Janet Museveni noted that government is yet to afford taking full responsibility for meeting the cost of students’ social welfare in addition to education it undertook under the universal education policy.
The district council passed a resolution to throw out the executive committee members on February 18, 2022, accusing them of secretly passing a supplementary budget worth over 1.5 billion Shillings without involving the councillors.
A letter dated March 1, 2022, addressed to William Mamara, the Rakai Chief Administrative Officer, by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary –Benjamin Kumumanya, indicates that Magyezi seeks to meet the district council to deliberate on the same issue for the good of the district.
The families sight numerous irregularities that were concealed by New Plan Ltd and ICS Engineering and Environment Ltd during the valuation process and the Resettlement Action Plan (RAP) when information about the people to be compensated was displayed in public places.
17 out of 34 councilors have petitioned the District Council Speaker seeking to censure the committee members for misconduct. The members are Samuel Kaggwa Ssekamwa, the Rakai LCV Chairperson, Patrick Nuwabine Karakwende, the LCV Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary for production, Chris Lujumba, the Secretary for Finance, Esther Mugarura, the Secretary for Health and Gender, and Derrick Tusubira, the Secretary for Education.
The officials had gone to install the new chiefs who were appointed by the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II but later intercepted by security personnel.
Currently, pupils in these schools improvise with papyrus mats, timber, car tyres, and bricks while others sit on bare ground. According to Moses Baryamutuha, the headmaster of Kyabigondo Primary School, Ddwaniro, they do not have a single desk for learners in the nursery section and lower Primary sections.
Judith Nabisere, one of the affected residents, says that the closure of the landing site has worsened the misery of her life. She explains that she used to cook food and her clients were mainly fishermen but most of them relocated to other landing sites.
Resty Namaganda, a health worker at the landing site attributes it to a lack of clean and safe water sources and the absence of pit latrines in most homes.
The 7 billion Shillings project measuring over one kilometre long and about 200 meters wide was meant to provide sufficient water for domestic use, irrigation, cattle and other purposes in various villages, parishes and Kagamba, Lwamaggwa and Ddwaniro sub-counties.
According to Ssaku, the elections collided with his examinations, which couldn’t enable him to stay around for the voting. He, however, says that he counted on his trusted agents and party leaders to help him in his absentia.
Joseph Mwebe, the Presiding Officer Kifamba Sub County, attributed the delay to a lack of voters. He said that the polling officials and voting materials were delivered earlier, but voting could not start.
According to the affected residents and local leaders, their hope for the lake to return has reduced since the water has kept on diminishing. They say that more than 50 cows and 40 pigs have died due to lack of water.
According to Alex Kiweewa, a Senior Four student, he is depending on his parents for financial support after spending the little money he had made from selling his agricultural produces.
Sylvia Kyohairwe Tegyeza, the Rakai District Returning Officer Tegyeza asked the candidates and their supporters to adhere to the COVID-19 Standard Operating Procedures-SOPs and refrain from acts of violence.
The by-election will be conducted for the Kifamba Male Youth Councilor position which fell vacant following the death of Augustine Jaggwe of National Unity Platform-NUP who died in a car accident. The other position is for the Female Elderly Representative for Lwentulege Town council, PWD which is vacant following the death of Regina Nambooze.
Sylvia Tegyeza, the Rakai District Registrar, said that the aspirants were ready with their nomination forms, but were yet to be stamped by the Chief Magistrate Patrick Kityo who was not in the office.
There are four vacant positions in the district which include the Male Youth Councilor for Kifamba sub-county, Female representative for the Elderly in Lwentulege Town council, the female councillor for Persons with Disabilities for Lwamaggwa Town council, and Female representative for the Elderly in Mweruka Town Council.
According to Ssemutono, a substantial number of children in the district does not complete the ordinary secondary education level, which affects human resource development in the area.
