Parliament turns down Deputy Attorney General from meeting

KAMPALA – The Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee failed to proceed with a meeting due to the lack of a substantial Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

The Committee was set to handle the queries on the Law Revision fines instrument of 2021 this but could not proceed after the Deputy Attorney General, Jackson Kafuuzi declined to take up the responsibility as a Minister on the matter.

Section 2 of the Act on fines and other financial amounts in Criminal Matters Act No. 14 of 2008 defines the Minister as one fully responsible for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

The Committee Chairperson, also Gomba West MP Robinah Rwakoojo says, Mr. Kafuuzi declined to assume the title of Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, that the Committee had preferred to answer the queries.

Kafuuzi had appeared before the committee to answer queries concerning the Law Revision Fines Instrument of 2021.

It was not stated as to why the substantial Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Gen Kahinda Otafire could not make it to the committee meeting.

Rwakoojo says, once Mr. Kafuuzi declined to assume the title, the committee had no opportunity to proceed with the meeting, but to call it off, until a substantive Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs was available.

Rwakoojo appealed for more time from the Speaker to the committee to review the instrument.

Section 2 of the Fines and other Financial Amounts in Criminal Matters act, No. 14 of 2008 defines the Minister as one fully responsible for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

Meanwhile, Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah quashed the committee decision to turn away the Deputy Attorney General saying, the committee’s interest was the information given and not the individual who signed the documents.

“Was it a matter of a specific individual or a resourceful person who would handle the matter?” he questioned.

Oulanyah says, any resourceful person would provide the information that the committee needed, and business continues.

“It’s difficult to tell if the committee was right in its decision to turn away the Deputy Attorney General, but I would be of the opinion that they would have preceded with the meeting,” Oulanyah added.

However, Bugiri Municipality Legislator Asuman Basalirwa also Shadow Attorney General says, the Committee had a position which Chairperson Rwakoojo ably presented.

Basalirwa remarked that the Office of the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs has far reaching implications on the country’s laws, with several government departments stuck with publications and decisions pending the signature of the Minister for Justice as clarified by the statute.

“The Office of the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs is quite important in government transactions and decisions. We need this issue sorted,” he said.

https://thecooperator.news/lango-mps-query-the-verified-cattle-compensation-list-by-government/

Basalirwa added that the committee found it quite difficult to continue with the discussion since Kafuusi was not formally designated as the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs.

Oulanyah also objected to the committee request for more time to consider the statutory instrument as presented by Committee Chairperson Robinah Rwakoojo.

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Nebbi Lions Club donates relief food items worth millions of shillings to vulnerable elders

NEBBI – More than 20 vulnerable elderly persons residing in Nebbi Town that were selected by the community members have benefited from relief food items worth Shs.2m from the Lions Club, Nebbi Charter.

The items that were donated to vulnerable elderly persons are part of the commemoration of the world food day celebration and the items donated include; beans, posho, sugar, soaps and rice for their upkeep since most of the vulnerable elders are taking care of their grandchildren.

According to the President Lions Club Nebbi, Mr. Emilio Odongo, the Nebbi Lions Club is an international organization operating in more than 150 countries across the world with its mandate to offer humanitarian support to the vulnerable members of the communities whose livelihoods are at stake.

He adds that Nebbi Lions Club was formed in 2020 with its core mandate in providing humanitarian support to disadvantageous community members of the societies by creating awareness on health-related issues and organizing health camps to benefit the community members with prolonged illness due to financial status.

“We are commemorating visual world food day celebrations and we thought it wise to feed the vulnerable members of our community whose livelihoods are at stake due to their poor financial conditions based on their old age status,” Odongo said.

One of the beneficiaries Ms. Sephora Mono a resident of Opano says, elders are marginalized due their poor financial status and the helping hands are limited.

She added that with the current situation of Covid-19 pandemic, elderly persons are looking after orphans but have nothing to cook for the orphans. This has made most of the children to abandon their families for the streets as thieves to fend for themselves.

“I give my humble appreciation to the Lions Club that gave me food to eat because I was not sure of what to eat because we slept hungry for two days,” Mono said.

Another beneficiary Ms. Tereza Angeyango says, after the death of her husband 10 years ago, she was abandoned by her own children and even the government programs which came in terms of relief food were missing her.

Angeyango therefore, urged the young and energetic men who have not yet reached old age status to plan for their futures to avoid being rejected by their own children or to become daily beggars for survival on streets.

However, the area Member of Parliament for Nebbi Municipality, Mr. Hashim Suleiman, appealed to the government to consider the pleas of elderly persons who are currently keeping victims of teenage pregnancies in these periods of lockdown with relief foods since they have nothing to feed on at home.

https://thecooperator.news/huawei-donates-ppes-to-nwoya-district/

“Our old elderly mothers have taken the responsibilities of these young mothers with their kids delivered during the lock down period but they are spending the whole day without meals, so if the government and other helping hands could come in, it would be a great advantage to the elderly persons,” Hashim said.

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Nebbi Lions Club donates relief food items worth millions of shillings to vulnerable elders

NEBBI – More than 20 vulnerable elderly persons residing in Nebbi Town that were selected by the community members have benefited from relief food items worth Shs.2m from the Lions Club, Nebbi Charter.

The items that were donated to vulnerable elderly persons are part of the commemoration of the world food day celebration and the items donated include; beans, posho, sugar, soaps and rice for their upkeep since most of the vulnerable elders are taking care of their grandchildren.

According to the President Lions Club Nebbi, Mr. Emilio Odongo, the Nebbi Lions Club is an international organization operating in more than 150 countries across the world with its mandate to offer humanitarian support to the vulnerable members of the communities whose livelihoods are at stake.

He adds that Nebbi Lions Club was formed in 2020 with its core mandate in providing humanitarian support to disadvantageous community members of the societies by creating awareness on health-related issues and organizing health camps to benefit the community members with prolonged illness due to financial status.

“We are commemorating visual world food day celebrations and we thought it wise to feed the vulnerable members of our community whose livelihoods are at stake due to their poor financial conditions based on their old age status,” Odongo said.

One of the beneficiaries Ms. Sephora Mono a resident of Opano says, elders are marginalized due their poor financial status and the helping hands are limited.

She added that with the current situation of Covid-19 pandemic, elderly persons are looking after orphans but have nothing to cook for the orphans. This has made most of the children to abandon their families for the streets as thieves to fend for themselves.

“I give my humble appreciation to the Lions Club that gave me food to eat because I was not sure of what to eat because we slept hungry for two days,” Mono said.

Another beneficiary Ms. Tereza Angeyango says, after the death of her husband 10 years ago, she was abandoned by her own children and even the government programs which came in terms of relief food were missing her.

Angeyango therefore, urged the young and energetic men who have not yet reached old age status to plan for their futures to avoid being rejected by their own children or to become daily beggars for survival on streets.

However, the area Member of Parliament for Nebbi Municipality, Mr. Hashim Suleiman, appealed to the government to consider the pleas of elderly persons who are currently keeping victims of teenage pregnancies in these periods of lockdown with relief foods since they have nothing to feed on at home.

https://thecooperator.news/huawei-donates-ppes-to-nwoya-district/

“Our old elderly mothers have taken the responsibilities of these young mothers with their kids delivered during the lock down period but they are spending the whole day without meals, so if the government and other helping hands could come in, it would be a great advantage to the elderly persons,” Hashim said.

Buy your copy of theCooperator magazine from one of our countrywide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news

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A Shs.5bn project to promote cage fish farming launched in Kabarole

KABAROLE – The government through the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) has launched a Shs 5bn project to promote cage fish farming on the crater lakes in Kabarole district.

The project is being implemented under the presidential initiative on Agro Industrialization for Local Economic Development (AGRILED) in the Rwenzori region that is aimed at transforming the local government system to facilitate effective business oriented local development with a focus on poverty reduction and sustainable wealth creation.

Kabarole district is gifted with 49 crater lakes which are mainly used as tourist sites with few fishing activities.

According to the Kabarole district NAADS Coordinator, Grace Kazigati, the project will be implemented in a phased manner starting with the four sub-counties of Ruteete, Kichwamba Kasenda and Kasenda Town Council.

“Under this project, farmers will be trained in fish farming, provided with fish fingerlings for stocking and also given 30 fish cages with each installed and stocked with 3,500 fingerings,” Kazigati said.

Kazigati said cage fish farming is intended to enable communities near the crater lakes to engage in fish farming with an aim of boosting their household incomes.

“These crater lakes were selected after a feasibility study on the nature of the waters and their history of supporting fish life. Only 22 crater lakes have been tested and cleared for cage fish farming,” she said.

She said a total of seven crater lakes have been identified to kick start the project; two from Ruteete, four from Kasenda and one from Kichwamba.

Ms Kazigati said, they have already started training fish farmers near the crater lakes in areas of mindset change, development of business plans and the cost benefit analysis for fish farming and the role of farmer organizations in maximizing profits in cage fish farming.

She said that they have also trained the extension staff in charge of each of the four pilot sub-counties to enable them follow up and further guide the farmers on how to maximize their profits.

She said for the start, they have trained 150 in the first phase.

The Fisheries Officer Kabarole, Baguma Brian cautioned the farmers to take the project seriously citing good feeding for the fish as a must if they are to benefit from the government support.

The Vice Chairperson Kabarole district, Stella Kyorampe said the project will not only help the district to tap the fast-growing market opportunities and increasing demand of fish at local, regional, and international markets, but will also create employment opportunities for locals within the area.

The Kabarole District Production Officer, Dr. Salvatore Abigaba, has implored the fish farming communities to secure the cages if they are to benefit from the project.

He is optimistic that the project will help communities boost their incomes since there is a ready market for fish in the country and the world at large.

Noah Atalyeba, the head of Rwaihamba parish fish farmers, said that they are happy that the government has offered them an opportunity to benefit from the program.

He noted that they initially had poor quality fish species, which are very small in size that will be replaced by the new fish species from the government that can fetch a better price.

Michael Mwesige, a resident of Rwaihamba parish in Ruteete sub-county, said that the new project will not only boost their income levels, but it will also provide job opportunities to the youth.

He however, said that the cages are few compared to the number of registered associations in the sub-counties and wants the government to send more.

According to the National Development Program (NDP III), the government plans to increase fish production by 2030 with the fisheries sub-sector expected to produce up to 1,000,000 metric tons mostly through revamped aquaculture and restocking of small lakes.

https://thecooperator.news/uganda-development-bank-partners-with-owc-to-support-farmers/

The fisheries sector in Uganda provides a vital source of food, providing about 50% of animal protein. It employs close to 80,000 people who are directly involved in catching fish, and a further 800,000 people who are involved in downstream activities related to fishing.

Buy your copy of theCooperator magazine from one of our countrywide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news

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A Shs.5bn project to promote cage fish farming launched in Kabarole

KABAROLE – The government through the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) has launched a Shs 5bn project to promote cage fish farming on the crater lakes in Kabarole district.

The project is being implemented under the presidential initiative on Agro Industrialization for Local Economic Development (AGRILED) in the Rwenzori region that is aimed at transforming the local government system to facilitate effective business oriented local development with a focus on poverty reduction and sustainable wealth creation.

Kabarole district is gifted with 49 crater lakes which are mainly used as tourist sites with few fishing activities.

According to the Kabarole district NAADS Coordinator, Grace Kazigati, the project will be implemented in a phased manner starting with the four sub-counties of Ruteete, Kichwamba Kasenda and Kasenda Town Council.

“Under this project, farmers will be trained in fish farming, provided with fish fingerlings for stocking and also given 30 fish cages with each installed and stocked with 3,500 fingerings,” Kazigati said.

Kazigati said cage fish farming is intended to enable communities near the crater lakes to engage in fish farming with an aim of boosting their household incomes.

“These crater lakes were selected after a feasibility study on the nature of the waters and their history of supporting fish life. Only 22 crater lakes have been tested and cleared for cage fish farming,” she said.

She said a total of seven crater lakes have been identified to kick start the project; two from Ruteete, four from Kasenda and one from Kichwamba.

Ms Kazigati said, they have already started training fish farmers near the crater lakes in areas of mindset change, development of business plans and the cost benefit analysis for fish farming and the role of farmer organizations in maximizing profits in cage fish farming.

She said that they have also trained the extension staff in charge of each of the four pilot sub-counties to enable them follow up and further guide the farmers on how to maximize their profits.

She said for the start, they have trained 150 in the first phase.

The Fisheries Officer Kabarole, Baguma Brian cautioned the farmers to take the project seriously citing good feeding for the fish as a must if they are to benefit from the government support.

The Vice Chairperson Kabarole district, Stella Kyorampe said the project will not only help the district to tap the fast-growing market opportunities and increasing demand of fish at local, regional, and international markets, but will also create employment opportunities for locals within the area.

The Kabarole District Production Officer, Dr. Salvatore Abigaba, has implored the fish farming communities to secure the cages if they are to benefit from the project.

He is optimistic that the project will help communities boost their incomes since there is a ready market for fish in the country and the world at large.

Noah Atalyeba, the head of Rwaihamba parish fish farmers, said that they are happy that the government has offered them an opportunity to benefit from the program.

He noted that they initially had poor quality fish species, which are very small in size that will be replaced by the new fish species from the government that can fetch a better price.

Michael Mwesige, a resident of Rwaihamba parish in Ruteete sub-county, said that the new project will not only boost their income levels, but it will also provide job opportunities to the youth.

He however, said that the cages are few compared to the number of registered associations in the sub-counties and wants the government to send more.

According to the National Development Program (NDP III), the government plans to increase fish production by 2030 with the fisheries sub-sector expected to produce up to 1,000,000 metric tons mostly through revamped aquaculture and restocking of small lakes.

https://thecooperator.news/uganda-development-bank-partners-with-owc-to-support-farmers/

The fisheries sector in Uganda provides a vital source of food, providing about 50% of animal protein. It employs close to 80,000 people who are directly involved in catching fish, and a further 800,000 people who are involved in downstream activities related to fishing.

Buy your copy of theCooperator magazine from one of our countrywide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news

The post A Shs.5bn project to promote cage fish farming launched in Kabarole appeared first on The Cooperator News.

Amuru leaders reluctant to offer land to Uganda Investment Authority

AMURU – Leaders in Amuru district are reluctant to give land to the Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) for establishment of an industrial park.

This comes at a time when several districts in Lango and West Nile have offered hundreds of acres of land to the Uganda Investment Authority.

Michael Lakony, the LCV Chairperson Amuru District, claims that UIA does not have a clear plan on why they want the land, and what they want to do on the pieces of land especially when the district has been embroiled in series of land conflicts and disputes especially with the government agencies and individuals.

Lakony says, what baffles him is the fact that UIA wants the district to first offer land before they can do an investment. Why do they want the district to give them land before they can give a clear investment plan?

According to Lakony, having consulted with the district representatives in Parliament, the Ministry of Investment hasn’t given any clear plan to them on the floor of Parliament, which makes it tricky for them as the district to offer land for what they don’t understand.

Gilbert Olanya, the Member of Parliament for Kilak South in Amuru district says, the Uganda Investment Authority should hold consultative meetings with the district leaders and other stakeholders before demanding for any land.

Olanya says, according to Evelyn Anite, the Minister for Investment, the land will be planned and earmarked for industrialization and recommendations to potential investors.

Nebbi, Oyam and Lira districts are the latest districts to offer hundreds of acres of land to the Uganda Investment Authority.

Evelyn Anite, the Minister for Investment says, the major reason why districts are to offer land for industrialization to UIA is not aimed at grabbing land but to boost the government’s primary investment promotion intention which is majorly aimed at creating investment and employment opportunities for Ugandans.

Anite says, the government is majorly working on creating a bank of land for investment with the target of setting at least 25 industrial and business parks across the country in the next five years, which is also in line with the presidential directive of local governments providing land to UIA on grounds that the government will no-longer buy land for industrial parks.

“The government, according to President Museveni, is not buying land for the establishment of industrial parks because the local governments have plenty of land. The plan is to have at least 25 industrial parks across the regions of the country so that jobs are created for Ugandans through the investors who will inject their money in the already established parks,” Anite explained.

Several districts across the regions of Uganda have in recent times offered thousands of acres of land to Uganda Investment Authority for the establishment of industrial parks.

https://thecooperator.news/nebbi-community-offers-500-acres-of-land-to-uia-for-the-construction-of-an-industrial-park/

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93-year-old man accuses Pastor of land grabbing

KIKUUBE – The 93-year-old man and his family members have petitioned the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Amlan Tumusiime, seeking his intervention into a land wrangle they are embroiled in with Prince Pastor Steven Kyebambe.

Prince Steven Kyebambe is a renowned Pastor of Gospel Center Church, Kawaala in Kampala and a member of the Royal Clan (Babito) in Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom.

Anatori Girayitima, a resident of Kachungiro village in Kinogozi parish, Buhimba sub-county, Kikuube district claims that he acquired the land during his youthful days in the 1940’s.

He accuses Pastor Kyebambe for illegally grabbing his 68 acres of land where he has stayed with his family for over 70 years.

According to him, Kyebambe used his influence and cancelled a title which he acquired from the Hoima District Land Board. He noted that, his troubles started in 2013 when Kyebambe started claiming ownership of his land.

Girayitima said, he had a farm and family house on this land but Kyebambe with the help of police harassed his family and ended up evicting them from the land.

According to him, Pastor Kyebambe evicted his family and annexed 64 acres of land after he cancelled his (Girayitima) land title.

He added that, Kyebambe connived with Sarah Kurata who was the registrar of titles from the Ministry of Lands and cancelled his title without giving him fair hearing.

“I have come to the office of the RDC to help me get back my land and I also want to know why my title was cancelled without hearing my side,” the old man asked.

Janepher Kaahwa 36, a granddaughter to the old man said, they lost their family home and other properties including livestock adding they are now living in misery.

She said, they have moved to different offices including court seeking for help, but they have not helped them.

She added that her grandfather is incapacitated, adding that Pastor Kyebambe is using that advantage to harass and evict them from their land.

However, Pastor Kyebambe denied the claims of grabbing Girayitima’s land saying, in 2013 he was given powers of Attorney by Omukama of Bunyoro Kitara kingdom, Dr. Solomon Iguru to develop and secure all the investment on the land.

He said, the land measuring 250 acres is an ancestral land of the Royal Clan adding that Girayitima had encroached on the land and processed a title illegally.

He explained that in 2013, Girayitima filed a case against him (Pastor) over this land at Hoima Chief Magistrate’s Court but Girayitima lost the case.

Girayitima protested the ruling and appealed at Masindi High Court where he lost the case for the second time.

RDC Tumusiime who visited the contested land expressed concern over the increasing number of tycoons grabbing land from the poor and condemned Kyebambe’s act adding his act was inhuman.

During the visit the RDC and his team found Kyebambe’s cows grazing on the contested land.

He promised to summon Pastor Kyabambe to explain the process he passed through to cancel the old man.

https://thecooperator.news/bunyoro-kingdom-security-agencies-meet-over-land-dispute/

He also promised to petition the Office of the Kingdom Prime Minister, Andrew Byakutanga, to help and clarify if Omukama offered land to Pastor Kyabambe.

He also explained that Sarah Kurata, who signed the cancellation of the old man’s title, was recently dismissed on recommendation of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) over issues related to land matters.

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Cooperatives trained on business recovery in post Covid-19 pandemic

KAMPALA – Following the Covid-19 national lock down, many business ventures stagnated while several others collapsed as many of the clientele lost their purchasing power after losing their jobs and other sources of income.

Throughout the two years of total disruptions, it has not been business as usual, for many families and business ventures.

It is against this background that Goldstone Enterprise Consulting and Training, a Business Development and Management Consulting firm crossed the line to initiate avenues to help businesses build back after the lock down.

In partnership with The Uhuru Institute for Social Development (TUI), Goldstone has embarked on a Small and Growing Business Accelerator program that will see small and medium business ventures skilled in multiple business-related disciplines like financial management, strategy development, operational and business sustainability, to support them through the storms occasioned on them due to Covid-19.

The accelerator program slated to run for at least three months is driven on a hybrid methodology of both physical and virtual sessions being anchored on seven different thematic areas including; access to markets, business development and modeling, social mission and impact.

Other areas of coverage are business leadership and governance, implementation, financial planning and funding.

The lead trainer at Goldstone Consulting, Mr. Daniel Bukenya says, after the Covid-19 disruptions, businesses required a new skill set and perspective to enable them survive the times that are stormy.

“Business ventures and individuals need to renew their skill set and knowledge in doing business after the lock down. Someone needs to keep the business running and the solution is upskilling and re-skilling in what they are doing,” he says.

The Accelerators program is targeting at least 13 different businesses including; six cooperatives in various sectors, picked from different parts of the country including the districts of Arua, Nebbi, Masaka, Wakiso, Rukungiri, Kabale, Kiryandongo, and Mbale in the first cohort.

The selection of the trainee businesses was based on several criteria including the business performance in the last five years, profitability, sustainability, governance and share capital growth.

Brian Jjemba, a business coach and trainer remarked that businesses need to be helped to create and access new markets for survival, and targeting the captive markets for a deeper share of client wallets as the economy recovers.

“We need to connect businesses especially cooperatives to new markets, especially with the absence of an agricultural bank.”

He adds that businesses also need to be guided on where to go for right investments, credit and other services.

“Why would a business involved in renewable energy go to a commercial bank for credit yet there are several energy financing ventures around?” he wondered.

Jjemba says, knowledge sharing and networking is the key that would unlock several business opportunities in this period where dependence is critical.

The Uhuru Institute for Social Development, the lead partner in the project conducted a research study on cooperative businesses around the country in 2019, which revealed that over 1,029 cooperatives have challenges with leadership and governance alongside financial management.

Denis Odeba, the Learning and Development Officer at Uhuru Institute says, such figures call for appropriate interventions in terms of skilling and empowering the cooperatives.

“We ought to have such efforts to close up the gaps and make these businesses competitive with sound and sustainable strategies for survival.”

https://thecooperator.news/wawoto-kacel-cooperative-loses-55-clientele/

The businesses that are being mentored and coached in this first cohort included; Zia Angelina (WASH) Mujaasi Investments (Agri-business), Wana Energy (Clean Energy), Erusi Village SACCO (Agribusiness), Lyamujungu (Financial Cooperative), Kigya United Farmers (Agribusiness), Standard ICT (an innovations hub), Bloom Engineering (Engineering Services) alongside KK foods, Kigezi Dairy Cooperative, Munaku Kaama SACCO, Nyakibale Development SACCO.

The participants are involved in renewable energy, health, financial services, education, and agribusiness.

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Amuru district suspends road rehabilitations over heavy rains

AMURU – Amuru district local government has suspended road rehabilitations following continuous heavy rainfall being experienced in the district.

At the time of the suspension, the district was grading Oberabic to Gira gira via Otici and Guru guru and Amuru Town Council to Okungedi via Mutema road. Plans were also underway to grade the road from Pabo Town Council to Odura in Pogo sub-county via Olinga in Pabbo sub-county.

Michael Lakony, the LCV Chairperson, Amuru district says, they had reported cases of graders getting stuck on some parts of the road while grading.

Lakony says they also observed that immediately after grading the roads, heavy rains would come and worsen the condition of the roads rendering them impassable.

According to Lakony, resumption of the road grading will be by the end of November this year when the heavy rains have subsided.

Nixion Candano, a resident of Otici trading center says, the bad road condition has made it almost impossible for them to travel to either Oberabic or Guru guru trading center to access the local markets.

He says that mobile merchandise dealers who normally use their vehicles have also abandoned business due to the poor road conditions.

“The mobile merchandise dealers who used to bring us goods using their vehicles have abandoned coming here because the road is too bad. We are struggling to buy essential stuff like salt, soap and even sugar among others,” Candano notes.

Stephen Ojok, a resident of Guru guru trading center says, accessing Olwal Health Center III has become a challenge with most boda-boda cyclists hiking their transport fares by almost double.

He is appealing to the district authorities to consider spot filling the bad spots so that the road is at least accessible.

https://thecooperator.news/heavy-rains-and-hailstorms-batter-amolatar/

“If the district could help us do some spot filling on the very bad spots, it would be fine, because now even the boda-boda riders are hiking their transport fares to double and with the current financial conditions, it’s very difficult. We might end up losing the sick people because they can’t be taken to the health center,” Ojok appealed.

Recently, the road linking the community of Lungulu sub-county in Nwoya to Amuru district was cut off due to the terrible condition of the roads.

Amuru district has a total of 401 kilometers of roads with 354 kilometers in sorry state leaving only 74 Kilometers in a fairly good condition.

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Uganda to increase its coffee exports to the Middle East states by 1.5m bags, says UCDA

UGANDA – Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA), the country’s leading coffee agency targets an increase in coffee exports to the Middle East through export promotions.

According to UCDA statistics, coffee exports to the Middle East is 217,519 bags of 60 kg which constitute 2.10% of total coffee exports in FY 2020/21.

After attending this year’s Expo in Dubai, UCDA’s target is to export 1.5m more bags to the Middle East states.

According to the United Nations Com Trade database on international trade updated on October 2021, Uganda’s export for coffee, tea, mate and spices to United Arab Emirates was US$1.51 million in 2020.

Doreen Rweihangwe, Ag. Director Quality and Regulatory Services said, the 2021 Expo is an opportunity to deepen the penetration of Uganda coffee in the UAE market in the Middle East in general.

She said that Uganda’s coffee stall did well at the ongoing Dubai Expo.

“Our target is to export 1.5 million bags of coffee in the Middle East by 2025 because we have done it before in the Milan Expo in 2015 when India was dominating the Italian market. By April 2020, Uganda displaced India in exporting coffee to Italy,” She explained.

This was revealed during the 2020 Dubai Expo which is underway in United Arab Emirates, where Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) among the participants.

The Dubai Expo 2020 is a World Expo, currently hosted by Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022.

Originally scheduled for 20th October,2020 to 10th April, 2021; it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 192 Countries, including Uganda, are participating in this year’s World Trade Expo that stretches for about 182 days under the theme: Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.

In another statement shared on Twitter, UCDA says Uganda has been categorized in the opportunity group and is keen on conquering the UAE market.

“UCDA will take the opportunity of having one of the best quality coffee globally to deepen the entry in Middle East market,” reads UCDA’s tweet.

https://thecooperator.news/west-nile-coffee-farmers-advised-to-ensure-quality-control-for-the-international-market/

Hon Chris Baryomunsi, the ICT-Minister, also tweeted that the 2020 Dubai expo is Uganda’s opportunity to penetrate the investment opportunities.

He however lashed at the country’s critics saying, the government’s target audience is the foreigners who are happy with Uganda’s display.

Also, Edward Kazire, the proprietor of Kazire products while meeting potential partners at the expo, tweeted that he intends to export natural drinks and herbal pharmaceutical drugs to the Middle East.

Besides the government delegations, the Private Sector was also considered under Presidential CEOs’ Forum (PCF), a newly created umbrella aimed at linking the private sector leadership.

A total of 24 CEOs from corporate institutions among other government executives with the aim of contributing to the National Development Agenda were considered to represent Uganda’s pavilion.

The private companies which represented Uganda include; Kazire Health Products, Uganda Manufacturers Association, Numa Feeds LTD, UgaChick Poultry Breeders LTD, Nile Plastic Industries, Private Sector Forum, Steel and Tube Industries LTD among others.

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