2 ,Thursday, December 6, 2012 NATIONAL NEWS

M23 rebels Districts decry delay of funds agree to talks PICTURE BY GODFREY KIMONO CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 in governments were greatly By RAYMOND BAGUMA affecting their performance in delivery of key services. The Congolese M23 rebels Several district authorities have agreed to hold peace are also struggling to reclaim talks with the Congolese huge sums of money that government led by was not spent during the last President Joseph Kabila in financial year. Kampala. Last year, Nebbi district According to the returned sh700m in unspent Associated Press, Bertrand monies to the treasury, but Bisimwa, the spokesman efforts to reclaim that money for the M23 political have so far failed, according to branch, the group will the district chairperson, Robert come to for talks. Okumu. The Congolese interior “It may take up to a month minister, Richard Muyej to requisition for funds, yet Mangez, told the French the money is released about news agency AFP that two weeks to the end of the negotiations would open financial year. This leaves us “in the next few days,” stuck with unspent money and although he gave no incomplete projects,” Okumu specific start date. stated. According to AFP, He made the remarks during Mangez said the Congolese the launch of the third Local government would send Government Score Card a “full team”, including Performance Monitoring leaders of key institutions, Report at Hotel Africana civil society leaders and yesterday. The score card is an members of the national annual tool used to assess the assembly and senate. performance of elected leaders This comes after M23 at district level. withdrew from Goma last Tororo LC5 chairman week and the return of the Emmanuel Osuna said: ACODE’s Dr. Arthur Bainomugisha, Godber Tumushabe , the executive director of ACODE, Jonas Mbabazi, a researcher Congolese army, under the “Funds are normally released and Mugyema sharing a light moment during the launch of third local government score card report in Kampala yesterday oversight of Uganda and towards the end of the first Rwanda. quarter, making it difficult to implement programmes on “Recently, we received complained that funds to his by the National Medical from the Central Government. time.” sh144m on June 30 at noon, district are often remitted Stores had rendered the The districts also suffer Buliisa district chairperson yet the financial year was towards the end of each district authorities irrelevant in low staffing levels estimated Fred Lukumu said several closing on that same day quarter, often with stringent monitoring of those supplies at 56%, according to development projects in the at midnight,” lamented the guidelines that are difficult to to health units. Swizin Kinga Mugyema, a district had stalled due to Kabarole district chairperson, follow. The districts are pushing for commissioner for local council inadequate funding. Richard Rwabuhinga. Francis Lukooya, the district a policy to allow them to retain development in the local “Most of our releases are far Mark Musooka, the Moroto chairperson for Mukono, said funds committed to projects government ministry. below what we budget for, yet district chairperson, said his the district had failed to recruit that are not spent by the end But Josephine Kasya, the we do not have the powers to district had also suffered several technical people due of the financial year. vice-chairperson of the decide on projects to pursue. delays in release of funds, to limited funding from the Although districts account Uganda Local Governments As a result, this costs the coupled with budget cuts. Government. He also said for at least 70% of national Association, notes that the Government a lot of money in Bududa district chairperson the centralisation of supply of service delivery, they receive staffing level in some districts Jean Marie Runiga failed projects,” he said. John Baptist Nambeshe medicine and health supplies up to 90% of their funding is much lower at 30%. Uganda’s chief of defence forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima, is presently leading military chiefs to KCCA’s Musisi gets deputy Iron-bar attackers injure four assess progress made to BY JULIET WAISWA By VIOLET NABATANZI she was alone in the house. implement resolutions “It happened recently at of the recently held President Yoweri Museveni Iron-bar attackers have around 3:00am. The thugs International Conference has appointed Dr. Judith bounced back ahead of the hit her on the forehead and on the Great Lakes Region Tumusiime Tukahirwa as Christmas festive season, she became unconscious. Heads of State meeting. the deputy executive director leaving four people with However, residents alerted the The M23 leader, Jean of the Kampala Capital City serious head injuries Police who came and rushed Marie Runiga, said he Authority (KCCA). at Hospital. her to hospital,” she said. had been contacted by The appointment comes The victims, who were Sulaiman Walusimbi, one the Ugandan government 18 months after KCCA’s clobbered in separate of the bodaboda cyclists who about the imminent inception. The deputy minute2 incidents in and around is resident in Kamwokya, Kampala peace talks, but executive director, according Dr. Judith Tumusiime Kampala, include said a passenger he took to the group is yet to receive to the KCCA Act 2010, is catch-up bodaboda cyclists and turned against details of the programme. appointed by the President in KCCA, Tumusiime was a 20-year-old woman. him and hit him on the head. Runiga said the rebels on the advice of the Public appointed early this week. l At least 400 They have been admitted He said the assailant were “ready” for talks, Service Commission. “We got information of her people have so far to wards 3A and 3B-E. also robbed him of which are expected to The person is expected to be appointment last night,” the his new motorcycle. include demands for major of high moral character and source said. received free dental Wilson Buwembe, another political reforms in the proven integrity and qualified Last year, the President services at the cyclist, said he was attacked country. to be a permanent secretary appointed eight directors to ongoing one-week Caution near Roofings factory in He also said the closure in the Government. She head different departments Lubowa on Entebbe Road at of the Uganda-Congo will assist KCCA executive in KCCA. They are Jennifer dental camp at n Iron bar hitmen have about 1:00am recently. He border at Bunagana could director Jennifer Musisi in Kaggwa (human resource), Mulago Paramedical bounced back ahead of said the passenger he took affect the travel of the M23 executing her duties. Phoebe Lutaaya (revenue School which ends the Christmas season, leav- from Kampala turned against delegation to attend the Tumusiime was been collection), Harriet Mudondo ing four people injured him and robbed him with Kampala talks. working with the authority as (community and production) tomorrow. other thugs who had laid an However, efforts to get a consultant in the department and Daniel Kyambadde Dr Michael Tukei of ambush. He said they also comments from Ugandan of health and environment. (treasury services). Others Christine Namayumba took off with his motorcycle. officials were unsuccessful She joined KCCA as a were Andrew Kitaka Police Clinic says she was hit on the head Oscar David, who was by press time. State consultant in public health (engineering), Michael Okua said the exercise is after burglars broke into left unconscious after a ministers Oryem Okello and environment. Tumusiime (legal affairs), Moses Bwire meant to help those their house in Bweyogerere. similar attack, is said to (international affairs) and holds a PhD in sanitation and (internal audit) and George Namayumba’s grandmother have been riding a friend’s Asuman Kiyingi (regional solid waste management. Agaba (physical planning). who cannot afford Julian Nakasi, who is looking motorcycle when iron-bar affairs) did not answer their According to a source He was later interdicted. dental services. after her in ward 3A, said wielding thugs attacked him. phones.