Ann Grace Apio, a 64-year-old farmer, from Kadami sub county in Alukat village in Kumi district wondered how she could survive after her husband committed suicide leaving her with five children and an orphaned grandchild to fend for. With a house about to fall on her, she always had constant thoughts about doing exactly what her husband had done commit suicide.

Then as fate would have it, she was approached by people who promised to at least build for her a house and enroll one of her sons into carpentry. She couldn’t believe it.

“It sounded too good to be true,” she recalls with a broad smile. “Although I believe in God, it only really sunk in when construction started,” she adds.

Apio is one of the beneficiaries who over the weekend received 60 new houses from Habitat for Humanity in Kumi and Mayuge districts in their efforts to provide decent living and fight household poverty in the communities. Each house comes with a pit latrine and a 3,000-litre water tank for rainfall harvesting. On average, a house costs Shs25 million, bringing an average total Habitat for Humanity has spent on housing alone on these houses to approximately Shs1.5 billion.

“Decent housing is the cornerstone and a foundational key to other human rights such as access to clean and safe water, hygiene and sanitation among others,” says Robert Otim, the National Director Habitat Uganda.

“A decent home provides good health and all these families that lacked adequate sanitation facilities and access to clean and safe water in their homes will now live better lives,” explains Norah Matovu Muwanga, the organisation’s board chair.

Each beneficiary also had a member of each beneficiary household empowered with different vocational skills and start up kits, so that they can earn a living and be able to provide support to their families.

Since its establishment in Uganda in 1982, Habitat for Humanity have built, improved and rehabilitated over 40,000 houses thereby transforming lives of over 240,000 vulnerable families in Uganda and contributing to a 1.67% reduction to the housing deficit of 2.4 million units in Uganda.

“As we celebrate 40 years in Uganda this year, we are looking for partners to help us build another 40 houses in different parts of the country to help vulnerable families who are in dire need of decent houses,” Otim revealed.

To mark its 40th anniversary, Habitat for Humanity will also host an affordable housing symposium in Kampala in October 2022 where issues key to affordable housing will be discussed.

“The affordable housing symposium will become an annual event where we forge a way for seeing to it that more people who deserve a decent house get one,” Otim added.

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Police in Wamala region are holding five suspects in connection to vandalism and theft of electricity infrastructure across the region.

The suspects were arrested in an operation conducted on 2^nd August 2022 against acts of sabotage, vandalism and theft of electric wires and cables across Wamala region. The operation was targeting scrap and electric shop dealers.

Exhibits of (insulated wire) Solido wire cables, earthing wires, and electric phase wires amongst others belonging to both UMEME and REA were recovered from areas of Ntwetwe in Kyankwanzi district, Kasana Cell in Mubende district, Kibibi garage in Mityana district, Bukomero town council and parts of Kiboga town council in Kiboga district.

The spokesperson for Wamala region police, ASP Kawala Racheal, said the suspects have been identified as Ssemugabi Jimmy a resident of Kibibi garage Mityana district, Nsozi Maximoni a resident of Kasana Cell, East division Mubende district and Kintu Patrick alias Pato a resident of Rwenzori cell, Ntwetwe in Kyankwanzi district.

The other suspects are Katimbo Noah a resident of Kyetume cell in Kiboga district, and Kisembo Jude a resident of Kabaka Anjagala cell in kiboga district.

Vandalism of electricity infrastructure according to Umeme hit alarming levels with vandals stealing over 133 km of cable in past 12 months and causing unprecedented disruption of electricity supply. The sector loses over Shs26 billion in stolen copper wires, vandalised transformers and poles amongst others.

A Shs1 billion fine or a 15 years jail term awaits anyone who is found guilty of vandalising electricity infrastructure following the passing of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2022. Members of Parliament passed the bill on Wednesday, 13 April 2022.

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The first of a kind Swahili Night premiered at the Protea Hotel Kampala last weekend reinforcing the growing recognition of Kiswahili as a continental global language and culture. 

With Uganda formally adopting Kiswahili as the official language, the highlight of the night was event crowning the month of July with celebrations of the Kenyan culture showcasing the food, entertainment and dress of the Swahili people who hail mainly from the East African Coast. 

Today, more than 200 million people speak Kiswahili making it among the 10 mostly spoken languages globally. During the evening, the guests and patrons explored the Coastal Kenyan kitchen.  

These included Roasted Nile perch, goat muchomo, goats biryani, Wali wa nazi (coconut), Pilau ya mbuzi, maize, Irish, pumpkin leaves, onions. Others were; Samaki wa nazi (Coconut sauce), Mrenda stew (okra and pumpkin leaves), Ugali (Posho), Samosas, Matumbo ya mbuzi (goats offals), Fried banana, specially prepared by Chef Paul Malikisi.

Legacy 256 Band entertained the audience with popular Swahili lyrics from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. 

Representatives from the Kenya High Commission had the opportunity to entertain the crowed with popular tunes like “Malaika, and Jambo Bwana” giving the look and feel of Kenyan Swahili culture.

Marvin Bisanga, the Head of Marketing at Simba Group, confirmed that Swahili Night will feature every last Saturday of the month and everyone is welcome to sample the great cuisine and entertainment that the Swahili are well known for.

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