Residents demand for opening of tank at stalled fish fry project site.

By

Abalo Irene Otto

The LC1 of Ariaga Laliya in Laroo division has today expressed his disappointment with the district over the non-functionality of Laliya Fish Fry center that was established in 2008 to aid research on aquaculture in Northern Uganda.

Charles Oling told Radio Rupiny that the Fish Fry centre has been nonfunctional and the reserve tank that was dug at the beginning of the project is holding the water that used to help residents in his area for both domestic and agricultural use during the dry season.

Oling says the area has been deserted with no activity going on for the last nine years and asked the district to open the reserve tank to help his people with water during this dry spell instead of leaving the place redundant.

” Before the construction of this reserve tank which is even non functional, we used to have water running down this stream to help our community but now the reserve tank is holding water which is making people in my area suffer from lack of water.We don’t see the use of this redundant facility, let the district tell us what is going on or open the tank so that people can use the water like before.”

John Peter Lanek told Radio Rupiny that as a district, they have no capacity to continue with the stalled work at Laliya fishFry Centre but have written to the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisheries, MAIF awaiting feedback on the way forward.

” The fry centre is not functioning at the moment because the work is still incomplete. This is a project of the central government that we have no capacity to work on. We have written to the ministry and still waiting to hear from them.”

Laliya Fish fry center has 24 fish ponds that were dug at the beginning of the project and other equipment worth billions of shillings that have been lying redundant for over nine years.

Commercial investments bringing medical services closer to communities

By

Abalo Irene Otto

About 216 people from Nyamukino parish in Lungulu Sub County in Nwoya district have benefited from a health camp organized by a commercial farm in the area in partnership with Anaka hospital to bring services closer to the people.

 

Nancy Akumu, the Sustainable development manager at Amatheon Agri, the largest agricultural investor in the district told radio Rupiny that it is their way of giving back to the community that welcomed them into the area and appreciated the good relationship they have with the community.

She adds that as a company established in the area in 2014, they see that there ought to be more for the community in terms of health service delivery because of the long distance to the nearest health facility for the residents.

“Our research in 2014 when we first came here to do agriculture showed that the people in this community have to trek for about 40 km to get medical care. So we had to team up with Anaka hospital to bring medical services closer to the community around us, periodically.”

Otto Patrick, the laboratory technician at Anaka hospital says the tests showed that is need for more community sensitization on how to manage their own health.

He advised the residents to observe good moral behavior to avoid getting Sexually Transmitted Diseases and sleep under mosquito nets to avoid contracting malaria that proved most prevalent according to their test results.

“We did for types of tests, HIV, RDT for Malaria, Hepatitis and RPR for syphilis. For the sexual diseases, they should be responsible and have protected sex and for amalaria, they should sleep under mosquito nets to remain healthy.”

David Aranya, the LC1 of the area appreciated efforts made by the investor and Anaka hospital to keep members of his community healthy so that they can work and also develop at household levels to eradicate poverty.

Begin small and grow big, investor urge farmers

By

 Abalo Irene Otto

Farmers in Northern Uganda have been advised to learn from the commercial farmers in their communities so that they acquire skills that can help them utilize the huge chunks of land they poses.

Jimmy Odong, the risk control officer with Amatheon Agri a German farm operating in Nwoya district employing over 200 people and heavily mechanized told Radio Rupiny that there is a lot of potential in the land that the community especially in Nwoya district possesses.

While at the farm in Alingiri Village in Nyamukino parish, Lungulu Sub county, yesterday, Jimmy told radio Rupiny that the farmers have got to utilise any opportunity that comes to their area so that they can also become commercial farmers.

He says the community should learn from the investors instead of stealing and causing losses to the farm yet the investors are close to them and can offer training on agriculture if they request for it.

“Learn from the investors here so that you can start your own project. Even the big company started small before it came to what you see today.”

Amatheon is one of the 26 farms with about 15,000 acres of land that are established in Nyamukino Lungulu and Purongo sub counties in Nwoya district growing maize, rice and sorghum for commercial purposes.

Over 8,000 Pilgrims brace Kitgum heat to celebrate the Legacy of St Janani Luwum.

By

Abalo Irene Otto

Over eight thousand pilgrims today gathered in Wi Gweng in Mucwini Sub County in Kitgum district to celebrate the life and legacy of St Janani Luwum for his martyrdom and love for peace and justice in the community.

The celebration is to mark the 40^th Anniversary of St Janani Luwum who was killed in 1977 under the dictatorial rule of the then President Idi Amin Dada for challenging his leadership and respect for human rights. The theme of the day is “the just shall live by faith” to reflect the love for the gospel that compelled St Janani to confront the then president with the truth of his leadership that was making people suffer.

The Rev John Baptist Odama, Archbishop of Gulu Catholic Archdiocese who was the chief intercessor prayed for unity among the leaders so that they are just and can fight for the cause of the common people like St Janani Luwum Did.

“We should love, respect and unite as christians. Leaders, unite so that christians are not divided.”

Rt Rev. Mike Hill, Michael Nazir-Ali, Retired Bishop of Rochester Diocese (UK) told the pilgrims to stand for the truth and speak out on injustices in their surroundings.

He adds that some people today participate in death not by actively getting involved but by keeping silent on such things that could be prevented if the truth came out.

” Janani Luwum left us with a legacy of truth. Killing someone involves keeping silent when something wrong is taking place.”

On the 16^th February 1977, Archbishop Janani Luwum was murdered at Nakasero, by then President of Uganda, Idi Amin, following s period of great tension and ugly show down with Amin and the regime. While the church was preparing to bury him at Namirembe in Kampala, soldier’s secretly transported his desecrated body to Mucwini and dumped it in a hurriedly dug grave at the church yard at Wi Gweng village on the 19^th February. This has since been St Janani’s resting place at his ancestral home.

The God who answers prayers for rain in Mucwini land.

By

Abalo Irene Otto

There were cheers and Jubilations by Pigrims at Mucwini Sub County in Kitgum district on the 16th February with believe that St Janani Luwum is truly a saint when an unusual heavy down poor flooded the area immediately after official closure of the function to celebrate the legacy of St Janani Luwum.

Earlier on in the day, the Chief Intercessor of the celebration, the most Rev John Baptist Odama the Archbishop of Gulu Catholic Archdiocese prayed to God to send rain for his children suffering from the extreme weather conditions.

” You are the God who gives rain, send it down for your children not to suffer from heat. So that they can grow crops as well.”

As if in response to the prayers, there was a heavy downpour that lasted about 30 minutes in the areas of Mucwini Sub County in Kitgum district immediately the official function closed and thousands of pilgrims were washed by the rain due to inadequate shelter at the time.

People dashed to nearby shops, tents or under trees while others found shelter in the comfort of their vehicles.

Engineer Ventus Ojok a pilgrim from Gulu Town who preferred to talk to Radio Rupiny from the comfort of his car carrying other pilgrims said the rain is a sign of a blessing from St Janani Luwum who sow it that people should not go back in dust on the roads.

” This is really a blessing to us. Today we believe that our father St Janani is a true saint who has blessed us with rain.”

Joyce Atim, a resident of Kitgum municipality says the blessings of a saint has been upon Mucwini since Kitgum district in general had taken over a month without a drop of rain and the weather conditions were getting extreme for residents.

” Kitgum has not had rain for over a month and we came here in dust but now we are going back in the blessing of rain from our father, St Janani.”

Watmon Isaac one of the pilgrims from Kitgum town who sat at the back of a pick up shocked the town when he appeared drenched and his clothe dripping from the rain yet the town was windy and dry with dust.

Watmon says that the rain just makes him believe that Janani was a true saint and a servant of God.

” From Kitgum town, we don’t see any rain and people are just laughing at me for returning wet and my trousers are dripping yet back in Mucwini the rain is very heavy. This is really funny.”

St Janani was a young teacher turned preacher by the East African Revival to later become an archbishop who championed a call for peace and justice in the then dictatorial regime of then President Idi Amin. This commitment later led to his death protracted by the then government in 1977. Today his life is celebrated every 16^th February for his legacy that lives on after his death.

 

Swamp reclamation causing water shortage in communities

By

 Abalo Irene Otto

The former Water officer Gulu district, now the Acting Gulu district Engineer has advised communities that live around water points to leave them intact the way God positioned them if they are to prevent the wells from drying up during this dry spell.

Smamuel Nyeko says that the community who are digging around the swamps are causing the water to everporate and this reduces the water levels in the ground and causing the water points to have little or no water for the community to use.

Nyeko adds that the water sources are by nature meant to have trees and grass around them to protect water from the ground from being heated and evaporated into the sky. He says if the community do not respect the way nature works, they will continue to suffer from the effects of the dry spell that is being experienced due to destructive human activities on the Land.

Cue in……………… Nyeko on water points……………

In Pece Pawel in Gulu municipality, water points in areas were the swamps are being cleared for farming, the community are facing water problems and their water Sources are drying.

John Okwonga, the LCI of Pece Pawel told radio Rupiny that they need the division to intervene and reconstruct the wells three water points that are drying up so that water there can be enough and women take less time fetching water.

Investors constructing roads to ease access.

By

Abalo Irene Otto

Investors in Nwoya district are appreciating the challenges that the communities in areas where they operate go through by working on some of the issues that affect them as well in running their farms.

Rigil Agrotech Limited and Amatheon Agri both in Lungulu Sub County are ensuring that roads are worked on so that they can easily transport their equipment and produce.

Richard Mugarura, a constructor at Rigil Agrotech Limited, a commercial farm growing cotton and other ceareals like green grams and soya beans in Alingiri village told Radio Rupiny that when they started work on the farm last year, the roads were impassible as they try to bring equipment on the farm from Gulu, the main town in the region.

He adds that the company thought it wise to construct roads that would help the community as well to have easy access to other areas especially during the rainy season.

Cue in ……………Mugarura on bad raods…………..

The LCI of Alingiri village in Nyamukino Parish Lungulu sub county, David Aranya says the presence of the investors is being appreciated by the community through the services that they offer which had been a challenge accessing through the local government structures.

Aranya says he has signed an agreement with one of the companies, Rigil Agrotech to construct a17km stretch of road to join where Amatheon ended.

Cue in………………… Aranya on roads……………..

Nyamukino parish has five major commercial farmers that include, Amatheon Agri, Rigil Agro Tech, Gulu timberland among others owned by individuals.

LC1 Sleeps in the bush due to land wrangle

By

Abalo Irene Otto

The LC1 of Amar Kalac village, Amar Parish, Koch Goma Sub County in Nwoya district is leaving under fear for his after continuous threats by unknown persons to end his life.

Richard Odongkara the area LC1 has been sleeping in the bush for over one month since the land wrangle over the land which has Amar Centre was established.

The chairman claims that whenever he reports threats to his life to the police, his statements are squashed and he believes there is a plot to eliminate him because the land in question belongs to his late father and he knows the boundary.

Cue in………. Odongkara on threats to his life……………………

The land wrangle is between one Martin Ojul who claims the center is in their ancestral land that was given out in the 1930s by their grandfather. The 260 acre piece of land in Amar center that was given by family member to individual developers who have established businesses in their land.

Meanwhile, in the same village, Amar Lakalac, a land wrangle over a 70 acre piece of land has left children of the occupants in a desolate situation by their relatives.

Harriet Aciro, a 22 year old woman says she has failed to live home and marry because of the way her father is being mistreated by her relatives over land and they stopped going to school because her father could not farm to get money for paying their school fees.

She told Radio Rupiny that her family has split because of land wrangles and as children, they are confused and do not have where to run to for help.

Cue in ………….Aciro on land wrangles…………………..

Northern Uganda has experienced a wave of conflicts over land since the resettlement period in 2006 with a number of actors and stake holders like Africa Community Development Network and ZOA among others operating in Nwoya district.

 

Micro irrigation could boast agriculture and prevent hunger says engineer.

By

Abalo Irene Otto

Farmers in Gulu district have been urged to utilize affordable irrigation schemes within their reach to grow crops especially vegetables in dry seasons.

Samuel Nyeko, the former water officer now the acting Gulu district engineer told our reporter yesterday that rain fed agriculture needs to be supplemented with irrigation so that the community can have enough food supply throughout the year.

He says the dry seasons can also be used to cultivate perennial crops and vegetables to prevent shortage of food during the dry seasons that have become longer and hotter and also improve household income.

Nyeko adds that the district needs to devise a strategy to sensitize the community on how to use micro irrigation in their gardens to have a continuous cycle of agriculture throughout the year.

The government of Uganda through the Operation Wealth Creation is organizing to train farmer groups on how to use the micro irrigation schemes like using water bottles for drip irrigation in vegetable and fruit gardens.

Medics call for moral decency to remain healthy.

By

Abalo Irene Otto

About 216 people from Nyamukino parish in Lungulu Sub County in Nwoya district last week benefited from a health camp organized by a commercial farm in the area in partnership with Anaka hospital to bring services closer to the people.

Nancy Akumu, the Sustainable development manager at Amatheon Agri, the largest agricultural investor in the district told radio Rupiny that it is their way of giving back to the community that welcomed them into the area and appreciated the good relationship they have with the community.

She adds that as a company established in the area in 2014, they see that there ought to be more for the community in terms of health service delivery because of the long distance to the nearest health facility for the residents.

Cue in …..Nancy Akumu on health camp………………….

Otto Patrick, the laboratory technician at Anaka hospital says the tests showed that is need for more community sensitization on how to manage their own health.

He advised the residents to observe good moral behavior to avoid getting Sexually Transmitted Diseases and sleep under mosquito nets to avoid contracting malaria that proved most prevalent according to their test results.

Cue in……Otto Patrick On diseases………………………..

David Aranya, the LC1 of the area appreciated efforts made by the investor and Anaka hospital to keep members of his community healthy so that they can work and also develop at household levels to eradicate poverty.