Is Bushenyi’s glory waning?
Mar 03, 2010
WE have heard the arguments. Those supporting the split of Bushenyi district say it is for the good of the people at the grassroots; those against it dismiss it as a selfish move that will bring the once model district crumbling to the ground. This issue has divisions among the local leadership. It
By Chris Ahimbisibwe
WE have heard the arguments. Those supporting the split of Bushenyi district say it is for the good of the people at the grassroots; those against it dismiss it as a selfish move that will bring the once model district crumbling to the ground.
This issue has divisions among the local leadership. It has even brought the campaigns for LCV chair which were underway to a halt.
Leaders disagree
The agitation for a split has left the leaders divided. Kahinda Otafiire (MP Ruhinda), Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere (Igara) and Richard Nduhura (Igara) oppose the move, while Ephraim Kamuntu (Sheema), Elioda Tumwesigye (Sheema), Gaude Tindamanyire (Bunyaruguru) and Deus Bikwasizehi (Buhweju) are advocating the district to be split. Mary Karooro Okurut wants the district split but not every county to be granted a district status.
Arguments for the split Those agitating for the split argue that the district is huge and therefore losing out when it comes to sharing of the national cake.
They claim the large size and population has resulted in poor services due to limited funding from the central government.
They say if every county is given a district status, they will have a fair share of the national cake which will allow the services to trickle down to the grassroots.
They also say the creation of more districts will create more jobs for the unemployed people. The pro-split group claims their areas are doing badly in areas of health, education, roads, employment, supervision of government programmes, low water coverage and poor resource allocation from the current district, among others. But, according to most of the people interviewed, the most pressing issues are roads and the district quota system for students’ admission in public universities.
Every district, regardless of size, is given a slot of 11 students in public universities on the district quota system. The people argue that the former Mbarara district now sends 44 students to university on the district quota system after it was split into four districts of Kiruhura, Isingiro, Ibanda and Mbarara.
According to UBOS statistics, Kiruhura has a population of about 271,200; Isingiro 404,000; Ibanda 250,900, and Mbarara 457,800.
Ephraim Kamuntu, the minister for planning and economic development, says it is not fair for Bushenyi, with its size and population, to send the same number of students to public universities on the district quota system as the new district of Buliisa which has a population of 88,700.
He adds that the Government should allocate resources to districts basing on the population. He says the new districts are receiving a lot of funding from the Government through different programmes like the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), water and schools facilities grant.
“We have failed to work on roads in the district because we don’t have the capacity. The district has only one road unit which is grounded,†said Longino Ndyanabo, the Bushenyi district chairman.
Ndyanabo adds that the central government took over some major roads in the district but for the last four years, they have not been repaired. The roads which the central government took over include Ishaka-Kitagata-Omurunsindura; Kabwohe-Kabira road; Kashenyi-Nyankyera
road; Nyakabirizi-Burere-Nsiika; Kyankanda-Karungu-Bitsya; Kyambura-Katerera-Buhindagye road; and Nsiika-Bihanga-Katerera.
“Since 1960, all subsequent governments have been promising to tarmac the Ishaka-Kitagata-Kagamba road but the road has not been worked on,†Ndyanabo lamented.
According to Clenerious Rutakundira, a resident of Bihanga in Buhweju, the distance from Bihanga to the district headquarters is very long, which has made following up of cases at the district court difficult.
“Many people, especially the poor, have lost cases in courts because it is costly to transport witnesses and victims to the magistrate’s court,†he says.
Vareriano Byabagambi, a resident of Buhweju says some defilement victims neither get treatment nor justice because there are no health facilities and qualified medical personnel to handle such cases in the area. He says the parents cannot afford to transport such children to hospitals.
Many people in Ruhinda, Bunyaruguru and Sheema echoed similar concerns. However, Ndyanabo dismissed the claims saying all these areas have representatives on the district council and that is where the budget is passed and allocated to various counties and sub-counties. He says they have a health unit at every parish. “The local councils at the sub-county level must strictly follow up on how the Government money is being used,†he says. “However, if these counties can prove they are mature enough to sustain themselves, I don’t see why they cannot go.â€
Reasons against the split
This group headed by Otafiire insists this is not the best way to address the above issues. Otafiire says creating new districts increases the administrative costs and creates jobs for a few people, especially the politicians, while putting the burden of sustaining the new districts on the taxi-payers.
He explains that 50% of the country’s revenue collection is spent on public service. Otafiire says some politicians are agitating for the split with the hope of getting leadership positions. He says this is enriching the political leaders and civil servants to enable them to meet their needs without considering the poor people.
Mugisha Kateera, a resident of Bugongi sub-county in Sheema, says leaders should stop confusing the local people that they will get better services when even those near the district headquarters are not getting the services.
“Bushenyi people should know what they want and stop following blindly what other districts are doingâ€, Otafiire said.
He said some areas are being split because of the differences in languages and ethnicity.
Attempts to silence the talk Otafiire has, on several occasions, told residents that the district has been allocated more university slots on the district quota system and more road equipment which have not been fulfilled. This issue has accelerated the struggle to get the district split.
Addressing the issue of the district quota system, allocation of resources basing on population, road equipments would have brought the matter to rest but these have been impossible to achieve due to the Government policy where a district like Bushenyi cannot get special treatment.
President’s intervention
The issue has attracted the attention of President Yoweri Museveni. He has so far visited the district twice trying to quell the situation. In two separate meetings with the district leaders, Museveni tried to convince the leaders to drop the idea of splitting the district and promised Bushenyi a special status, but they turned down his proposal.
After failing to resolve the issue, Museveni referred the matter to sub-county local councils. He set up a committee headed by local government minister, Adolf Mwesige, to consult all the sub-county local councils in the counties agitating for a split. However, the President’s committee met some resistance from residents who accused the political leaders of failure to consult them before going in to agitate for the split.
At Bugongi and Kitagata sub-counties residents staged a peaceful demonstration against the issue of splitting the district. At Kashenshero in Ruhinda, the sub-county councillors did not pass the resolution of splitting the district.
Apart from Ruhinda county where leaders have not yet agreed where to put the district headquarters, other counties have already agreed to locate the district headquarters at current county headquarters.
WE have heard the arguments. Those supporting the split of Bushenyi district say it is for the good of the people at the grassroots; those against it dismiss it as a selfish move that will bring the once model district crumbling to the ground.
This issue has divisions among the local leadership. It has even brought the campaigns for LCV chair which were underway to a halt.
Leaders disagree
The agitation for a split has left the leaders divided. Kahinda Otafiire (MP Ruhinda), Prof. Tarsis Kabwegyere (Igara) and Richard Nduhura (Igara) oppose the move, while Ephraim Kamuntu (Sheema), Elioda Tumwesigye (Sheema), Gaude Tindamanyire (Bunyaruguru) and Deus Bikwasizehi (Buhweju) are advocating the district to be split. Mary Karooro Okurut wants the district split but not every county to be granted a district status.
Arguments for the split Those agitating for the split argue that the district is huge and therefore losing out when it comes to sharing of the national cake.
They claim the large size and population has resulted in poor services due to limited funding from the central government.
They say if every county is given a district status, they will have a fair share of the national cake which will allow the services to trickle down to the grassroots.
They also say the creation of more districts will create more jobs for the unemployed people. The pro-split group claims their areas are doing badly in areas of health, education, roads, employment, supervision of government programmes, low water coverage and poor resource allocation from the current district, among others. But, according to most of the people interviewed, the most pressing issues are roads and the district quota system for students’ admission in public universities.
Every district, regardless of size, is given a slot of 11 students in public universities on the district quota system. The people argue that the former Mbarara district now sends 44 students to university on the district quota system after it was split into four districts of Kiruhura, Isingiro, Ibanda and Mbarara.
According to UBOS statistics, Kiruhura has a population of about 271,200; Isingiro 404,000; Ibanda 250,900, and Mbarara 457,800.
Ephraim Kamuntu, the minister for planning and economic development, says it is not fair for Bushenyi, with its size and population, to send the same number of students to public universities on the district quota system as the new district of Buliisa which has a population of 88,700.
He adds that the Government should allocate resources to districts basing on the population. He says the new districts are receiving a lot of funding from the Government through different programmes like the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), water and schools facilities grant.
“We have failed to work on roads in the district because we don’t have the capacity. The district has only one road unit which is grounded,†said Longino Ndyanabo, the Bushenyi district chairman.
Ndyanabo adds that the central government took over some major roads in the district but for the last four years, they have not been repaired. The roads which the central government took over include Ishaka-Kitagata-Omurunsindura; Kabwohe-Kabira road; Kashenyi-Nyankyera
road; Nyakabirizi-Burere-Nsiika; Kyankanda-Karungu-Bitsya; Kyambura-Katerera-Buhindagye road; and Nsiika-Bihanga-Katerera.
“Since 1960, all subsequent governments have been promising to tarmac the Ishaka-Kitagata-Kagamba road but the road has not been worked on,†Ndyanabo lamented.
According to Clenerious Rutakundira, a resident of Bihanga in Buhweju, the distance from Bihanga to the district headquarters is very long, which has made following up of cases at the district court difficult.
“Many people, especially the poor, have lost cases in courts because it is costly to transport witnesses and victims to the magistrate’s court,†he says.
Vareriano Byabagambi, a resident of Buhweju says some defilement victims neither get treatment nor justice because there are no health facilities and qualified medical personnel to handle such cases in the area. He says the parents cannot afford to transport such children to hospitals.
Many people in Ruhinda, Bunyaruguru and Sheema echoed similar concerns. However, Ndyanabo dismissed the claims saying all these areas have representatives on the district council and that is where the budget is passed and allocated to various counties and sub-counties. He says they have a health unit at every parish. “The local councils at the sub-county level must strictly follow up on how the Government money is being used,†he says. “However, if these counties can prove they are mature enough to sustain themselves, I don’t see why they cannot go.â€
Reasons against the split
This group headed by Otafiire insists this is not the best way to address the above issues. Otafiire says creating new districts increases the administrative costs and creates jobs for a few people, especially the politicians, while putting the burden of sustaining the new districts on the taxi-payers.
He explains that 50% of the country’s revenue collection is spent on public service. Otafiire says some politicians are agitating for the split with the hope of getting leadership positions. He says this is enriching the political leaders and civil servants to enable them to meet their needs without considering the poor people.
Mugisha Kateera, a resident of Bugongi sub-county in Sheema, says leaders should stop confusing the local people that they will get better services when even those near the district headquarters are not getting the services.
“Bushenyi people should know what they want and stop following blindly what other districts are doingâ€, Otafiire said.
He said some areas are being split because of the differences in languages and ethnicity.
Attempts to silence the talk Otafiire has, on several occasions, told residents that the district has been allocated more university slots on the district quota system and more road equipment which have not been fulfilled. This issue has accelerated the struggle to get the district split.
Addressing the issue of the district quota system, allocation of resources basing on population, road equipments would have brought the matter to rest but these have been impossible to achieve due to the Government policy where a district like Bushenyi cannot get special treatment.
President’s intervention
The issue has attracted the attention of President Yoweri Museveni. He has so far visited the district twice trying to quell the situation. In two separate meetings with the district leaders, Museveni tried to convince the leaders to drop the idea of splitting the district and promised Bushenyi a special status, but they turned down his proposal.
After failing to resolve the issue, Museveni referred the matter to sub-county local councils. He set up a committee headed by local government minister, Adolf Mwesige, to consult all the sub-county local councils in the counties agitating for a split. However, the President’s committee met some resistance from residents who accused the political leaders of failure to consult them before going in to agitate for the split.
At Bugongi and Kitagata sub-counties residents staged a peaceful demonstration against the issue of splitting the district. At Kashenshero in Ruhinda, the sub-county councillors did not pass the resolution of splitting the district.
Apart from Ruhinda county where leaders have not yet agreed where to put the district headquarters, other counties have already agreed to locate the district headquarters at current county headquarters.