Ministry of lands rejects Kikuube district Land Board Chairperson

KIKUUBE – The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has rejected the appointment of Ignatius Muganyizi as the district Land Board Chairperson for Kikuube district.

Muganyizi was appointed by the Kikuube council in October last year but his appointment drew protests among residents and leaders of Kikuube district.

During the council session, 11 out of 24 Councillors voted against the appointment of Muganyizi as the Chairperson Kikuube district land board.

The residents and area MP protested his appointment as they accused him of being behind the rampant land grabbing in the district.

According to the residents, Muganyizi who previously served as the Kabwoya sub-county Lands Committee Chairperson from 2009 to 2016 allegedly connived with tycoons and issued titles leading to evictions of people from their ancestral land.

After his appointment, the council submitted Muganyizi’s name and other members on the committee who included Tibeita Tusabe, Sarah Atagwireho, Muzamil Balihamwe and Peterson Kyomuhendo to the Ministry for approval.

According to a letter dated 15-12-2021, which was shared with theCooperator news, signed by Permanent Secretary (PS) Ministry of Land, Housing and Urban Development, Dorcas W Okalanyi addressed to Kikuube district local government, it indicates the committee members were approved but Muganyizi’s name was rejected.

According to the letter, the Ministry rejected Muganyizi’s name after residents and some local leaders expressed their discontent about his appointment.

In this letter, the PS advised the district council to appoint another person who will work as district Land Board Chairman in the interest of the public.

“Furthermore, in respect to the gender issue, the district is also advised to appoint an additional female member to the board so as to meet the gender requirement under the land act,” the letter reads.

Chelangat Andrew MiltonKamalingin, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for Kikuube district confirmed that the district received this communication from the Permanent Secretary adding that as the CAO, he will advise the Council on how to handle the matter.

Nicolas Kiiza, the Secretary for Production, Marketing and Natural Resources headed a committee which investigated the allegation of the residents before the appointment of Muganyizi said, the district is planning to hold a council next month to discuss the matter.

He noted that the council is likely to appoint female members on the land committee as it was directed by the Ministry and thereafter, the council will get one person from the names which were approved as committee members to serve as the Land Board Chairperson.

Alex Byasi, the District Councillor for Kabwoya South sub-county, who was the lead petitioner to reject Muganyizi during the council meeting, commended the Ministry for listening to the people’s outcry.

He noted that as petitioners, if Muganyizi had been approved as the district Land Board Chairman, it was going to be a disaster.

He noted that the integrity of Muganyizi is questionable, adding that having him as the Land Board Chairperson would fuel land grabbing.

Amlan Tumusime, the Kikuube Resident District Commissioner (RDC) said the rejection of Muganyizi was expected since the public had rejected him.

He noted that Kikuube is one of the districts in the region with the highest rate of land conflicts hence appointing someone with questionable integrity as Land Board Chairman would make matters worse.

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Poor on-farm practices responsible for tick resistance, says NDA’s spokesperson

KIRUHURA – Farmers in Kashongi Kiruhura district have been advised to put more emphasis on good farm practices to address the challenge of persistent tick resistance on their farms.

This was revealed by National Drug Authority (NDA) during a forum dubbed “Farmer’s parliament” where both crop and livestock farmers in Ankole sub-region are engaged to share their challenges and forge solutions on the farm.

During the meeting, Eric Rutahigwa, one of the successful livestock farmers in Western Uganda, tasked the NDA to explain why ticks have persisted on their farms despite several interventions in place.

Rutahigwa further blamed NDA on failure to control fake acaricides entering into the country through porous borders.

“During 1963, farmers were using the same drugs we are using today and their animals could not suffer from tick related diseases. Now, should we think today we have fake drugs entering through Congo and elsewhere?” he asked.

In response, Abiaz Rwamwiri, the Spokesperson NDA confirmed that tick resistance has been terrorizing farmers especially in the cattle corridor since 2012 especially in districts of Ankole and Nakasongola.

However, he warned farmers in Kiruhura district to start good farming practices to address issues of tick resistance in the area.

“Even if we protect the supply chain when the on-farm-practice is not good, it can make the drug not work and it’s that consistent misuse that creates the resistance,” says Rwamwiri.

Some of the farm practices include; types of pressure pumps used, the crash and mixing of acaricides.

“When some people are told to mix a litre in 20 litres, they think it’s a jerrycan, yet most jerrycans’ contents are more than 20 litres which means the drug will get diluted and it will not work effectively.”

Working with the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Rwamwiri says NDA is coming up with mechanisms of supply chain to track fake acaricides entering into the Ugandan market.

“Of course, we had engagements with Hon Frank Tumwebaze and he assigned a team two weeks ago. We are also going to meet the importers of the veterinary drugs to strengthen our operations because whereas we release good quality drugs on the market, we cannot say that there are no counterfeits. We know there are wrong elements that are counterfeiting the drugs and unfortunately some of these guys are professionals who have been helping farmers that started mixing the acaricides,” he explained.

“We release drugs when they are of good quality, safe and their efficacy is okay and now we want to make sure that the supply chain is protected keeping the drug in the intended condition because a good drug if not handled well, its quality can deteriorate and will not serve the intended purpose,” he adds.

Rwamwiri also says, NDA will extend village trainings especially in areas of Kiruhura where tick resistance has become a growing concern.

“We have made a commitment in Kiruhura because we realized they have more challenges yet with the highest number of cattle that produce close to 2 million litres of milk a day. Starting with mid-February this year to the end of March, we will be having intensive trainings in each of the sub-counties working with the DVO,” says NDA’s spokesperson.

“We shall be meeting farmers, identifying key farms that have the highest resistance and diagnosing because as National Drug Authority, it is our concern when people are losing their animals to preventable and treatable diseases like East Coast Fever, Anaplasmosis, and Heartwater,” he added.

Rwamwiri also warned farmers that mixing acaracides with agrochemicals is detrimental to both humans and animal health.

“Of course, there are issues of mixing agrochemicals like the dudus, the two in one pesticides that farmers are talking about shouldn’t be applied on animals because animals are like humans and their bodies are so sensitive that is why they are getting blind and infertile,” says Rwamwiri.

However, Rutahigwa insists that a number of government authorities have failed on the role of controlling fake acaricides which has sparked a common norm of tick resistance in the cattle corridor.

“Doctors of NDA must accept that you have failed your role to control and regulate animal drugs. And there are three people who have killed us, that is NDA, NMS, and those in Agriculture expertise like NAGRIC rather than blaming us farmers that we are using poor farm practices,” Rutahigwa emphasized.

Robert Kabatereine, the Coordinator of Farmers Parliament says, the forum is seeking government support to farmers to improve on the farming systems, boost product capacity and market for the products.

“We intend to fill the gap between farmers and the government. We bring experts like from NDA to identify the challenges of farmers for adequate solutions. Like if there is an issue of fake drugs in the market how do we resolve it, and all this will be exposed through the farmers’ parliament,” Kabatereine said.

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Masindi demonstration farm cows stolen

MASINDI – Cows belonging to Masindi district demonstration farm in Labongo sub-county in Masindi have reportedly been stolen following a lay off at the center.

The center was established to serve as an agricultural demonstration farm for the district.

Wahid Babyesiza, the area district Councilor says, six out of the nine cows that were at the center disappeared under unclear circumstances.

“This is negligence by the district leaders and the caretakers of the center which could have led to the collapse of the center that was meant to be a demonstration to the farmers in the district. Despite the theft of the cows from the center, no one has been arrested in connection with the crime. This makes me believe there could have been connivance by some concerned officials in district,” the angry councilor told theCooperator.

He adds that all workers were laid off by Masindi district without paying them.

Job Byaruhanga, the District Agriculture Officer Masindi admits that some of the cows have been stolen by unknown people who beat the center security officer.

“We have not yet ascertained who could have been behind this. We’re still investigating the matter,” he said.

Byaruhanga added that the district has plans to revive the facility and make it a true demonstration center for the district such that people can always go and learn new agronomic practices.

Cosmas Byaruhanga, the district Chairperson also confirmed the incident to theCooperator saying, something is being done to find out the people behind the theft.

However, he dismissed Babyesiza’s allegations of nine cows at the facility, yet they were six.

“There were only six cows at the demonstration farm and only three are the ones that were stolen,” Byaruhanga clarified.

“A case has been filed at Masindi Central Police Station (CPS) for investigation. All the people who used to work at the center were laid off during the latest restructuring of government workers in the country. The district executive has resolved to sell off the remaining 3 cows as part of the plan to revive the center into a better facility that will serve the entire Bunyoro sub-region,” the politician explained.

None of the authorities could tell when they were stolen.

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