By Frank Kamuntu
National Resistance Movement party presidential candidate, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, yesterday spent it conversing for votes in Rukungiri district, Kigezi sub-region for his scientific campaigns where he met and addressed a select team of NRM leaders and flag bearers.
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He layed bare key achievements the NRM has registered and other development strategies for the area he intends to achieve once re-elected noting that his party has always scored high in Kigezi sub-region due to its achievements in the area among which are indicated below.
InfrastructureÂ
Rukungiri district has relatively good roads many of which are tarmacked. The government is also continuing its efforts to improve road infrastructure in the district. Upgrading of Rukungiri-Kihihi-Ishasha/Kanungu (78.5km) road is underway. The project is funded by the Government of Uganda and Africa Development Bank to a tune of Shs207.8 billion. Road works commenced on 5 November 2018 and scheduled to be complete on 4 November 2021.
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Works on 6.10 Km of town roads in Rukungiri and Kanungu districts will be undertaken in addition to the main project. They are currently under design.
The other ongoing road projects include Rwabuteera-Kanyanshande Spur, Katojo-Kihihi, Kanungu-Kihihi-Ishashanje and Kanyantorogo.
EducationÂ
Rukungiri has a total of 173 government-aided primary schools distributed in at least 79 out of 80 parishes in the district; all these schools offer Universal Primary Education programme. The UPE in Rukungiri has a total enrollment of 55,379 pupils. However, the NRM policy in the next five years will be focusing on the construction of primary schools in parishes without a government primary school.
In secondary education, the district has a total of 24 government secondary schools with an enrollment of 13,737 students. The NRM policy is to have a government secondary school in every sub-county and government will construct a new school in Kebisoni sub-county and expand Nyakishenyi High school in Nyakishenyi Sub-county.
With the education liberalization policy of the NRM government, many private schools have been established in Rukungiri. Currently, the district has 143 private primary schools and 28 private secondary schools with an enrollment of 25,271 and 6,742 students respectively.
The district has the following technical institutes; Rukungiri Technical Institute, Uganda Martyrs Technical Institute and Rukungiri PTC. These technical institutes equip students with the required skills for the job market to reduce joblessness.
HealthÂ
Rukungiri district has a total of 65 health centre IIs, 16 health centre IIIs, 05 health centre IVs and 02 hospitals and all the above health units are fully functional. Kitimba health centre II in the Western Division was upgraded to health centre III.
The Construction of Health Centre IIIs is at completion stage in the two sub-counties of Kebisoni and Buyanja.
Water supply
The NRM government is prioritizing the strategy of providing at least one safe water source per village. Currently, 79% villages have access to clean safe water in Rukungiri district.
The completed projects are the rehabilitation of Nyakabingo Gravity Flow Scheme in Rukungiri district. This has served a total of 3,600 new persons. Constructed and extended Nyakagyeme Water Supply Scheme is serving 11,689 people in 14 Villages. Extended Kiyenje Water Supply scheme serves 9,316 people in 6 villages.
Drilling of Point Water Sources (Production Wells and Hand pumped boreholes) in villages without a safe water source across the district is ongoing. Also, a total of 3 hand-pumped boreholes were drilled.
ElectricityÂ
Out of the 16 sub-counties in Rukungiri, 15 are connected to the national grid and works are ongoing to extend power to Bwambara Sub-county which is not yet connected.
Poverty alleviation and job creation
The government is going to continue investing in strategic sectors, either directly or by co-investing with the private sector. Over Shs1.8 billion will be provided over the next five years to set up industries in all regions of the country. This is expected to generate employment as follows: 82,300 (direct), 80,300 (indirect) and over 23,000 induced jobs.
So far, under the Youth Livelihood Programme, Shs.160 billion has been given out to various youth groups. In Rukungiri, a total of 151 youth projects have been funded with at least 1,339,776,400, benefiting a total 1,725 of which 953 are males and 772 are female. Shs106 billion has also been given out to women groups in the last four years, in the whole country. Rukungiri itself has 123 women projects in both rural and Rukungiri Municipality. Over 900 million have been given out to these women groups benefiting over 2,000 women in the district.
Youth Industrial Hubs are being set up by State House in every sub-region. These will train the youth in various skills like carpentry, welding, mechanics, shoemaking, tailoring, knitting, weaving etc.
Under Emyooga fund, 18 different activities are already being organised in every parish. Each myooga group will get Shs30 million at constituency level while one of the elected leaders will get Shs50 million.
