Muha-kanizi on spot over Shillings 90b farmers' cash:

By Yasiin Mugerwa

Posted 29 September, 2014

 

 

The Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Keith Muhakanizi who kept calling himself “ born again Christian” was today pushed on the wall and forced to apologise for the “inefficiencies” in the running of a Shs 90 billion facility meant for helping the poor farmers access cheap credit.

The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee noted “gross inefficiencies, conflict of interest and lack of supervision of the funds” on the part of Bank of Uganda and Ministry of Finance. Because of lack of supervision, PAC Chairperson Ms Alice Alaso said, the money has gone to the well-off farmers at the expense of the poor farmers and written off more than Shs499 million in bad debts.

On December 3 2009, the Governor Bank of Uganda Prof Emmanuel Mutebile wrote to Ministry of Finance, saying that Bank of Uganda could not monitor the implementation and evaluation of the facility, citing conflict of interest however to date, Mr Muhakanizi had not taken action. The ST apologised for “inefficiency” saying “he is also human”.

The committee expressed concerns about the possible risk to the funds and ordered Muhakanizi to streamline the monitoring of the scheme within one month. Officials from BoU told the committee that they signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ministry of Finance and clearly STATED that monitoring of the agriculture 

credit facility will not be their mandate.

Mr Muhakanizi returns to PAC next week.

 

But The suffering goes on without any social welfare in this poor African country:

 

Nakasango nga asindika kitawe bagende okusabiriza ssente.

 

Taata Omusoga ava e Iganga ate nga mulema oluusi antuma okumugulira bamalaaya wano mu Kampala:

 

By Lawrence Kitatta

 

Added 21st September 2016

 

Nakasango anyumya bw’ati:

Nzuukuka ku makya ng’obudde tebunnakya ne tutegula ebikunta oluvannyuma taata bw’aba yeetewuulizzaako mu kaveera nkakwata ne nkasuula mu kipipa kya Kcca ekiri e busukkakkubo. kyokka oluguudo ndusala mmagamaga emmotoka zireme kunkoona.

Bwe tuba twasuze n’amazzi tunaabako mu maaso era tunywako oluusi ne njolekera Kiswa gye nsoma mu P1.

Taata eyandibadde ampa ssente za bodaboda okuntwala ku ssomero ate nze mba nnina okumusindika ku kagaali nga tuva e Lugogo we tusula ku mulyango gwa GTZ.

Olumu ku ssomero anzigyayo ssaawa 4:00 ne tugenda ku kkubo gye tusabiriza. Olumu nsoma naye olulala nnemererwa.

Olusoma oluwedde nakola ebibuuzo era okuva olwo saaddayo kusoma. Buli lunaku tuzunga ekibuga kumpi okukimalako ne mpulira nga n’obugere bunfuuyirira.

Kasango ng’azingako akaveera akakola nga bulangiti e Lugogo okumpi ne siteegi ya New Vision, we basula ate Nakasango nga yeetereza batandike olugendo lw’okubuna ekibuga nga basabiriza.

 

Naye taata bw’atuuka ku kaserengeto olwo ng’anteeka mu maaso ng’akagaali kayiringita. Taata yangamba nti maama wange ye Nasim Namulondo abeera Iganga era gye yanzigya okundeeta e Kampala okutandika okusabiriza ku luguudo.

Enkuba bw’etonnya mu budde obw’ekiro olwo ne tuyimirira ku lubalaza we tusula olumu n’okutukuba etukuba naddala ng’erimu kibuyaga.

Obudde buli lwe buziba mba mu kweraliikirira. Taata oyo talina nsonyi antuma okumuyitira bamalaaya ekiro!

Omanyi bwe tuba twebase nsula ku ludda kw’assa ebigere wabula olumu ngenda okusisimuka nga mpulira anninnya mu maaso, ngenda okulaba nga mukazi.

Olumu mpulira n’amaloboozi ekiro naye nga sirina kyakukola. Bw’aleeta bamalaaya nga sinneebaka olwo nsituka busitusi ne ntuula ku kkubo mu kayumba ka siteegi ya New Vision okutuusa lwe bamaliriza naye ate olumu nneekanga nsuze awo. Olumu antuma e Nakawa ngule sooda.

Wano nga beetegeka okugenda.

 

TAATA YANZIBA AWAKA

Bwe yali yaakandeeta okunzigya mu kyalo ng’annyambaza nnyo engoye z’abalenzi nga tayagala bamulaba kumanya nti ndi muwala naye kati nange nnyambala ngoye z’abawala.

Nzijukira nali mbeera ne maama wange ne jjajja, twali tuzannya ne baganda bange be twabeeranga nabo awaka, abakulu tebaaliwo kw’olwo taata yajja awaka n’anzibawo n’antwala ewa jjajja omulala.

Ono kirabika ye maama we amuzaala wabula nga naye saamwetegereza bulungi era simumanyi. Taata bwe yawulira nti gye yanzigya baali batandise okunnoonya kwe kunzigyayo n’andeeta e Kampala.

Kye nzijukira twatuuka kiro era ekkubo eryatuleeta sirimanyi naye angamba nti ewaffe Iganga we wali ekyalo kyaffe.

Wabula okuva lwe natandika okubeera ne taata embeera tebeerangako nnyangu kuba ennaku ezisinga tusiibirira capati n’amazzi emmere tugirya lumu na lumu ate tugirya Kataza Bugoloobi kuba we wali eya layisi gy’asobola okugula.

Eno ku 1500/- tufuna ebijanjaalo n’akawunga ate ennyama ya 3,000/- naye ennyama emirundi gye nnaakagiryako mbala mibale ate essowaani tugigabana.

 

There is no official national register of pensioners in the country of Uganda:

10 June, 2016

 

By Nelson Wesonga, Kampala

 

Government says it does not have records of pensioners due to “lack of data and personal files.”

According to the ministry of Public Service, many pensioners do not show up for verification thus leading to delays in payment of their monthly dues and the once off gratuity.

The State minister for Public Service, Mr David Karubanga told MPs during plenary that the ministry will, carry out a census and biometric validation of pensioners starting February 20.

“The ministry of Public Service does not have a national register of pensioners,” Mr Karubanga said yesterday.

“Despite the decentralisation of pension management, a number of votes [ministries] have not verified the records on the payroll.”

A day earlier, Aruu Member of Parliament, Odonga Otto had told the August House that many pensioners have not been paid for several months.

Many were, therefore, depending on their relatives – who already have other financial responsibilities – to pay their bills or to buy basics.

Those without relatives are borrowing items from shopkeepers.

Shopkeepers though can only lend them for a few months expecting to be paid once they get their gratuity.

Following Mr Odonga’s remarks, the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga said the government was treating the senior citizens disrespectfully.

On Wednesday, Mr Karubanga also said the Public Service ministry had for the last four years not carried out verification of pensioners “due to funding shortage and lack of clear addresses" [of the pensioners].

The verification of the pensioners will be done between February 20 and March 24 at the district headquarters by Face Technologies.

According to Mr Karubanga, Face Technologies will do the work, which the ministry failed.

However, it is still not clear how much the ministry will pay the company.

Face Technologies is the company that processes driving permits for motorists.

Workers Members of Parliament Margaret Rwabushaija and the Erute Member of Parliament Jonathan Odur said the government should tell Ugandans when it would pay the pensioners all their arrears.

Mr Karubanga said payments are the responsibility of the Finance ministry.

All that Public Service does is to furnish the Finance ministry with the particulars of the claimants.

 

 

NO EDUCATIONAL FEES TO CONTINUE NEW STUDIES

Posted on 19th January, 2015

Shortage of Agricultural extension workers hampers farming in Uganda: 

By SADAT MBOGO & JOSEPH KATO

Posted  Thursday, June 25  2015  
 

  

MPIGI, BUGANDA STATE:

The State Minister for Agriculture, Mr Vincent Ssempijja, has said lack of trained extension workers in agriculture sector is hampering efforts to develop the sector.

The minister explained that farmers are not able to access information in time due to lack of specialists in the field.

According to Mr Ssempijja, a survey conducted in six sub-counties of Kalungu District, showed that most farmers in remote areas cannot apply best practices in agriculture simply because of lack of extension workers, who should dispense the advice.

The minister announced that government would recruit agriculture extension workers at village level to provide advisory services to farmers. Mr Ssempijja made the remarks while addressing agriculture stakeholders in Lukaya Town, Kalungu District on Tuesday.

The meeting was organised by an NGO, Brac, to enhance nutrition projects.

Brac country representative, Mr Muhammad Imran Bhuyiam, said they would promote the production of food crops and increase funding to communities to enhance family nutrition.

Brac is providing capacity to farmers to demand extension services and influence the agricultural policies to benefit the small holder farmers. Mr John Pamba, the company’s senior public relations officer, said they had so far given out loans worth Shs1b to women groups and individuals.

Mr Joseph Oryokot, a senior agriculture specialist at World Bank (WB), promised that WB would extend more funds to farmers through Brac.

“When a pregnant mother is malnourished, even her baby suffers the same. The chances of such a child being successful in future are very minimal. As WB, we are ready to help farmers grow enough food so that malnutrition is eliminated,” Mr Oryokot said.

Mr Florence Namatovu, a farmer, applauded the organisation for enabling her start up a potato vein project.

She said she sells at least 40 bags of potato veins at Shs21,000 each, totalling Shs840,000 per month

Ms Justine Kihahire, the Kamuwunga Women’s Sacco chairperson, said she started with Shs100,000 but now her business is worth Shs1.5m. “I am able to look after the family and pay school fees for them. I have constructed a house and bought a plot of land,” she said.

editorial@ug.nationmedia.com

 
PLE star to repeat P.7 for third time due to no fees
in Uganda:

Publish Date: Jan 18, 2015

PLE star to repeat P.7 for third time due to no fees
Samuel Otobi passed in PLE, but his parents cannot afford to
send him to secondary school.
(Photo credit: Godfrey Ojore) of
newvision news paper in Uganda.
 

By Godfrey Ojore     

 

SOROTI – His teachers are celebrating and are due to hold a party for producing the first Division One pupil in last year’s PLE, but for Samuel Otobi, there’s little reason to rejoice.

 

The 12-year-old was the only pupil among UPE-aided schools in the entire Gweri sub-county to pass in Division One but he says he is “going nowhere”.

 

For him, it will be either to “repeat [Primary Seven] for the third time or to go fishing”.

 

Despite excelling in the 2014 Primary Leaving Examinations, Otobi who attended Opar Primary School in Soroti, knows he will not progress to secondary school because his parents cannot afford to pay school fees for his Senior One studies.

 

“I can force a smile only to satisfy you,” he tells New Vision’s photographer, “but the fact is I am going nowhere.”

FORCED SMILE: Otobi is lifted off his feet by his joyful colleagues after excelling. (Photo credit: Godfrey Ojore)

 

He scored aggregate 10 – the best aggregate is four – which is good enough for Division One.

 

Otobi, who is the seventh born in his family, scored aggregate 19 in the previous PLE (2013) but his parents forced him to repeat because they were unable to raise tuition fees for his secondary school.

 

He bettered that performance in last year’s exams, but Otobi is resigned to his fate of going no further in his academics.

 

His peasant father, John Epiru, says he is blessed to have bright children and says he thanks God for that.

 

“Last year I forced him to repeat because two of his brothers were joining PTC and Agricultural College respectively and the girl he follows was also joining S.1," he said.

 

Otobi and his father Epiru forged smiles on their faces, but behind those smiles, there lies despair. (Photo credit: Godfrey Ojore)

To supplement the family’s low income, Epiru’s wife brews local brew (ajon) for sale. Educating their children however remains a mountain-climb of a challenge.

 

Yet luck has not been friendly to them either.

 

"Last year I registered crop failure because the crops are my source of income towards education of my children. I request any Samaritan to bail me out. If I decide to take him for S.1 then it means one of his brothers has to remain home," Epiru said.

 

On his part, Otobi dreams of becoming a teacher but such an ambition remains just a fantasy and in the absence of help (a Good Samaritan), his dream will sink in the Awoja swamp where he is resorting to fishing from.

 

Stephen Egabu, the school head teacher, said that out of 104 pupils who sat for PLE, it's only Otobi they were sure would excel because he had scored 10 aggregates in the Mock exams.

 

43 of his colleagues passed in Division Two, 33 managed Division Three, 10 got Division Four while the rest failed.

 

Hoima hospital in the Kingdom of Bunyoro in Uganda, treats 90 abortion cases every month:

By  Sandra Janet Birungi

Posted  Saturday, May 30  2015 

 

HOIMA TOWN, UGANDA- 

Seventeen-year-old Ritah (not real name) strained to walk; she was in immense pain and could hardly stand up. The gaping opening on her stomach had just been dressed by a nurse on duty.

She reported to Hoima Regional Referral Hospital in April after she had had an induced abortion.

In an interview with Saturday Monitor, Sister Miriam Akello, the principal nursing officer at the hospital who has been attending to Ritah, said she went to the hospital with a lot of pain and could hardly sit.

“When she learnt she was pregnant, she went together with the father of her baby and they performed an abortion. It was as though she had used a sharp instrument like a pair of scissors to pierce her uterus as a way of killing the baby,” Sister Akello said.

Even after sewing back the damaged uterus, Ritah is still nursing the wound. Sister Akello said there is pus around the uterus that has to be squeezed out often.

Ritah is among the approximately 90 girls that seek post abortion care every month at Hoima hospital. Sister Akello says there are two or three patients that seek post abortion care daily, with the highest number being induced abortions. “In medical terms, abortions mean both induced and non-induced in this case, miscarriages,” she clarifies.

Induced abortions in Uganda are illegal. Chapter XIV of the Penal Code Act criminalises procuring an abortion or aiding in getting one.

“Any person who, with intent to procure the miscarriage of a woman whether she is or is not with child, unlawfully administers to her or causes her to take any poison or other noxious thing, or uses any force of any kind, or uses any other means, commits a felony and is liable to imprisonment for 14 years,” the Act states.

However, hospitals are allowed to offer post abortion care. Ministry of Health says 292,000 abortions are carried out annually in the country translating into 800 per day. With more than a half of them procured using crude methods.

A 2013 report by the Centre for Reproductive Health Uganda attributed the high numbers of unsafe abortions to misconceptions among women that lead them to get stigma, fear and secrecy.

Dr Francis Mulwanyi, the Hoima hospital director, attributed the numbers on unwanted pregnancies, especially since the men or boys responsible deny them.

Dr Charles Kiggundu, the president of the Association of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Uganda, called for use of contraceptives.

jbirungi@ug.nationmedia.com

 

 

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