By Amlan Tumusiime

AT LEAST 56% of the residents in Bulisa district have no latrines, an official has said. Norbert Turyahikayo, the chief administrative officer, on Friday said poor sanitation had led to the outbreak of diseases like cholera.

“I am determined to arrest any person who has no latrine. We cannot sit and watch people dying yet they can construct latrines at their homes.”

He urged the district leaders to sensitise the public on the dangers of not having latrines.

Turyahikayo also decried the high drop-out rate of pupils under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme.

He observed that about 58% of the pupils who enroll in the programme do not complete Primary Seven.

“The Government is spending a lot of money under the UPE programme but some parents are sabotaging it.”

Turyahikayo attributed the high drop-out rate of pupils to early marriage amongst the girls and the booming fishing trade for the boys.

“Since this place is near the lake, boys go fishing and forget about education. Some parents are also marrying off their daughters when they are still young.”

The area MP, Stephen Birahwa and the district chairman, Fred Lukumu, pledged to support Turyahikayo in ensuring that residents construct latrines.