Namuganza says that, under circumstances where millers lack market for their already processed sugar, it is hard for them to purchase out-growers’ cane since they already have surplus processed sugar in their stores.
Joseph Wambui, a driver from Eldoret in Kenyan claims that drivers who run out of food and lack partners within Uganda are tasked to seek supply from their employers, which is time consuming.
The hostility, they say, started with an increase in the number of Coronavirus cases recorded among truck drivers, mainly those entering the country from Kenya and Tanzania. In recent weeks, more than 100 truck drivers have tested positive to the virus, driving cases of coronavirus in the country now 248.
The angry employees on Wednesday stormed the factory at 6:00 am and sat outside the premises. They blocked trucks from either accessing or exiting the factory.
Bamu is accused of leading a group of youth to storm the streets of Iganga town in protest of the poor state of roads, without following the provisions of the public order management act.
Last week, the Speaker Iganga Municipality, Musa Ssengoba convened a meeting with the affected parties and gave them a weeks ultimatum to clear the road reserve.
Miyuki Yamashita who represented the WFP Country Director, during the launch of the direct buying program at Nambalee Sub county headquarter, said WFP has been buying food through tenders, which has been very competitive for most farmer organizations since they require high volumes of grain.
Rebecca Mukyala, a farmer under Nambale Farmers Organisation in Iganga district, says they came together as a group of 156 farmers and gathered 40 tons of maize for sale to WFP. She says initially they had challenges in regards to handling the produce due to pests, but with the good storage practices they succeeded.
James Luyimbazi, the Town Clerk Iganga Municipality, says they intend to install street lights in the municipality at the tune of Shillings 500 million. He says the meters for the street lights will be installed on adjacent building so that the owners of the premises can foot the power bill.
Michael Lugada, a taxi driver blames the revenue loss on municipal officials. He says several politicians in the municipality compete for tenders and remit less to the municipality, which affects the projected revenue collection.
According to Mwangu, individual farmers can't afford to buy equipment such as tractors and irrigation equipment to mechanise their production, which calls for group efforts.
Farmers have over the year\'s suffered with poor storage facilities with produce often destroyed by insects, poor weather and dirt. As a result, they encountered low sales and losses as maize prices dropped to an all-time low of 350 Shillings per kilogramme.
They claim that although they have forwarded numerous complaints to the district local authorities through their market leaders, no action seems to stem out of the appeals made. They are now demanding that government takes over the responsibility of rehabilitating the market as the case has been with several other municipalities.
Isa Ngobi, a taxi driver plying the Busia route says some drivers stopped paying the money because of lack of transparencey on the part of the contractor.
Members of the Namalemba Twale claim that Iganga Muslim Supreme Council unlawfully sold 1.5 acres of land at Masgid Taqwa located in Namalemba trading centre in Namalemba Sub County to Muzamir Bogere Marijani, a business man.
Farmers claim they cannot afford the cost of the large quantity packages on the market. As a result many of them have remained with chunks of idle land, while a few others settled for domestic production.
