Uganda world life authority today slashed all crops of over 500 residents at three villages Masaba Sub County in Sironko district for alleging them to have encroached on Mount Elgon national park land.
The affected villages are Kusi, Ngagai and Malara all located at Bufupa parish Masaba Sub County in Sironko district.
According to Patrick Wabugoya, the LCIII chairperson of Masaba Sub County, crops which were destroyed completely are carrots, cabbage, Irish potatoes, maize, and onions among others worth hundreds of million shillings.
He condemned what UWA did by slashing all crops of people saying he is going to mobilize affected people and sue the government for malicious damage.
Deo Nabugodi the area district councilor says that in March this year people neighboring Mt Elgon national park and their area local leaders had a meeting with UWA officers and agreed to leave people plant trees in areas where they have been cut in the park as well they use for doing small farming activities as the way of reviving the cut trees and being friendly with the park.
He adds that people started planting trees and cultivating as agreed for the last six month but they were shocked today with malicious damages on their crops by UWA.
Titus Wanya, one of the affected residents says that he has lost over 40 million shillings after all his Irish potatoes and cabbage were totally destroyed.
Wanya adds that he hopes to have hunger and will not manage to educate all his 5 children he had since crops he's been using are destroyed.
Isiah Sasaga Wanzira area Member of Parliament representing Budadiri East constituency in Sironko district has condemned the manner under which UWA behaved saying that he is going to follow the matter until these affected people get Justice.
Sasaga promised to raise that matter on the floor of parliament and urged the government to come up with final clear demarcation boundaries between land of people and of the park such that they may solve the issue of conflicts between UWA and people neighboring the park.
However, Frederick Kizza, manager of UWA eastern and Northern region has dismissed claims of allowing locals neighbouring the park to do cultivation in park government land.
He adds that it's true they had a meeting and they brought a suggestion but it was not approved by their bosses in Kampala so it was not implemented meaning they didn't allow any activity in the park.
Kizza adds that they are going to curry out the same operations in other districts neighboring the Mt Elgon national park like Bulambuli, Mbale, Bududa , and Namisindwa since they have also encroached on park land claiming that they were permitted.
Namisindwa RDC orders for the arrest of people who are selling relief items in their shops.
By Weswa Ronnie
Fredrick Bango the Namisindwa resident district commissioner has asked police and local leaders to investigate and arrest those people whom they are alleging for selling relief items at their shops.
Last week the ministry of disaster and preparedness donated 20,000kilograms of maize flour and 10,000 kilograms of beans for families which were hit by disaster at sub counties like Bumbo, Bukhabusi, Buwatuwa among others.
According to Bango , he has got intelligence information that they are some local leaders he didn’t mention names to have connived with the technical side at sub counties to sell these items rather than giving people who were affected.
He adds that they have so far impounded 200 kilograms of beans and 270 kilograms of posh flour at Namisindwa town council and Bumityelo Sub County.
The RDC also confirmed that they have not yet arrested any suspect but they are investigating before arresting.
Emma Bwayo the Namisindwa district youth councilor condemned what some leaders are doing than being an example.
He adds that it looks bad for items which were supposed to be given to people who were affected by disaster leaders to sell them.
Bwayo urged the security to expedite the process of investigation such that the culprits can be arrested and brought to book.
Wepukhulu Zebteki, one of the residents who was affected by disaster at Buwandyabi parish in Namisindwa town council says that it hurts them in the manner people who were affected have not got anything, rather leaders are selling the items.
John Musila the Mp for Bubulo east constituency in Namisindwa district has asked the office of the RDC and other security organizations to arrest those people who were selling those beans so that they can easily identify people who sold them.
He adds if these people are arrested it’s going to be a lesson to others in Namisindwa and Uganda at large such that government things can be respected.
By:Weswa Roony
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