Cooperators raise alarm over Bundibugyo water crisis

Residents of Bukonzo County in Bundibugyo district are facing an acute water shortage three months after floods and landslides devastated the area.

Following a spate of ruinous floods that ravaged numerous areas in Bundibugyo in December last year, water supply was disrupted in some parts of the district, especially Bukonzo County.

Among those affected are members of the Abadhingiya Farmers Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Ltd who have raised an alarm over the water situation that has deprived several families of access to clean water.

Rev. Smith Tibamwenda, a member of the SACCO, said in a phone interview that the water situation in the area was worrying.

“For example, Greater Bubukwanga had its main water sources destroyed while the major gravity water flow for the sub Counties of Bukonzo, Kirumya, Bubukwanga and Ntotoro was washed away,” Rev. Tibamwenda said.

“This has left us with only a few, poorly maintained wells whose water is unsafe for consumption. Moreover, the wells are few and very far, making them difficult to access for many in the community,” he added.

Due to the acute water scarcity, residents of the affected areas say the price of water has shot up, with a 20 litre jerrycan now going for Shs 1,500, which is more than most can afford.

“Our only choice is between spending the Shs 1,500 per jerrycan of dirty water to be delivered by a bodaboda, or trekking 3-5kms per day to find water. Since the option of paying is too expensive for most of us, many people end up fetching the water themselves, which is very tiresome and time consuming,” says Juliet Ajuna, another Cooperator and affected resident.

Rev. Tibamwenda says that the water shortage has contributed to an increase in school dropouts since many children who should be in school now have to spend hours daily searching for water to take back home.

Noisy SACCO

However, Richard Sajjabi, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Bundibugyo district, reacted angrily to the outcry raised by members of Abadhingiya Farmers’ SACCO, wondering why a group was “making noise” yet it was not the group, but individual families that had been affected by the water crisis.

“When you see a group complaining, then you know there’s something wrong. But if you want to know the plans for the district, then come on ground [sic] and we plan together,” Sajjabi charged.

But Ms. Ajuna insists that they are merely giving voice to an issue that affects the community as a whole.

“The floods did not affect us- the Cooperators- alone, but rather the entire community. For instance, the lack of clean water has affected mothers at Bubukwanga Health Centre III, where they deliver without water,” she said.

Help coming

For his part, Bundibugyo district Chairperson, Ronald Mutegeki, told theCooperator that locally, they could not do much to restore water supply at the moment since, he said,” local governments depend on the central government for help”, but was optimistic that soon the issue would be resolved.

“Officials from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and engineers from Ministry of Water and Environment visited the area on a fact finding mission some time ago, meaning that the water problem facing the community will be sorted out very soon,” Mutegeki said.

He, however, admitted that apart from relief items that government distributed to his people shortly after the flooding happened, not much else had been done.

Mutegeki is especially concerned that relocation and resettlement of the at-risk population need to be urgently undertaken to avoid another disaster in the future.

“Despite continuously urging people to shift to safer places as the rains set in, our warnings have fallen on deaf ears,” the LC V boss said.

“We are likely to face an even worse situation this time round if the government’s weather projections come to pass as predicted, since those who had been affected last year returned to their former areas of residence after the camps closed,” he warned.

Among the most affected sub-counties include Bubukwanga, Kirumya and Ntotoro.

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Avoid commercial banks, Minister advises entrepreneurs

The State Minister for Microfinance, Hon. Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune, has advised small scale entrepreneurs to desist from taking high-interest loans from commercial banks, arguing that such rates may cripple rather than boost their businesses.

He made the remarks on Wednesday 11th March, while launching the Presidential initiative on Wealth and Job Creation (EMYOOOGA) at Bomah Hotel in Gulu Municipality.

Minister Kasolo said the interest rates charged by commercial banks on loans to small scale enterprises make them inaccessible for entrepreneurs. Instead, he proposed they borrow from the Microfinance Support Centre Ltd (MSC) which, he says, offers cheaper credit.

“Now that you have your own institution which has been set up by government to support you, avoid accessing high interest loans from banks,” he said. “You don’t even have the collateral or security required for those expensive loans.”

He added that government is rectifying the challenges affecting the effective operations of Microfinance Support Centres (MSC)in order to better serve small-scale enterprises across the country

“We have commercial officers at district level who should mobilise people into groups and link these groups to access financing cheaply through MSC,” he said.

‘Don’t politicise initiative

Mr Kasolo also warned leaders from Acholi Sub region against politicising the initiative, saying this would frustrate its core objectives.

“On issues of development, we are all in it together. I was sent by the president of the country, not the Chairman of NRM; and this is a presidential, not an NRM initiative,” he stressed.

Amuru Woman Member of Parliament Ms Lucy Akello had accused NRM leaders of failing to differentiate between party projects and government initiatives meant to benefit all citizens.

“Let’s think beyond our party when it comes to developmental issues, for the betterment of our citizens,” she urged.

About Emyooga

The Presidential initiative on Wealth and Job Creation, known locally as Emyooga, aims at supporting small scale enterprises as part of government’s commitment to stimulate market-oriented production.

Under the initiative, each SACCO of 30 members or more stands a chance of receiving support of up to Shs. 30 million in initial seed capital.

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Ministry of Agriculture signs MoU to promote cashew nut production

Cashew nut farmers have reason to celebrate after signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) to develop the crop’s value chain on Wednesday this week.

Representing government at the signing was Henry Aggrey Bagiire, the Minister of State for Agriculture while growers of the highly prized crop were represented by the Uganda Cashew nut and Trees Limited, under which they are organised.

Hon. Henry Aggrey Bagiire the Minister of State for Agriculture at the signing of the MoU. MAAIF photo

The partnership is expected to boost cashew nut production and promote trade in Ugandan Cashew products both locally and internationally.

In addition, under the MoU, more than 300,000 cashew seedlings are to be supplied to farmers in 42 districts countrywide, particularly in the country’s cattle corridor and in other dry areas.

Although Africa accounts for a significant percentage of the global cashew nut production, Uganda’s own contribution to this figure remains meagre. Today, most cashew production is carried out by small-scale farmers in Eastern and Northern Uganda.

This despite the fact that the country enjoys a long history of promoting the crop, starting in the 1970s. Due to several factors, the cashew nut industry collapsed in early 1980s until its revival in 2004.

However, given its high demand on the international market, Cashew has been identified as a possible source of income for small holder farmers in addition to bringing in much needed export earnings.

Recognising this potential, President Museveni in October 2017 directed that cashew nut be added to the country’s priority commodities, and an engagement be initiated between MAAIF and the Uganda Cashew nut and Trees Limited to develop a cashew nut Value Chain.

Benefits

Cashew nut is widely celebrated for its nutritional benefits, especially for being rich in both proteins and minerals. It is also used in the manufacture of various industrial products including varnishes, tiles, gum, cements and so on.

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