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| Mr. Chairman, I must tell you these law enforcement officers are a burden to us here at Kanara fishing village, tell us who is supposed to patrol the lake, BMU or Law enforcement officers? we want you to tell us now! |
The 31st of July,2013 will remain a remarkable day
in the history of Kanara Town council, Ntoroko District in the Rwenzori region
of Uganda.
Good Hope Foundation for Rural Development in Partnership
with Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence (RWECO) organized a Citizens
Manifesto day in Ntoroko south cell, Kanara Town council to discuss local
development challenges with both the District and Town council leaders.
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| Mr. Kyamanywa Timothy, District Chairperson stretching as the District speaker, Vice chairperson and CAO look on. |
Among
the leaders were; The Ntoroko District Chairperson Mr. Timothy Kyamanywa and his Vice Hon. Ahebwa Justus, The Chief
administrative officer Mr.Ashaba Allan, The District speaker Hon. Betty Tembe,
The District Education Officer Mr.Mubarak Masereka, The District Naads Coordinator, The
District Engineer, The District Physical Planner, The District Health Officer
and the Town Council leadership including the Town mayor Mr. Yusuf Byaruhanga,
Town clerk, Town treasurer, Chairperson Beach management unit, Naads extension
providers among others.
The residents who attended in big numbers were represented by
the Neighborhood assembly speaker in presenting a report highlighting the
status of service delivery in the town council. Among the challenges
highlighted were:-
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| The NA Speaker narrating the plight of Kanara dwellers."Today should be the time for answers to our challenges not just promisses as it is always done during election campaigns" |
·
Reduced pupils enrolment at Ntoroko primary school
from 982 to 750 since January, 2013 attributed to the fishing activities that
attract children and parents’ negligence;
·
Poor living condition of teachers, who even have no
staff quarters, a case in point of Ntoroko Primary school with eighteen (18)
teachers;
·
Un friendly school environment whereby pupils share
the same environment with baboons. This is risky to their lives and for the
last one month, a person arm was chopped by a baboon;
·
Reluctance of Local leaders to attend meetings
organized by the residents. This was however attributed to most political
leaders staying long in their offices and now take those offices as their own
assets;
·
Increasing transport fares on the Kanara-Fortprotal
road from 6000UGX to 15000UGX in just less than six months;
·
Corruption among the police men and women, who
intimidate residents just to get money from them;
·
Un clarified law enforcement team at the lake(Lake
albert), whereby the number of law enforcers was increasing time and again and
this according to residents was promoting corruption and increasing illegal
fishing;
·
Ignorance by the residents about the 25% fund to the
village councils/cells and whether the youth fund from the District was still
being received;
·
Un clear taxes levied on fish by Beach management
unit. “…every leader comes up with his
own tax, what is the official tax..”? Asked by a resident. It was also revealed
that confiscated fish from illegal fishing activities are not burnt but again
sold out to people close to the Law Enforcement Officers
·
Residents challenged the leaders whether they do not
know where sub-standard nets are manufactured instead of wasting time and
resources, chasing fisher men at the lake.
The above highlighted issues
necessitated leaders’ responses by the CAO, District Chairperson, District
speaker, DEO, Town council Mayor responded as follows;-
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| Mr. Allan Ashaba, the CAO Ntoroko District responding to the issues raised by the community. |
·
The town Mayor and Town clerk were ordered by the LCV
C/P to meet the UTODA Leadership in Fort-portal about the un clear transport
fairs and in a weeks time give him a report;
·
Some Local councils were not receiving the 25% because
they have failed to account for the last disbursements and were ordered in that
meeting to immediately do so without delay;
·
The District speaker testified that in the Town
council budget for the last financial year, it was passed that the Ntoroko Town
council playground be fenced to protect people from baboons. The mayor however
defended his team that money was not enough but pledged to fence it in this
financial year;
 |
| Ms. Betty Tembe, the District Speaker expressing her support for the residents from today on wards.. |
·
The CAO assured the residents that 30m UGX have been
allocated to construct a five stance latrine at Ntoroko primary school in two
months period from August. He also noted that 20M UGX have been received from
UNICEF to support the roofing of an ECD Centre that was blown by wind in Ntoroko
south cell.
·
One (100) hundred iron sheets were revealed to the
residents as having been contributed by the Town council and Beach management
unit to construct a semi-permanent staff quarters at Ntoroko primary school.
And that soon in this financial year, the construction is to commence. The CAO
however explained to the residents that a governments’ policy on constructing
staff quarters was changed where by concentration is now on the hard to reach
and live communities, which are often rural.
·
Awareness was also made by the D.E.O to the residents
that the government accepted each parent in urban centers to contribute Ugx.
10,400/ to facilitate in the management of schools, un like before. He also
explained that UPE Disbursements are to be sent termly as opposed to the last
years where funds were sent quarterly and this was incapacitating schools. And
that UPE Funds are spent as; 15% in administration and 10% in Management.
 |
| Mr. Mubarak Masereka, the District education officer educating residents on UPE |
·
About the support to the elderly, the CAO explained
that the Government was piloting the project in few Districts, and that Ntoroko
District was not among.
·
About the youth fund from the District, it was brought
to the residents’ notice that the allocation to all sub counties is always
Ugx 5 millions and therefore becomes hard to be felt by
residents. The Speaker however pledged support in lobbying for an increment in
the next financial year.
·
The CAO and district chairperson updated residents about scholarships; that
Five were given by UNICEF but expressed dissatisfaction about the Kanara
community whereby none of their children qualify for the scholarships which are
competitive. He challenged the parents to invest in educating their children
for a better future. The C/P LCV also called at residents to approach him in
office and pick scholarship application forms for the Universities of: Mutesa Royal University, Mountains of the Moon
University and Uganda Pentecost University.
In the district chairperson’s closing
remarks, he thanked Good Hope Foundation for empowering residents with skills
to mobilize each other and engage their leaders. He however requested for an
extension of the project to all sub counties of the District for all residents
to benefit.
He pledged to write to UWA about
the un controlled baboons and ask them to come up with an immediate solution to
the problem.
About developments in the District,
he informed residents that the District had locally collected Ugx. 450 millions
to construct the District administration
block, and that the construction had started. He challenged parents to bring up
their children morally and academically well because the a good future is
assured, and instructed the CAO to follow-up on the alleged poor management of
UPE Funds.
He closed the Activity by one again
thanking Good Hope Foundation and Neighborhood assembly for great work and
promised great support in fighting illegal fishing on Lake Albert, and informed
residents that he is to share the Town council challenges with the President on
his visit to the District this month.
