themselves lockup shops and now they are renting them out to vendors at Shs600,000, others are clergymen but we can’t now dispossess them. It will lead us into a legal battle” Odongpiny added.

However, Alfred Okwonga, the Gulu City Mayor says, the matter will have to be discussed and settled in a full Council meeting.

“Nobody can make a decision now on the new tenancy agreement, this is a matter for Council to discuss and take a position,” Okwonga said.

The market was however constructed by the government at the cost of Shs29 billion under the Market Agricultural Trade Improvement Project and commissioned in 2016 with the expected capacity to accommodate 4,000 vendors but the record from the market indicates 1,200 vendors have failed to return to the market when the lockdown was eased.

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MTN rallies Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom subjects on shares

MTN Uganda has launched a sensitization campaign in the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom to mobilize the kingdom subjects to take advantage of its shares on the Uganda Stock Exchange.

Recently MTN announced its intentions to float 20 percent of its shares to Ugandans after the company secured an operating license of 12 years at 100 million Dollars which required the company to sell 20 percent of its shares to Ugandans.

The initiative was part of coordination with the company as it signed its license with the Ugandan government. This was when the government realized that all the profits made by the company [MTN] were being taken by shareholders out of Uganda.

Speaking during the MTN Initial Public Offer [IPO] town hall meeting held at Kolping Hotel on Monday, Nicholas Mugisha Baijuka, the MTN General Manager Capital projects group called on the people of Bunyoro to embrace the business. He explained that buying shares is the smartest way of doing business compared to other businesses.

He noted that MTN Uganda’s current shareholdings are Shs22.5bn and MTN international has 96 percent shares whereas MTN international is offering to sell 20 percent of its Shs4.5bn ordinary shares to the public and one share is costing Shs200. According to him, any Ugandan can buy shares for as low as Shs100, 000.

He noted that the Company is expecting to make profits of about Shs375 billion and 6 percent of this money will be dividends that would be shared among the shareholders.

He said that this offer will expire in three weeks adding that Ugandans should take the opportunity fast before foreigners grab it.

We are here to tell Ugandans about buying shares in MTN Uganda, each share is Shs200 but the minimum you can buy is 500 shares, this is a business where you can sleep and nobody steals it, you do not need to feed it and MTN is doing all this to you, you buy and go and sleep, even when you want a loan you just go to the bank present your share and they give you a loan, so this not like having a cow”

Speaking to theCooperator after the meeting which attracted more than 100 participants. Robert Owagonza, the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom Finance Minister and an official from the Bank of Uganda commended MTN for the initiative.

He explained that the Kingdom is currently empowering its subject on financial literacy so that they can always make an informed financial investment.

However, he challenged the Kingdom subjects with the interest in buying MTN shares to join this business not only expecting profits but they should also know they can make losses. He noted that buying shares is one of the investment options adding that before investing in shares; the public should know that there are other options where they can invest such as treasury bills and bonds and fixed deposits.

“When you invest in Treasury bills, bonds and fix deposits, you are sure of making profits but with shares, it is not automatic, you depend on the performance of the company when it makes a profit, you benefit and it makes loses you also lose,” Robert said and called on the kingdom subject to invest after making research.

Brian Kaboyo, the Hoima City Mayor says, it’s high time for the people of Hoima and Bunyoro in particular to embrace buying of shares in various stock exchange markets.

He noted that people in the area are used to traditional ways of doing business such as operating shops, transport, and dealing in products that require much time adding that introducing such businesses which does not waste time is an opportunity that should be unitized by business communities.

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Museveni proposes 5 years imprisonment, confiscation of cattle for errant Balaalo cattle keepers

President Yoweri Museveni has proposed 5-year imprisonment and confiscation for the auction of cattle belonging to errant Balaalo cattle keepers. This follows a recent pressure by leaders including Members of Parliament, and Ker Kwaro Acholi, the Acholi Cultural Institution.

Early this month, in meetings held at Ker Kwaro Acholi Headquarters in Gulu City, Anthony Akol, the Chairperson Acholi Parliamentary Group [APG], and Ambrose Olaa, the Prime Minister Ker Kwaro Acholi gave a 14-day-ultimatum to the Balaalo to leave Acholi sub-region.

The decision follows a public outcry on the Balaalo of their activities which is manifested through land grabbing, forest destruction, sexual abuse among others in the Acholi sub-region.

In a letter dated 2nd November this year, Museveni wants amendments made to the law so that indiscipline, inconsiderate cattle keepers are imprisoned.

“Furthermore, the necessary laws should be amended to provide for imprisonment [Possibly 5 years] and the confiscation and auctioning of the cattle involved in this endemic indiscipline,” Museveni`s letter read in part.

Museveni who four years ago ordered that all the Balaalo who were in the country illegally be evicted. He said that even if they [Balaalo] lease or buy land, the question is: “is that land fenced and does it have water within in?” if the answer is “no”, then the next question is: “How will this migrant stop his cattle from trampling on the crops of others?” said the President.

In his latest directive in a letter, the President gave a two months ultimatum for the indisciplined and inconsiderate Balaalo to be evicted from the country subsequently forming a three-man committee comprising of David Muhoozi, Bwogo Engola, and Bright Rwamirama to implement his latest directive. He says the Resident District Commissioners [RDCs], Gombolola Internal Security Officer [GISOs] and all Veterinary staffs are to be held accountable.

According to Museveni, the Balaalo are either non-Ugandans coming from neighboring countries or indisciplined Ugandans that sold their land and are now disturbing other Ugandans and should not be tolerated.

“The central issue is permission to move cattle. Cattle should not be moved unless the Local Government Authorities [Parish Chiefs] and the Veterinary Officers where the cattle are going to and where they are coming from say it is okay to move the cattle. The Balaalo only do what they are doing in three ways. One way is to invade the area without owning any land there and impose their cattle on other people`s land or of the land of the government. The second way is to buy land from the locals and the third way is to lease land from the locals. In all the three ways, their movement is illegal” Museveni`s letter read in part.

Anthony Akol, the Chairperson of Acholi Parliamentary Group hopes this time the implementation of this directive is done because, on numerous occasions, directives are given and are not followed.

Denis Onekalit Amere, the Kitgum Municipality MP says, much as the President is giving directives, there`s a need to investigate how the Balaalo get access to the movement permits especially from the Ministry of Agriculture before seeking further permission from the veterinary and local officials.

According to Amere, the whole Balaalo thing might be a planned move to grab land displace the indigenous landowners especially for the Acholi sub-region which is still recovering from the effects of the over 2-decade war.

Lucy Akello, the Amuru district woman Member of Parliament wants a specific effort targeting sensitization of the communities on land ownership since it’s mostly them who are selling away land due to ignorance in the pretext of the need for money.

According to Akello, Ker Kwaro Acholi, and the district local governments should come up with ordinances and by-laws which bar individuals from selling family or communal land to investors or cattle keepers.

“The biggest problem is that we have people who are illiterate and poor. And so, the brokers and elite people take advantage of them. So, we need the districts and Ker Kwaro Acholi to come up with sensitization programs, by-laws, and ordinances so that such rampant sale of land in the sub-region is halted” Akello notes.

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PPDA freezes Mbarara City North division bank account over contract irregularity

Mbarara City – North division’s financial operations have been halted after the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority [PPDA] tribunal closed its bank account at Housing Finance Bank Ltd.

According to John Matama Behangana, the Town Clerk Mbarara City, the garnishee nisi order arises from a court case filed by one of the applicants who was among the bidders that applied to be the consultant supervisor for the contract with Multiplex Company to construct roads in Mbarara City.

Garnishee nisi order is a court order served on financial institutions, banks or any person believed to be in possession of funds of a judgment debtor.

In a circular addressed to the legal department of Housing Finance Ltd through Ajju, Baleese, Bazirake Advocates, PPDA issued an order directing Housing Finance bank Ltd to freeze account number 0500128496 in the names of Mbarara City North Division Collections Account.

“The Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets tribunal has as per its mandate under Section 91[k][i][d] of the PPDA Act issued a garnishee nisi against the above captioned account number that belongs to Mbarara City, a judgement debtor in the said Application. The purpose hereof, therefore, is to forward the same to you for action,” reads part of the letter

“You are therefore advised to freeze the said account and appear at the tribunal to show cause why the funds indicated in the said garnishee nisi should not be paid to us for the benefit of our client and judgement creditor, Obon & Infrastructure Development JV” the letter further read in parts.

In reference to the letter, the civil suit No. 20 of 2021 dated 28 October 2021 was filed by Solomon Kisambira Baleese, the counsel for the applicants to PPDA tribunal ordering for the money totalling to amount Shs47,415,980 be put of Garnishee nisi order due to incompetence arising from court awarding to Obon and infrastructure development JV Vs Mbarara City [Debtor] and MBJ Technologies Ltd.

While presenting the letter during the city council meeting on Friday, Mr Behangana confirmed to the Councillors that, there is a court case running which requires immediate input.

“There is one applicant who applied to be the consultant supervisor for the contract he did not win; another company won but he went to court. Court decided two weeks ago that we put aside that contract and now they have gone ahead to freeze one of the accounts of Mbarara City North” says Behangana.

“Yesterday the Senior Town Clerk of Mbarara City North brought me the order which was sent to the bank that, the account will not allow any withdrawal until we have paid them. It is an administrative issue but it has not been scheduled but it is urgent because Mbarara City North now is not living, its dead because its account is closed so while it makes sense for me to come to council Mr speaker, but it is also very important to give life to Mbarara City North,” he added

Behangana said the matter needs to be rectified urgently to restore the life of the division’s account.

According to Gumisiriza Kyabwaisho, Mayor Mbarara City North Division, freezing the Division account was an error since the contract matter was between Mbarara City and Obon and the infrastructure development JV.

“PPDA made a mistake because we don’t appear anywhere in this case since the contract awards are done by the city, not the division. It was totally wrong for PPDA to attach our division account to the debtors yet the matter was with Mbarara City, not the division” Kyabwisho insists.

He adds that the tough decision has affected the constituency negatively as they have failed to have funds to run the constituency affairs.

“Of course, it’s a challenge to clear the dues especially to those who clean the division streets and roads and perfecting other service deliveries though we have manoeuvred,” says the Division Mayor

The fact that the central government hasn’t released any single coin to Mbarara City, PPDA focused on the north division which had some money on its account, adds Kyabwisho.

“For them, they only focused on our account because it had the local revenue collections which PPDA went for,” he said.

Kyabwisho says progress is on to reopen their account, though the matter is still going on between Obon and infrastructure development JV company and Mbarara City Council.

Also, the City Town Clerk, Behangana says, their lawyers on the ground are ready to resolve the dispute between the council and the contractor amicably.

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