YOUTHS CONVERGE FOR PEACE AND TOURISM PROMOTION

Teams praying for a Peaceful game

5^th and 8^th September 2017 were days Lake Katwe Youth organized Sports for Peace, bringing together people of different ethnic groups, and institutions to show the world that irrespective of physical differences, all humans are one. Institutions like Police and Uganda Wildlife Authority also attended and participated in the two day’s activities at Kinyateke primary school and Kikorongo play grounds.

Teams in action

Foot ball and netball competitions were organized and among the teams included; Delta Force FC-Kahokya, Ocean boys-Kinyateke, Firebase-Kinyateke, Uganda Police FC-Katwe Kabatoro town Council,Simba FC-Kikorongo,Rwentutu new Villa FC-Kabirizi, Super Crane FC-Rwebihungu, Kathika Fc-Murambi II, Katunguru FC, and girls teams that included; Simba Netballl club-Kikorongo, Kabirizi Netball club and Ocean Netball club-Kinyateke.

By the end of the day, Katunguru FC and Simba Netball club-Kikorongo emerged the victors.

Girls teams in action

Among other participants included; Inter-religious committee of Kasese, represented by its Secretary Rev Fr. Expedito, media from KGR and Messiah radio FM, Peace actors like Lucas Buhaka, District Police Commander of Katwe ASP Baganzi J, O/C Kikorongo Police C/ASP Nansereko S, Uganda Wild life Authority community conservation Warden, represented by Owomugisha Elinah, Lake Katwe Chairperson Mr. Cyprus Baluku who represented the Busongora South Constituency MP, and many other local Politicians.

Averagely 1500(1005 Males and 495 Females) people that included teams from Banyakitara Communities in the lower parts of the Sub county like Katunguru, Kikorongo, and PWDs attended and Participated.

Disability is not inability. No.10 of Uganda Police Force team.

 

Key issues were raised by different Speakers and the following were worth noting;

Inter-religious council and UWA

·         Creating massive awareness about Peace building, conflict management and Human rights to local people especially the youths is cardinal because they are the most influenced ones, and very active,

·         Politicians are exploiting the idleness of most youth to engage them in un necessary conflicts,

·         Extremism among some youth has also landed them into problems

·         Keeping law and order is not only to Security forces but also civilians through providing necessary intelligence information,

·         Poverty is largely leading to escalating conflicts in the Sub county and Kasese at large because people find no option than being aggressive for survival,

• Early marriages and polygamy as abuse of women’s rights are still common in Lake Katwe and therefore education on the same needs to be specifically organized too,
• The relationship between Queen Elizabeth National Park and Kahokya/Lake Katwe Sub County is not good. Kahokya Parish for example has registered a big number of Poachers whereby others have lost their lives living behind Women headed families and orphans.
• Some Widows of deceased poachers have also left their homes and married other men, leaving their Children as Family heads,

DPC-Katwe(in uniform), interacting with Peace Actors

Key recommendations below were suggested by different Speakers;

• Facilitating a dialogue between the leadership of Queen Elizabeth National Park and frontline communities especially Kahokya Parish community for Peaceful Co-existence,
• Facilitating more engagement actions between Police and local people to positively refresh people’s attitudes towards the force (dialogues, debates, joint community policing).
• Organizing a youth conference where youth are given platform to exhaustively discuss Peace and human Rights,
• Educating people of Lake Katwe especially those from the upper side on the alternative survival mechanisms. Poaching has to be de-campaigned and made un popular among the frontline communities.

Inter-Religious Council-Kasese Secretary giving his remarks on Peace

The day was summed by leaders thanking Good Hope Foundation for bringing the youth, Police and UWA together for a common goal of Peaceful Co-existence. This according to the LCIII Chairperson is a practical means of bringing Peace and stability in Communities.

Vice Chairperson LCIII, Lake Katwe Sub County Hon Bwambale Moses handing over the trophy to the Captain of Katunguru FC