Kyotera LCs Fail To Register Residents Over Lack Of Facilitation

Local Council leaders in Kyotera district have failed to register residents in their areas citing a lack of money to buy books, pens and facilitate their movements around the villages. 

At peak of machete murders in Masaka Region, security officials directed all local leaders in the region to register residents with the view of improving security.  Richard Kalanzi, the Kabira Sub county LC III chairperson, says that the exercise has become very tricky without facilitation. 

He says that the government tasked them to register residents without providing any financial and logistical support to implement the directive.  

//Cue in: (Luganda) “Era kwe kwemulugunya…………….      

Cue out…………………………………….ku kyaalo ekyo,”//    

He appealed to the government to engage the local leaders to implement the directives putting in place special consideration by empowering them to do the work successfully. 

//Cue in: (Luganda) “Nkubira gavumenti…………….  

Cue out:………………………bawereza tebasiima,”//    

Richard Lwasa, the Kalisizo North LC I chairperson, says that the government did not give them logistics such as books, pens and paper to support the exercise. 

He explains that they receive a monthly salary of Shillings 10,000 per month, which is not enough for them to do the exercise due to the big population of over 15,000 residents. 

//Cue in: (Luganda) “Etuwe ebyetaago…………….        

Cue out:…………………………..nga guwedewo,”//    

Lwasa says that the village chairpersons should be empowered through reasonable salaries and special projects to be able to perform different tasks on behalf of the government.    

//Cue in: (Luganda) “Govumenti wakiri……………. 

   

Cue out:………………mugende ku registration,”//  

In Kasaali town council, the LCs are completely failing since several landlords and residents have ignored the registration exercise. According to Tom Mulindwa, the LC I chairman- Kyotera cell in Kyakonda ward, several landlords have not complied to register their tenants, which may cause more security problems in the area. 

He noted that they would have implemented the directive expeditiously if the government and district security committees gave them support.   

//Cue in: (Luganda) “Omulimu gwaffe…………….     

 

Cue out:……………………..etulowoozeko nnyo,”//          

He says that they have a population of around 8000 people and most of them are scattered and registering this big number has become a challenge, especially without government support.  He says that the directive came along with a request to form village committees to heighten security. 

Mulindwa explains that the ten members on the village security committee find it a challenge to conduct night operations due to lack of torches, jackets, raincoats and gumboots to help them throughout the night.

 

//Cue in: (Luganda) “Era twafunamu…………….    

Cue out:……………………………bakola ensobi,”//         

URN has also established that several residents have deliberately snubbed the registration exercise. Resty Namugga, a resident of Kalisizo town council, says that there is no meaning in registration when the security situation was restored.  She says she has no time to waste in the exercise yet the Local leaders have not approached her in that regard.   

However, Muhammad Nsubuga, the Southern Regional Police spokesperson, says the majority of LC1s have tried to do the job but some have refused, which may compromise security in their areas. He urged the local authorities to pass bylaws and bring to book all residents who snub the registration exercise.  

//Cue in: “Of course…………….      

Cue out……………… with accordingly,”//    

He further appealed to the residents to consult their leaders for guidance to understand the purpose of the directive. Nsubuga further urged local leaders and residents to embrace the concept of neighbourhood watch.  

//Cue in: “By and large…………….      

Cue out:……………………………district at large,”//

 

The unexplained attacks rocked the region between July and August leaving at least 28 people dead.