REGIONAL NEWS NEW VISION, Wednesday, March 1, 2017 37 600 want compensation

NAKASONGOLA testimonies on what they experienced during the By Frederick Kiwanuka evictions and what they were currently going through. Over 600 Baruuli and Banyala Jane Nambooze, a resident families from Nakasongola of Kisaalizi, Lwampanga who were evicted from sub-county in Nakasongola, Lango and Teso sub-regions said her family, which had over tribal sentiments are migrated to Namasale in pushing for compensation. Apac district, was forced to The families were evicted in abandon over 200 head of the 1980s and 1990s. cattle, a shop, canoes, a home They have formed the and six outboard engines as a Baruuli-Lango and Teso result of the eviction. 1979-1987 War Victims Nambooze said after the Association. During a eviction, her family had to meeting held in Nakasongola rebuild from scratch and they recently, the association are now living as paupers in members said they want the Nakasongola. Government to compensate Erunasani Mbangire, 75, them for the losses which another Lango evictee who is they incurred during the living in Wajjala village, said evictions. he lost 13 head of cattle a Most of them were from home and a bicycle when he Nakasongola, but had was evicted from Namasale migrated to Lango and Teso in Apac district, where he when the area, which was A perimeter wall collapsed and killed a cow following the heavy downpour. Photo by Faustine Odeke had migrated. initially part of Bunyoro George William kingdom, was annexed to Bugumirwa, whose family Buganda, following the 1900 members are living in Jjunda Buganda Agreement. village, said his father Eremia While in Lango and Teso Galimaka used to have cows where they lived for years, and goats which he was the families say they had forced to abandon in Lango. Rains leave Tororo accumulated wealth which Former Nakasongola LC5 they were forced to abandon chairperson James Wandira, as a result of the evictions by who said he was 18 years the Langi and Iteso between old during the time of the 1979 and 1987. evictions, explained that it John Kitaka, the chairperson was diffi cult for the evicted residents in agony of the association, said the families to transport all their evicted families lost property property from Lango since as a result of the eviction they were using canoes to He also appealed to Tororo TORORO from Lango where they had cross Lake Kyoga. Cement factory to compensate acquired property. Nyombi, who was invited BETWEEN THE LINES: Most affected areas residents whose two cows By Faustine Odeke Kitaka said the affected as a consultant, advised the  The most affected villages include TICAF, Opedede and were killed by the collapsing Baruuli families deserved families to legitimise their TCI central in Osukuru sub-county. In Kyamunula in West perimeter wall. A heavy downpour on compensation packages association by having it division, several homes were washed away and property The chief executive offi cer similar to those which have Monday left hundreds of swept to the low-lying areas of the village. registered. Tororo residents homeless of Tororo Cement, Brij Mohan been given to other groups and property worth millions Gagran, equally blamed UNRA that were affected by wars, destroyed after fl oods washed division, several homes were central village chairperson, for the fl oods. citing Teso and northern away their homes. washed away and property attributed the problem to the He said he has always been Uganda. The fl oods that resulted from swept to the low-lying areas of poor drainage channel dug blamed by residents at the During the meeting, the 3:00pm downpour also cut Kyamunula village. by Uganda National Roads lower end of the factory for the association members off the Malaba-Jinja highway, The fl oods caused the Authority (UNRA) on the causing the fl oods. resolved to acquire a lawyer blocking traffi c for nearly one collapse of Tororo Cement Malaba-Jinja highway. West division chairperson in the names of former hour between Tororo Cement factory’s perimeter wall and ‘“I complained to UNRA Ahmed Jamal called for an Attorney General Peter factory and Osukuru corner. killed two cows. offi cials over the poor drainage urgent meeting between Nyombi. A 13-year-old school girl was The headteacher of TCI soon after the completion of leaders from Osukuru sub- Some of the over swept away at Shell Corner as Primary School, Loyce Atai, the reconstruction work on the county, West division and 600 family heads she returned home. She was said the fl oods took them by Malaba-Bugiri highway, but it district local government to who came from rushed to hospital. surprise, forcing the pupils to is now a year and nothing has fi nd a permanent solution to Nakasongola, The most affected villages climb on top of the desks, while been done. If the problem hd this kind of fl ooding. Kiryandongo, include TICAF, Opedede and others clung to the rooftop to been addressed, we would not He appealed to the Buyende and TCI central in Osukuru sub- survive the raging fl oods. have had this kind of disaster,’’ Government to give the K a y u n g a Nyombi advised members to register county. In Kyamunula in West Kefa Othieno, the TCI Othieno said. affected residents relief items. districts gave their association Mbarara Hospital gets 300 mattresses

MBARARA ago and realised the need for mattresses. to perform to its best in training and I collected money from friends totalling to teaching, they need to upgrade it to a By Abdulkarim Ssengendo $10,000 and managed to come up with national hospital because they are giving this support,” Nohr said. more services than those of a regional A group of people from the US have Dr Barigye told journalists that the hospital. donated over 300 mattresses and labour hospital has been grappling with old Barigye called for the increase of the beds worth $10,000 (about sh35m) to mattresses and commended donors, hospital’s budget to at least sh10b from Mbarara Hospital. saying the support will help patients get the current sh7.3b they receive annually. The donation was handed over by Michael better services and reduce infections. He He said this will help the hospital get Nohr to Dr Celestine Barigye, the hospital said the hospital needed 400 beds to fi ll more drugs, health workers and doctors. director. Addressing journalists during the the missing gap. Dr Elly Agaba, who represented the head handover ceremony on Monday, Nohr said He said this also gave the hospital of obstetrics and gynecology, said the he started raising the funds last year after an opportunity to enforce the law of donation will help mothers who go to the identifying the gap and need to improve stopping people from bringing their own hospital for delivery. Nohr handing over mattresses to Dr Barigye. the level of healthcare at the hospital. mattresses. He said on a daily basis, they help about Photo by Abdulkarim Ssengendo “I visited this hospital a couple of years Barigye, however, said for the hospital 30 expectant mothers deliver.