Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL) has handed over 20 hand pump boreholes worth Shs 560 million to communities in the Northern and North-Eastern sub-regions of Teso and Lango that will serve 9,223 people across the districts of Oyam, Lira, Kapelebyong, Katakwi and Bukedea.

The boreholes were officially received by the Resident District Commissioner of Bukedea, Hajj Imran Mulunga, in a ceremony attended by regional Members of Parliament, Resident District Commissioners, Local Councillors, Chief Administrative Officers and residents at a ceremony held at the Rock View Village, Aluwa Parish, Kolir Sub County, Bukedea District.

While giving his remarks, Mulunga said, “This project demonstrates tremendous progress toward aiding the government in prioritising the development of the nation’s human capital under the National Development Plan III, and I appreciate Uganda Breweries Limited for being a true corporate citizen that transforms the lives of so many through this and other projects.”

Under the National Development Plan III (NDPIII) 2020-2025, the government is placing a priority on human capital development through – among others – improving the population’s health, safety and management by increasing access to safe water supply from 70% to 85% in rural areas and from 74% to 100% in urban areas.

This is in response to the country’s losing 400 people daily from water-borne infections like diarrhoea, dysentery, cholera and typhoid as a result of limited access to clean water, according to Ministry of Health figures.

Additionally, Water.org,  a global non-profit organisation working to bring water and sanitation to the world  states that of the country’s approximately 45 million population, 7 million Ugandans lack access to safe water.

The water project was handed over by UBL’s Managing Director, Andrew Kilonzo, who said, “Uganda’s Vision 2040 identifies human capital development as one of the fundamentals that need to be strengthened to accelerate the country’s transformation, and investing in sanitation and hygiene is one of the ways through which we shall achieve this transformation. Through this project and others like it, UBL is working with the government to directly address the low access to safe drinking water (51%), latrine coverage (19%), and access to hand-washing facilities (34%).”

The project, which is under UBL’s Water of Life Program, commenced in July 2020, involved input from LCV Chairpersons, District Water Officers and communities in the sub-regions and was implemented under the guidance of national policy and technical guidelines in compliance with safe drinking water standards.

Through the program, the brewer works closely with several stakeholders to implement a comprehensive strategy to achieve an overall positive water impact in its supply chains and beyond  among others improving water use efficiency in its operations and directly replenishing the water it uses to create a net positive water impact.

“We believe in sharing value with the communities in Uganda, which includes finding needs that we can invest resources to address. We took this opportunity to strengthen the community in Teso and Lango subregions by improving access to clean water and sanitation” said Andrew Kilonzo, UBL Managing Director.

“We will continue to play an active role in being a positive driver of growth and development in Uganda,” Kilonzo added.

The business has thus far invested over Shs 20 billion in water and sanitation projects across Uganda benefitting over 2 million people.

Some of the projects include a Shs 335 million piped water supply system in Buwali sub-county, Bududa district that has benefitted over 2,000 residents, the construction of 37 boreholes in the Acholi sub-region and the implementation of a Shs 1 billion water and sanitation project in Bulangira, Kibuku District in partnership with Water Aid Uganda.

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Urban farmers in Kampala City have received 176,920 chicks from the government under the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) program.

On top of the chicks, the farmers also received 197,500 kilograms of feeds to help them start off their one-day old chicks.

The inputs will be distributed across three divisions of; Nakawa, Kawempe and Makindye where each farmer will be getting inputs worth Shs1m.

For Rubaga and Kampala Central are to benefit in this financial year and this will be an addition to the value addition inputs they received early on.

The distribution of the inputs started on Monday in Mpererwe, Kawempe Division where 62,000 chicks and 85,375kg of feeds were given out to 501 beneficiaries.

In Makindye, 421 beneficiaries will share 61,900 chicks and 72,425 kg of feeds while Nakawa has got 53,020 chicks and 39,700 kg of feeds to be shared among 304 beneficiaries.

Amina Lukanga the Kampala Resident City Commissioner (RCC) who handed over the chicks and feeds urged to the beneficiaries to fully utilize these inputs to transform their lives.

“Government wants the people of Kampala to be transformed and get out of poverty. This support is aimed at improving on the incomes of the benefiting households and increasing food security, Lukanga said.

She challenged the people of Kawempe not to politicise government programs but support them for their own benefit.

Slyvia Nakyobe the Kawempe Division Secretary for Gender commended government for empowering the people of Kampala.

“We are privileged to be benefiting from the government, as Kawempe we are supporting every government program as long as it is empowering our people. Even the Parish Development Model we are supporting it,” Nakyobe said.

The KCCA Acting Director Gender, Community Services and Production John Bosco Bashinyora revealed that KCCA extension workers will be available to support the farmers.

“We want to see this program succeeding, if you need technical support reach out to our extension staff to help you,” Bashinyora said.

Jenifer Kamya the chairperson of Kampala NAADS farmer’s Forum said the program will create more jobs in Kampala.

“The benefiting families are going to have improved incomes and welfare. They will be able to send their children to school and employ other people and their children in their poultry farms,” Kamya said.

She thanked government for providing the farmers with feeds which in the past was a challenge to many beneficiaries.

“This time government has given you the birds and feeds, so there is no excuse for not taking off,” Kamya said.

Hillary Muhesi a beneficiary asked KCCA to support them with extension workers to skill them and keep advising them on how to manage their birds.

Kawempe Division RCC Sulaiman Jjuko, asked opposition politicians to support and promote government programs in Kampala.

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Parliament has stayed processing of the Constitution Amendment Bill, 2022 and tasked government to establish a Constitution Review Commission to comprehensively consider all amendments.

The bill moved by MP Jacob Karubanga (IND, Kibanda South County) sought to amend the Third Schedule of the Constitution to include new minority ethnic communities – the Bakingwe, Baziba, Bagabu, Maragoli, Mosopisyek and Saboat.

The Third Schedule of the Constitution recognises 56 ethnicities as at 01 February 1926.

However, Speaker Anita Among said it is better to once and for all comprehensively amend the Constitution.

“I noticed that the object of the bill is to amend the Third Schedule of the Constitution to include five additional ethnic groups as part of Uganda’s indigenous communities,” she said during plenary on Tuesday, 05 July 2022.

She quipped: “It is imperative that this should be done comprehensively to avoid piecemeal amendments of the Constitution; this requires Parliament to conduct a robust appraisal of indigenous communities that for one reason or the other have not been listed in the Constitution…”

Speaker Among said whereas the frequent amendment may have its positives, it is wiser to have in place the Constitution Review Commission.

“Whereas it has been argued that frequent amendment of the Constitution makes it alive to adaptations and realities, it is imperative that we have a constitution review mechanism…it is on this background that we ask you to put in place a Constitution Review Commission,” she said.

The Ag. Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hon. Wilson Muruli Mukasa, who is also substantive Minister for Public Service, committed to have the commission in place.

“The process of establishing the Constitution Review Commission has actually started, and the proposal has been forwarded to cabinet and is awaiting cabinet discussion; I can say that in due course, this commission will be established; the urgency of this commission is felt by cabinet,” he said.

MPs swiftly met the minister’s assurance with skepticism, citing numerous times in the past where empty promises on constituting the commission were made.

MP Solomon Silwany (NRM, Bukhooli County Central) said the minister is being vague about when exactly the said commission will be established.

“Would the minister give us evidence that this matter is actually in cabinet? Because this has been the similar statement year in year out; I remember whenever a member raises the issue of the Constitution Review Commission, a minister comes and says that the process has started; Does this process start and die, then start and collapse?” he asked.

MP Ibrahim Ssemujju (FDC, Kira Municipality) was frustrated. Previous attempts by the Opposition to amend the constitution, he said, has failed.

“In the budget that we just processed, the Government wanted funding for the Constitution Review Commission; many members have presented bills to remove the constitution, but only the one removing age limits was processed; Can the minister tell us what happened because when we brought our bills, we were told there was no time and we will consider them during the last Parliament,” he said.

Minister Muruli Mukasa has been given up to Tuesday, 12 July 2022 to update Parliament on when the commission will be established.

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The Ministry of Local Government has released a new list of Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) across the country.

In the same changes are municipal and town clerks.

CAOs and municipal/town clerks are responsible for finance and administration functions in their area of jurisdiction.

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