The district is stuck with more than 9,000 residents who were displaced by floods in Kanara town council, Kanara sub-county, and part of Butungama sub-county.
The project, which was scheduled to serve 40000 people in the district was to be implemented in Butungama Bweramule, Rwebisengo, Kanara sub-counties, and Kanara, Kibuku, and Rwebisengo town councils over a period of three years. However, the project stalled in 2020 barely after the completion of the first phase.
Ntoroko Chief Administrative Officer, Anselm Kyaligonza told URN in an interview that transfers are normal and it's for the betterment of the facility. He explained that they have commenced investigations into the intentions of those involved in the petition.
Apparently, the affected families live on suspended makeshift structures hanging on top of their former homes. The most affected areas are residents of Kamuga, Katanga and Rwenyana villages.
William Kasoro the district chairperson Ntoroko district says he has continued to receive reports of the ongoing vandalism of public assets by unknown thugs across the district.
James Abigaba, a resident of Kibuku wonders how the practice can go on without any intervention from the district leaders, even when the district headquarters are located in the same area and a few kilometres from the mines.
Tensions between Tooro Kingdom and local leaders in Ntoroko district escalated on Monday after kingdom officials were blocked from conducting a health camp in the district. Officials led by Dr Tito Beyeza, the Kingdom Health Minister, had gone to Rwebisengo Health Centre III to conduct a series of medical activities such as distribution of mosquito nets, free eye treatment, operations and HIV testing and counselling.
According to the wildlife act 2000, UWA is expected to remit 20 of the revenue collected from the protected areas to the neighboring local governments. The local government is expected to distribute the money to residents to set up income generating projects to deter them from encroaching on the protected area.
According to the mid financial year assessment report on local revenue collection carried out by the Local Government Ministry, Ntoroko district has so far collected Shillings 480 million of the estimated Shillings 530 million while Bundibugyo district has collected Shillings 500 million of the estimated Shillings 650 million.
According to the report by the committee, the issuance of forged physical plans has led to emergence of illegal structures which include both residential and commercial buildings. Some of the structures are constructed on road reserves while others on green spaces.
Ntoroko district Fisheries Officer Bosco Baguma says that their operations suffered a setback since the suspension of the units. He explains that their collections have declined from 200 Million to 100 million Shillings every month.
Brian Mwesigye, the Ntoroko District Finance and Administration Secretary, says that they couldnt budget for disaster because of the low local revenue base.
Benjamin Irumba, a resident of Karugutu Sub County says that since electing their councillor Francis Musiime, he has failed to monitor some government programmes such as construction of schools, feeder roads and water sources.
The leaders argue that a new constituency will increase representation of divergent opinions and cater for the interests of the various ethnic groups in the area. Ntoroko is mainly inhabited by the Batuku, Bakonzo and Bamba communities. But residents say that Ntoroko has more pressing issues that should be addressed as opposed to splitting the constituency.
The two sub counties, Rwebisengo and Kanara, located in the neighborhood of Tooro Semuliki Game Reserve, received 250 and 200 million Shillings respectively from Uganda Wildlife Authority-UWA last month.
Richard Kalya, a resident of Karugutu town council, says five poorly built boreholes were recently handed over to the district after completion. Kalya explains that the contractors do shoddy work because they know nobody will question its quality, which has contributed to wastage of resources in the district.
Patrick Mwesige, the LC3 Chairperson Bubugwanga Sub County in Bundibugyo district, says the road network in the area has greatly been affected by rains. He says as a result, truck drivers have hiked the cost of transporting cocoa, which is now affecting the growers.
Bernard Tugume, a resident of Karugutu town council, Ntoroko district wants the district leadership to explain why the money was not utilized. He describes the development as bad news for a district with poor roads and limited classrooms in most primary schools.
David Asiimwe, the Program Officer Ntoroko Concerned Citizens, a local Nongovernmental organisation, says the inadequate provision for the education sector will affect performance of schools in national examinations. Asiimwe explains that children are being taught in dilapidated classrooms and trees.
