KASESE LEADERS ASSURE RESIDENTS OF A PEACEFUL DISTRICT.

Baseline survey presentation,presented by GHFRD ED

On May 19^th 2017, Kasese leaders met at Kasese District Multi-purpose Hall in Kasese Municipality, mobilized and organized by Good Hope Foundation for rural Development to share the baseline findings with the District stakeholders and validate the data for final incorporation into the final report baseline report. The baseline survey was conducted across the District in 2016 with objectives of; Documenting stakeholder’s knowledge and understanding of the triggers of conflict and human rights violations in Kasese District and documenting existing community based actions and interventions aimed at prevention and management of conflicts and human rights violations in the region.

Fifty seven (57; 14 Females and 43 Males) attended and participated in the Meeting. Two of them were persons with disabilities that included the District Council Speaker. And among the participants included; LCV C/Person, District executive committee members, District Council Speaker, Resident District commissioner, District police commanders, District councilors, Sub county chairpersons, CSOs leaders, FPAs, HIVOS M&E Officer, Cultural leaders of OBR and other ethnic groups in the District

 

One of the LCIII C/Ps raising his concerns

During the plenary session after presenting the baseline findings, several issues were raised and among others included;

·        Findings showed that Kasese ranked highest in human rights awareness in the Rwenzori region. Participants dug deep to understand if Kasese is the only District that gets Human rights messages compared to other districts in the Rwenzori region.

·        Media violates human rights by uttering out words like Kandi banabo” quoting from some songs meaning again they are the ones”  Kasese being a community of several ethnicities, other tribes feel these words are being thrown to them hence inciting violence.

·        Some musicians sing songs that directly or indirectly provoke specific ethnic groups, and as a result there are different interpretations by people that cause misunderstanding in the community hence fueling conflict. 

·        Specific groups feel marginalized via employment at the district, in away that they feel there is no employment balancing in regard to tribes of the district, only one tribe is considered while others feel they are given low offices or positions

·        Politicians trigger conflict by supporting some one in a wrong act, e.g according to one participant,” during the violence that took place in Bigando, a chairman LCIII  supported people who had pangas to attack the ones they considered to have caused the violence”.

·        Segregation in schools, some parents and students feel some students are favored in regard to tribe depending on the administration of the school. This is witnessed when specific tribe in school are given text books at the expense of others, involvement in school activities for exposure. 

·        Leaders (political leaders) cause conflict in a way when they are voted and recognize that they did not yield high votes in specific villages, they only concentrate on those they feel voted or supported them.

RDC-Mr. Aminadabu Muhindo giving his remarks

The above issues among others guided participants to come up with the following action points;

·        Need to engage key stakeholders such as politicians and NGOs on the un ending conflicts and human rights violations in the district;

·        Equal treatment by district leadership- a scan through the district staff and top political leadership doesn’t show the cosmopolitan nature of Kasese district

·        Community sensitization by foot peace ambassadors on human rights and conflict prevention must continue.

·        Joint follow up of  elders forum by district leadership regardless of political affiliation- the elders forum should comprise of the ethnic tribes in the district and non political and be based on old age ( at least of retirement age bracket)

·        Need for reconciliation committee that will bring together different conflicting parties

·        Take affirmation action on measures to reduce poverty through- Education, engaging in agriculture,  public health

·        Utilization of the radio spaces to sensitize communities on their rights and responsibilities given the different sectors like agriculture, education,  public health and SACCOs

·        District Commercial officer to sensitize the business community on transforming from informal sector to formal sector

·        Affirmative action for the youth given that they have a lot of energy that could be transformed into productive work- Youth livelihoods,  women’s fund and form a district youth forum ( NAYODE to follow up on that action)

·        Bringing on board the Uganda Human rights Commission given that its there duty to do civic education and according to the baseline results they scored least as government agencies that the CBOs had engaged with.

Members carefully scanning through the report.

At the end of the Meeting, the following key messages by leaders were noted;

LCV C/P-Mr. Sibendire Bigogo giving his remarks

“ I support a combined elders forum that will  bring together all tribes living in Kasese, I believe if we had a non political elders forum, as leaders we could have where to go when faced with such incidents as that of November 2016”  LCV- Kasese District( Mr. Sibendire Bigogo Godfrey)

“Let us talk as leaders given our different roles, sometimes I get concerned when a church leader meddles in politics, you talk the bible and leave the politicians talk politics. Conflicts here in Kasese need consorted efforts given the nature and what we have gone through for the last couple of years.  Sections of people must learn to behave as leaders, so as to be role models for the youth who are being used for selfish motives” –Deputy RDC- Kasese (Mr. Aminadabu  Muhindo)

“ we as leaders have sometimes contradicted ourselves even when we come from the same areas,  that is already sign of conflicts, what do you expect the youth to do, if we cant agree as mature leaders, that’s what I have observed in the community. We need to talk the same language when we go to the communities that we represent” Karusandara Sub county District woman councilor (Hon. Mbambu Doreen)