Hoima city women and PWDS get Shs.151million

HOIMA –Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) and women groups in Hoima City have a reason to smile after they received Shs 151 million to help them improve their household incomes.

According to Hoima City Authorities, the government through the Ministry of Gender and Social Development released Shs.76 million under Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program (UWEP) to benefit women groups in Hoima City.

UWEP is an initiative of the government that is aimed at improving access to financial services for women and equipping them with skills for enterprise growth, value addition and marketing of their products and services.

The funds were shared with 14 women groups and some of the groups were given Shs.4million and others received Shs12million depending on their projects and the proposals they submitted.

Brian Kaboyo, the Hoima City Mayor said, the groups will be required to pay back the money with the interest of 5% per annum since it’s a revolving fund.

Speaking in a recent orientation meeting for the women groups to empower them with financial management skills, Kaboyo commended the government for the initiative adding that the program is going to facilitate women to boost their business and create jobs to improve on their household income.

Kaboyo cautioned the groups against mismanagement of the funds saying, the challenges always faced by several groups are misuse of government funds dispersed to help in the fight against poverty.

He noted that such money is seed capital, and challenged the groups to invest the money in productive enterprise to service its intended purpose.

He also challenged the group to prioritize paying back of the money since this is a revolving fund, explaining that payment of the money by group members is one of the biggest challenges in previous programs.

“Women are good in business, I know you will benefit if you invest well this money. I also request you to prioritize the issue of paying back this money because if you fail, your fellow women will not be able to benefit,” he said.

Meanwhile Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in the same local government have reason to smile after they received over Shs 75 million to help them improve their household incomes.

According to Hope Suzan, the Hoima City Community Development Officer, the funds were released to PWD groups by the central government as a special grant.

She noted that funds will benefit 14 groups which include, Kyentale Tweyambe PWD, Kigabu Cell Ageteraine PWDs, Kiduma Ward Tweyombe PWDs, Kirubika Cell PWDs, Kihukya Cell PWDs, Kibati II women PWDs, Park Secretarial Youth PWDs, Kiryateete PWDs Produce Dealers and Tukwatanize Rabbit Keeping Southern Ward PWDs among others.

She said that each group will get more than Shs.5million, adding that this money is not a revolving fund and the beneficiaries will not be required to pay it back.

She noted that all the groups which applied for the money were considered and challenged PWDs to form groups to ensure that they benefit from government projects.

She commended the government for the initiative, adding that the funds will enable the PWD groups to boost their businesses and create jobs to improve their household incomes.

She cautioned the groups against mismanagement of funds, adding that money will be useful to groups once they invest it wisely.

Denis Tumwesige, the Hoima City Male Councillor for PWDs expressed excitement about the funding saying, the money will help them to have income generating activities and be able to be self reliant.

However, he said that some PWDs who are not financially stable find it difficult to form groups and benefit from such funds due to some conditions.

According to the registration of a group at the city, it requires the group members to save Shs.100, 000 adding that such a condition is affecting many and demanded this condition to be relaxed.

https://thecooperator.news/katakwi-saccos-receive-emyooga-money/

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Tea Farmers lose billions of shillings

Mbarara – Tea Farmers in Buhweju are stranded with their produce following the failure of Igara-Buhweju tea factory to buy out all the available green leaves.

Igara-Buhweju tea, the only establishment in the area has a consumption capacity of only ten (10) tons every day, yet the farmers’ production is in the excess of 25 tones.

This leaves an excess of at least 15 tons of already harvested tea going to waste, causing considerable losses to the farmers.

Boniface Kanyantore, a tea grower in Bunyaruguru says, the losses are immense and this may affect their livelihood.

“We may be forced to change and switch to production of other crops. Igara factory has not helped us, because they told us to produce and they buy, but look at the waste we have,” he told theCooperator news.

Igara Tea factory was constructed in 2010, with an estimated consumption capacity of at least 10 tons per day, with a projection of at least 5-7 tons of production from the farmers.

The number of farmers enrolling into tea production has since grown beyond the projection, creating an over flow of the produce to the factory.

The Chairperson of Igara-Buhweju tea factory, Julian Amutuhaire attributes the challenge to the unstable electricity supply that unexpectedly stopped production.

“The challenge is basically due to power. Electricity here is so unreliable. The farmers are apparently producing more than what the factory can process,” Amutuhaire says.

A technician at Igara Tea, who preferred anonymity told theCooperator that, the factory requires investment in excess of Shs 4bn to create expansion and increased consumption and thus productivity.

“Management would need at least Shs300m to have this increase, although we can also work on a piece mill basis, which would require small amounts of money over time,” he intimated.

Mzee Gedeon Mugabo, a tea grower who owns 12 acres of tea in Nyakishana says, the wasted tea is so much that many think otherwise about the crop.

“We are now thinking about other options. We may want to go back to banana production because the pain in tea has become too much,” he says.

The areas most affected include; Nyakashaka TC, Engaju, Nyakashaka rural, Bureere Nyakishana and Buhweju

The District Commercial Officer, Buhweju Ian Atamba says, the amount of the green leaves produced in the area would require at least 4-5 different factories to consume the produce, and sustain the farmers.

“The number of farmers has really increased, that we need about 4 or 5 factories to consume all this tea,” he said.

https://thecooperator.news/pineapple-farmers-are-demanding-for-a-factory/

“The district needs at least four factories that will accept green leaf tea from the farmers,” he said.

The Chairman Buhweju District, Atuhaire Deo says, the Council wrote to the Ministry of Agriculture regarding the excessive production of tea and the capacity of Igara Tea factory, but have since not received a formal response.

“We are hopeful that we shall have a solution from the ministry to mitigate these losses,” he added.

Farmers, who spoke to this reporter had collected heaps of the green leaves that was drying up at the farmland, while more produce had dried up at the collection center.

In July 2021, the factory cut the price of the green leaves from the farmers by Shs 50 making Shs 400 per kilogram. It was reported that the cut was due to the Covid 19 effects to the factory which had put the factory into a hard business positioning.

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Fire guts timber worth millions; one dead in Mbarara City

MBARARA – Dozens of traders lost property worth millions on Monday October 25th, 2021 after a fire engulfed timber traders near Mbarara Bus Park in Mbarara City.

The fire, that is believed to have started at around 2:00 am on Monday, also destroyed vehicles and several other kiosks near the bus park along Akiki Nyabongo road, that employed a huge population in the city.

Locals and the business community rushed to the scene to save their property but could not stop the wild flames from burning most of their properties including mattresses, and timber molding machines to ash.

Kiiza Joab, one of the witnesses confirmed that the unfortunate fire outbreak burnt one of the workers identified as Ssenkuba Kaboyi alias Sonko to death out of the 15 people who were reported to be residing in the workshop kiosks.

Locals also blamed police for failing to have enough resources to put off such fire in the city.

“We called police but the fire brigade was grounded until one from Bushenyi came to our rescue,” one of the traders complained.

Robert Kakyebezi, the City Mayor said, it was unfortunate for the traders but appealed to the government to provide the city with a standby fire brigade car for such future misfortunes.

“What has happened is unfortunate to the city especially those trading in timber. I ask police and the central government that we need to have a new standby fire brigade vehicle in Mbarara to prevent any other eventualities in our area rather than waiting to call in other districts for help,” Kakyebezi emphasized.

Lt Col James Mwesigye also advised Mbarara City Council to gazette a place outside the town vicinity for traders dealing in furniture and mechanics to prevent further damages in future.

“My advice to council is that next time, they should remove the timber business out of town or else they risk burning the whole town of Mbarara because it’s difficult to put out fire that comes from timber,” Mwesigye said.

By press time, the fire brigade team was still putting off the fire. When our reporter called the Police Spokesperson, SP Samson Kasasira, to confirm the damages and cause of the fire; his known phones were off.

However, SSP Collins Kaganzi, a police commander in charge of Field Force Unit (FFU) said, his team swung into action late in the night to prevent more damages to the neighboring businesses such as fuel stations and other commercial buildings.

https://thecooperator.news/mbarara-central-market-completion-extended-again/

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Soroti vendors threaten to sue Soroti City authorities

SOROTI – Pressure is mounting on Soroti City authorities as the Minister for Local Government, Raphael Magezi gives them a three weeks ultimatum to resolve the mess in stalls and lock-ups allocation process at the recently operationalized Soroti Modern Market.

The Shs 24 billion market constructed by TECHNO 3 Uganda Ltd under the second phase of Market and Agricultural Trade Improvement Program – MATIP2 was commissioned in November, 2020 by His Excellence President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni while soliciting for votes in Teso region for 2021 general poll.

This is part of $94m (about Shs.316b) loan, which the government of Uganda secured from the African Development Bank in 2016 for the construction of eleven (11) modern markets across the country.

The market was constructed specifically for the low-income earners and the vendors, who were operating in the old market that was demolished in March, 2018.

In September this year, city authorities together with the lock-up allocation committee chaired by Richard Opiding, relocated more than 1,300 vendors from container village, a temporal settlement after months of disagreements between city authorities and the market vendors.

However, weeks after the vendors occupied the market, a group of ten (10) vendors who missed out on lock-up spaces through their lawyer Opio and Company Advocates petitioned city council authorities under Section (2) of the Civil Procedure Limitation Miscellaneous Provision Act Cap 72 for allegedly breaching the contract.

The intended Plaintiffs include; George Akojoi, Isaac Auta, John Epudu, Samuel Pasama Opio, Michael Otigo, Catharine Aanyu, Mary Amagoro, Richard Ebwonyu Peter Eluengu and Stephen Othieno.

They accuse the allocation committee and the city authorities for allocating spaces to only landlords who built on council land and those who hired lockups from council before construction of the new market at their expense.

In their one petition, received by the Soroti City Clerk, Ambrose Ocen on 10th October, 2021, says that they are the legal owners of the lockup spaces and deserve equitable interests in the shops operating in Soroti old market under the stewardship of their intended defendants.

The petitioners add that by the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) executed in 2016, they, Soroti municipal council by then and other vendors agreed to vacate their respective shops at Soroti old market to pave way for the construction of a modern market.

George Akojoi, the lead petitioner told theCooperator that under the terms of the said Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), they were to be given first priority to occupy and utilize the modern completed facility.

“But, to their dismay, Soroti City Authorities and the lock-up spaces allocation committee gave out lock-ups to vendors who were not part of the initial registered vendors at their expense,” he added.

Akojoi, further claims that several attempts to settle the matter with the intended defendant were futile, nobody gave them attention prompting them to seek help from the courts of law.

“We have tried all our best to settle this matter at a lower level but since no one seems to be willing to listen to our plight, we now intend to drag them to courts of law for redress,” he said.

Through Opio and Company Advocates, the intended plaintiffs now demand that each of them be allocated a lockup in the market as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which they signed with the intended defendant.

According to Opio and Company Advocates, if Soroti City Council fails to honor the request of the intended plaintiffs, they will demand for Shs.100, 000,000 each for general damages with interests and costs.

This is in compensation for the deprivation, trauma, psychological torture, pain, ridicule and shame that they have suffered in the course of the matter.

Efforts to get a comment from both the Chairman Market Vendors George William Eriebat and Richard Opiding the Chairman allocation committee for comments were futile as they declined to comment on the matter.

However, Damali Asekenye the Principal Community Development Officer who spearheaded the allocation and shifting process to the new market facility described the move by the intended plaintiffs to sued Soroti City Council as a waste of time and resources.

“We successfully handled category one and two which comprise of vendors who built lock-ups on council land and those who hired council-built lock-ups and rented them out to sub tenants who are now complaining” said Asekenye.

She advised the complaints vendors to amicably settle the matter with market and Soroti city authorities.

“I would like to advice the people who have gone to court to come back and settle this matter with us amicably because the Memorandum of Understanding that they are carrying clearly indicates that they were not tenants to council but they also rented the lock-up in Soroti old market from the land lords who hired lock-ups from council. That therefore means, these sub tenants who are running to court will have no evidence of ownership of lockups in the old market to defend their suit,” she added.

However, the Minister for Local Government, Raphael Magezi said he has received complaints from some vendors whom he didn’t name who have been calling him accusing Soroti City Council authorities over bribery, double allocation of lock-ups at Soroti modern market.

He said that according to the information, some of the civil servants and politicians allocated lock-ups to themselves and their relatives who are not part of the registered vendors.

The Minister therefore gave the Soroti City Council authorities a three weeks ultimatum to solve the matter before 15th November, 2021.

He warned that in the event that they fail, those involved will face the wrath of the law without compromise.

According to Magezi, no council official is supposed to occupy space in the market yet non civil servants who are the rightful beneficiaries are not accommodated.

The Minister described the tendency of civil servants and politicians allotting themselves lock-ups living out would be beneficiaries as corruption of the highest order which can not be tolerated.

Meanwhile, the Soroti City Clerk Ambrose Ocen, said that his office is going to hold a meeting with the complainants, lock-up allocation committee and the city leadership to forge a way forward.

“We don’t want the issue of lock-ups to create disharmony between complainants and city authorities, a reason the conflicting parties must come to understanding,” he added.

But Moses Attan Okia, the Soroti City East MP faulted officials in the city for playing double standards in the allocation of lockups to the vendors in the new market.

Attan, noted that the irregularities in the allocation of lock-ups in market if not handled properly, will cost Soroti City Council huge sums of money over breach of contract.

https://thecooperator.news/government-constructs-three-modern-markets-in-the-albertin-grabben/

Soroti main market has more than 1,300 lockups and stalls and is expected to employ more than 5,000 people directly and indirectly in terms of suppliers of goods, vendors, and others providing auxiliary services like transport.

In addition to stalls and lockups, the market also among others has CCTV cameras linked to the Soroti Central Police Station, cold rooms and service centers, 500,000 liters water tank, butcheries, chicken cages, tailoring, pharmacies, financial institutions and small-scale value addition units.

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Government assures Lango of Sh3.5b palace construction

LANGO – The government is to kick start the construction of Lango palace and 149 offices for clan chiefs to ease their work.

The Minister for Gender, Labor and Social Development, Betty Amongi said, the construction would kick off soon because the government has advanced money to the contractor. The contract was awarded to CMD investment Ltd.

The scope of the work according to Amongi who is also Oyam South legislator, includes construction of the administration block, a cultural center, palace and offices for the clan leaders.

Early this year, the government held a ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the palace at Lango Cultural Center. The then Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Jacob Oulanya represented President Museveni.

Since then (May 2021), the construction of the palace which was supposed to last 18 months has not started prompting both the community and cultural leaders to raise red flags.

Minister Amongi, who has intervened in the Lango cultural institution leadership conflict said, the government would request for a supplementary budget as soon as the contractor starts the work.

For ten years now, there has been a rift in the leadership of the institution, since the then Speaker Wakeli Okello claimed he was sidelined during a tour by the Chief and his delegation to Europe and America.

The row escalated and a section of clan chiefs rallied behind former Uganda Road Fund (URF), Executive Director, Eng. Dr Michael Odongo Okune who had shown interest to become the Paramount Chief (Won Nyaci) and elected him in 2017.

The two operated differently with Eng. Dr Odongo calling himself the legitimate Paramount Chief waiting to be gazzeted while Odur remains the head of the institution.

“The confusion has affected many developmental projects which were supposed to come to Lango,” Amongi says.

“As the government, we were not sure of the person we should invite when there is a national function like celebrating independence,” she adds.

“But I want to assure the people of Lango that the palace will be built and the confusion is coming to an end,” Amongi said.

Meanwhile, the government has adopted the resolution passed by 118 Lango clan leaders out of 149 to continue to recognize Odur as the Paramount Chief.

They also resolved that President Museveni should also be informed about the development including banning Eng. Dr Odongo from officiating at cultural ceremonies.

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

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CNOOC partners with kingdom to prepare youth for oil Opportunities

BUNYORO – China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Uganda has stepped out with projects aimed at preparing Bunyoro kingdom subjects to tap into opportunities created by the oil and gas sector.

While the discovery of oil in the Albertine region has raised fears of a likely resource curse, government and oil companies are putting in place strategies to mitigate the negative impacts associated with the industry.

Last week, CNOOC in partnership with Bunyoro Kitara kingdom launched a training campaign for the heavy goods truck drivers as one way of preparing them for the oil and gas opportunities.

CNOOC is taking the Kingfisher oil field in Buhuka parish, Kyangwali sub-county in Kikuube district onshore of Lake Albert.

Kingfisher field development area is spread over approximately 344km2 in the Lake Albert Rift Basin in Western Uganda. The oil field is situated on the Eastern bank of Lake Albert, which acts as a border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was discovered by the Kingfisher-1 wildcat well in 2006.

Speaking during the launch at the Kingdom administration offices, Mathew Kyaligonza, the National Content Manager, CNOOC Uganda said, the training program was initiated following an extensive industrial baseline survey which was conducted to determine and align potential planned projects for goods and services within the Ugandan market.

He explained that the survey highlighted 100,000 to 150,000 direct and indirect jobs that will be created during the production phase of the oil and gas.

He added that it found out that the oil and gas sector will need 2,500 skilled drivers and these skilled drivers are not available.

He says, these opportunities are the reason why the oil company has initiated training of drivers in the region to position the Kingdom subjects to grab the opportunities.

According to him, the training will benefit 70 drivers and the training will take three months.

The beneficiaries will be equipped with driving skills which will allow them to operate beyond the East Africa region.

“The participants will learn key issues in dealing with heavy goods vehicles’ driving in accordance with East African Community curriculum,” he explained.

More than 86 people applied for the training but only 70 qualified and this training will be conducted every year. The training will be conducted by Uganda Driving Standards Agency.

While launching the campaign, Kingdom Prime Minister, Andrew Byakutaga Ateenyi commended CNOOC Uganda for the initiative adding that there is still need to prepare the Kingdom subjects for the upcoming oil and gas opportunities.

He noted that the discovery of oil and gas has created a lot of excitement and anxiety adding that many people are flocking the kingdom hunting for opportunities in the petroleum sector.

“Almost daily, the kingdom receives people inquiring about available opportunities in the oil sector and I am happy that some of the inquiries are being answered with this training which we are launching today.”

Byakutaga says, the issues of local content are still lacking, adding that there is a need for concerted effort to address this challenge, if the kingdom subjects are to benefit from the sector.

“The national oil and gas policy provides an elaborate way through which Ugandans can benefit from the local content in the oil sector; we are pleased that the government has gone ahead to create guidelines for implementation of oil and gas policy, and the government has also passed laws to govern the sector,” he said.

He also said, the challenge is implementing the local content policy and regulation to enable people to benefit from the sector.

https://thecooperator.news/minister-urges-oil-companies-to-expedite-the-signing-of-the-final-investment-decision-fid-on-oil-and-gas/

According to him, this calls for concerted effort from every one. “People need training to be prepared to produce required goods and services and their capacity to be developed to match with the oil and gas standards, the more we delay the more we lose opportunities.”

Apollo John Rwamparo, the Bunyoro Kitara kingdom Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, called on the oil companies to come up with a program of preparing the business communities in the region for the sector.

He says, the kingdom subjects owning businesses are missing out on several oil and gas opportunities because they lack information on how to join and tap in the sector.

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Government constructs three modern markets in the Albertin grabben

BULIISA – The government through the Ministry lands, housing and urban development has constructed three modern markets worth Shs.12 billion in the Albertin grabben as one way to improve on people’s livelihood.

The modern markets were established in the oil rich areas of Buliisa, Hoima and Kikuube district and the facilities were established to help local communities in the areas to benefit from the oil and gas industry indirectly.

The markets includes; Biiso Market located in Biiso town council in Buliisa district, Kabaale market located in Kabaale sub-county in Hoima district and Buhuka market in Kyangwali sub-county in Kikuube district.

The construction of the markets is being implemented by Techno three Ltd PS construction with funding from the World Bank.

The construction of the markets which started in February this year will cost Shs 3.4 billion each and each market will accommodate 200 vendors.

Robert Kakiiza, the Project Manager, said the project progress is at 85% and they expect the projects to be completed by December this year.

The Minister of State for Urban Development, Mario Kania Obiga, was last week in the region inspecting the projects implemented in the Albertine region under the Albertine Region Sustainable Development Program (ARSDP).

He adds that lack of skilled labor in the area, the Covid-19 and lack of construction materials within the area of operation were some of the challenges that have delayed the project.

The project was meant to be completed within four months, but due to the challenges, they got an extension of four months.

He says, the market facilities have the main market, kitchen, waterborne toilet, VIP Latrine, parking and baby care center among others.

Speaking during his visit, Minister Obiga Kania was impressed by the progress of the project adding that once completed, the markets will help local communities to work in a conducive environment and to have income generating activities to improve on their household incomes.

He challenged the leaders to mobilize the locals to utilize the markets and also to own and protect the facilities for sustainability.

Kania said that there is a need to mobilize the people to use the markets to improve their household income.

https://thecooperator.news/oil-and-gas-sector-tickle-tycoons-to-form-association/

He expressed concern that the community is ignorant about the importance of these market facilities adding that the government has built several markets across the country but unfortunately vendors abandon these facilities and then go operate on streets.

He also advised the local leaders to mobilize the local communities to engage in production to ensure that they can supply these markets with enough good products.

Robert Mugabe, one of the vendors at Biiso market facility commended the government for the project adding that the facility will help them address challenges that include theft of their produce and poor working conditions.

Fred Lukumu, the Buliiisa District LCV Chairman, described the apparent infrastructural developments in the region as an indicator that oil is beneficial to society.

He says that this is the time communities should embrace hard work to see that they benefit from the developments.

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Anglican Bishops Report CAOs, DEOs to State House Anti-Corruption Unit

Anglican Bishops of West Lango and the Diocese of Northern Uganda have reported the District Education Officers (DEOs) and Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) to Lt Col. Edith Nakalema, the head of State House Anti-Corruption Unit.

The Bishops want the CAOs and DEOs probed for frustrating their efforts to investigate matters in relation to foundation bodies.

This was during last week’s stakeholder meeting organized by Edith Nakalema with DEOs and CAOs and staff from the Ministry of Education following conflicts over land ownership and foundation bodies.

In the meeting, the CAOs and DEOs of the districts of Amuru, Nwoya, Gulu and Omoro in the Diocese of Northern Uganda and four other districts in West Lango that include Apac, Kwania, Oyam and Kole were not invited.

The Bishops from the two dioceses claim that several of their efforts to try and solve some of the conflicts have been frustrated by the technocrats at the districts.

Julius Caesar Nina, the Bishop of West Lango diocese says, 3-quarter of church land has been leased out by the Oyam district local government with so far 2 land titles given.

In Kwania, Nina claims that 7 acres of crops belonging to teachers of Aduku Seed Secondary School were destroyed by the community while in Oyam district, the ownership of 30 schools have all been tampered with by the technocrats.

“How can the district local government headed by the CAO agree to lease 3-quarter of church land to private investors and even go ahead and give land titles? You can’t tell me that they are not involved in some sort of corruption,” Nina wondered.

According to Nina, several efforts to have some of their concerns listened to and addressed from the districts to the Ministry of Education have been futile.

“We even went to the Ministry to seek clarity on our ownership but we didn’t get any concrete documents. One wonders what is happening with the education system of the country,” Nina further questioned.

Bishop Johnson Gakumba of the Diocese of Northern Uganda cites Alelele, Cwero, Otwee Public Primary Schools in the districts of Nwoya, Gulu and Amuru district as some of the schools which have issues over their ownerships.

Gakumba says, for the case of his diocese, the local leaders played a huge role in escalating the conflicts while the technocrats failed in their role to impartially intervene and solve the conflicts.

Both Nina and Gakumba claim that the CAOs and DEOs failed to reign in on the headteachers whom the DEOs accuse of altering the details even after noticing the difference.

“If you have noticed irregularities on details of school censorship, why didn’t you reign as either the CAO or the DEO? To whom did you report? So, for us we want the technocrats of the districts investigated for their role,” Bishop Gakumba questioned.

They now want the technocrats in the 7 districts investigated in their role as far as the conflict over ownership of schools is concerned.

“If you can call these technocrats to answer some of these queries, it would be good because the major reason why churches and schools were established are now being derailed by the people who should strengthen and support it more,” Bishop Gakumba told Edith Nakalema.

Ismael Mulindwa, the Director Basic and Secondary Education in the Ministry of Education and Sports says, they have been quite slow in handling some of the concerns being raised by the religious leaders.

He also blames the COVID-19 pandemic for having affected some of their interventions.

According to Mulindwa, they have also had a series of meetings with some of the religious leaders and stakeholders concerning their claims but no substantive resolution was made.

Lt. Col Edith Nakalema, the head of State House Anti-Corruption Unit says, an investigation will be launched following the complaint raised by the religious leaders.

Already 22 CAOs have been investigated in recent times by the State House Anti-Corruption unit.

Nakalema says, she has noticed laxity and assuming too much power by the technocrats. They should know what is happening in their districts, which is why they go ahead to undermine the religious leaders in their pursuit for justice and truth.

https://thecooperator.news/ministry-of-education-investigates-alleged-corruption-at-gulu-college-of-health-sciences/

Prior, Nakalema had given until 16th of November this year for the Ministry of Education, CAOs and DEOs to solve issues that has seen the Catholic and Anglican Church conflicting over ownership of a number of schools.

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Anglican Bishops Report CAOs, DEOs to State House Anti-Corruption Unit

Anglican Bishops of West Lango and the Diocese of Northern Uganda have reported the District Education Officers (DEOs) and Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) to Lt Col. Edith Nakalema, the head of State House Anti-Corruption Unit.

The Bishops want the CAOs and DEOs probed for frustrating their efforts to investigate matters in relation to foundation bodies.

This was during last week’s stakeholder meeting organized by Edith Nakalema with DEOs and CAOs and staff from the Ministry of Education following conflicts over land ownership and foundation bodies.

In the meeting, the CAOs and DEOs of the districts of Amuru, Nwoya, Gulu and Omoro in the Diocese of Northern Uganda and four other districts in West Lango that include Apac, Kwania, Oyam and Kole were not invited.

The Bishops from the two dioceses claim that several of their efforts to try and solve some of the conflicts have been frustrated by the technocrats at the districts.

Julius Caesar Nina, the Bishop of West Lango diocese says, 3-quarter of church land has been leased out by the Oyam district local government with so far 2 land titles given.

In Kwania, Nina claims that 7 acres of crops belonging to teachers of Aduku Seed Secondary School were destroyed by the community while in Oyam district, the ownership of 30 schools have all been tampered with by the technocrats.

“How can the district local government headed by the CAO agree to lease 3-quarter of church land to private investors and even go ahead and give land titles? You can’t tell me that they are not involved in some sort of corruption,” Nina wondered.

According to Nina, several efforts to have some of their concerns listened to and addressed from the districts to the Ministry of Education have been futile.

“We even went to the Ministry to seek clarity on our ownership but we didn’t get any concrete documents. One wonders what is happening with the education system of the country,” Nina further questioned.

Bishop Johnson Gakumba of the Diocese of Northern Uganda cites Alelele, Cwero, Otwee Public Primary Schools in the districts of Nwoya, Gulu and Amuru district as some of the schools which have issues over their ownerships.

Gakumba says, for the case of his diocese, the local leaders played a huge role in escalating the conflicts while the technocrats failed in their role to impartially intervene and solve the conflicts.

Both Nina and Gakumba claim that the CAOs and DEOs failed to reign in on the headteachers whom the DEOs accuse of altering the details even after noticing the difference.

“If you have noticed irregularities on details of school censorship, why didn’t you reign as either the CAO or the DEO? To whom did you report? So, for us we want the technocrats of the districts investigated for their role,” Bishop Gakumba questioned.

They now want the technocrats in the 7 districts investigated in their role as far as the conflict over ownership of schools is concerned.

“If you can call these technocrats to answer some of these queries, it would be good because the major reason why churches and schools were established are now being derailed by the people who should strengthen and support it more,” Bishop Gakumba told Edith Nakalema.

Ismael Mulindwa, the Director Basic and Secondary Education in the Ministry of Education and Sports says, they have been quite slow in handling some of the concerns being raised by the religious leaders.

He also blames the COVID-19 pandemic for having affected some of their interventions.

According to Mulindwa, they have also had a series of meetings with some of the religious leaders and stakeholders concerning their claims but no substantive resolution was made.

Lt. Col Edith Nakalema, the head of State House Anti-Corruption Unit says, an investigation will be launched following the complaint raised by the religious leaders.

Already 22 CAOs have been investigated in recent times by the State House Anti-Corruption unit.

Nakalema says, she has noticed laxity and assuming too much power by the technocrats. They should know what is happening in their districts, which is why they go ahead to undermine the religious leaders in their pursuit for justice and truth.

https://thecooperator.news/ministry-of-education-investigates-alleged-corruption-at-gulu-college-of-health-sciences/

Prior, Nakalema had given until 16th of November this year for the Ministry of Education, CAOs and DEOs to solve issues that has seen the Catholic and Anglican Church conflicting over ownership of a number of schools.

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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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