In the 2010/2011 financial year, Parliament authorized the operationalization of Bukomansimbi, Kalungu and Lwengo districts.
However, three years after residents of Bukomansimbi claim they were better off under Masaka district.
Service delivery has worsened in Bukomansimbi three years after it was curved from Masaka district area residents have told URN. In June 2010, government split Masaka to give birth to Bukomansimbi, Kalungu and Lwengo districts. The districts were curved out of Masaka after some former councilors led by Teopista Mbabazi, the representative of Mbirizi-Malongo sub county, Florence Kintu, Kalungu town council and Catherine Matovu Tibulya, Bukomansibi petitioned president Yoweri Museveni.
They accused Vincent Ssempijja; the then Masaka LC5 Chairperson of conniving with George Ntulume, the former CAO to deny them services. Backed by over 40000 residents from their respective areas, the councilors accused Ssempijja and Ntulume of denying their area key projects such as schools and health centers. They also claimed community roads their area were impassible because of negligence by the top Masaka district leadership.
Following a meeting with the leaders Museveni endorsed the creation of three districts to take services closer to the people. In the 2010/2011 financial year, Parliament authorized the operationalization of Bukomansimbi, Kalungu and Lwengo districts. However, three years after residents of Bukomansimbi claim they were better off under Masaka district. Steven Kizza, a resident of Kiryameenvu village in Butenda Sub County in Bukomansimbi district claims that service delivery has worsened.
He says community roads such Kiryamenvu-Butenga and Viila-Sembabule road have deteriorated. Kizza explains that previously Masaka district used to grade the roads but Bukomansimbi has failed to maintain them, which has affected the transportation of agriculture produce to the markets.
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Godfrey Jjunju, another resident of Bukomansimbi says they had high hopes that education would improve in the area but it has deteriorate further.
He claims that schools like Kilyasaka and Kisabwa primary school are operating in poor conditions because the district hasn’t constructed any new classroom blocks. Jjunju says Bukomansimbi faces a crisis of skilled man power.
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Peter Mulindwa, a coffee farmer in Butenga Sub County says being an agricultural district; they expected the top leadership to focus on eradicating the coffee wilt and banana wilt diseases, which threatens to wipe out their plantations. He says the district has failed to offer serious extension services to farmers and sensitize them how to prevent pests from attacking their crops. Mulindwa says they expect the district to buy resistant crop varieties but the district has done nothing.
Evelyn Nanseko, a resident of Butenga in Bukomansimbi says they expected the district to upgrade Butenga Health Centre III but nothing had changed. She claims the health centre has become worse with chronicle drug shortages and lack of health workers. Nanseko recalls the good old years, when drugs would be delivered at the health centre unlike today when they spend weeks without drugs.
Muhammad Kateregga, the Bukomansimbi LC5 Chairperson could not be reached for a comment. But MP Susan Namaganda, the District Woman Member of Parliament agrees with the residents. She says several services are not offered in the district due to lack of funds.
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Bukomansimbi district is made up five sub counties. They are Butenga, Bigasa, Kitanda, Kibinge and Bukomansimbi Town Council.
Edward Bindhe
Freelancer