Elephantiasis in Kamwenge district, Uganda

Living under stigma and poverty with Elephantiasis

Ms Enid Twamusiima with swollen hand sits with her kids at her mother's home at Kyakatooma, Busiriba in Kamwenge district. Photo by Felix Basiime

The limbs of Ms Yowanina Tumusiime of Kipucu, Busiriba in Kamwenge district. She lives in agony. Photo by Felix Basiime

BY FELIX BASIIME

& GEOFFREY MUTEGEKI

May 24, 2012

KAMWENGE: The road to Busiriba is bumpy. We drive from Fort Portal town on Kamwenge road through Kibale National park and within an hour we are at Bigodi trading centre.

We turn left and within 10 minutes we are already inside Busiriba Sub County.

It is a sunny day at Kyakatooma village, Busiriba in Kamwenge district. We find Ms Enid Twamusiima, 30 sitting on a mat breastfeeding her 6 months old baby outside her mother’s home.

She is in great pain because her left arm is swollen and cant lift her baby for breast feeding, her mother helps her. The older kid of 2 and half years is crying.

She has just come by a boda boda bike with her two children from Garuhuma village in the neighboring Kyenjojo district where she was married to Mr Matayo Kyalimpa 4 years ago.

She says she first had her left leg swell when she was still 16 but 12 years later, her left arm started swelling too.

“I have just come home to my mother (Ms Margaret Tindimutuma) so that she can nurse me, the situation at my marital home was unbearable” says Twamusiima.

“My husband took me to hospital in Fort Portal, we later tried herbs but all in vain, I cannot dig, or wash my clothes, my husband has no job, I can’t dress or bathe myself, am helped by others to breast feed my baby, so my husband told me to go back home” Twamusiima says.

Back home, her brothers, Francis Amooti, 32, and Emmanuel Arinaitwe, 27 are also suffering from elephantiasis with swollen legs and feet.

They are both busy fighting with flies on their feet. As I interview Tindimutuma, a bad odur from Arinaitwe’s feet envelopes us. They are living in pain and misery.

Twamusiima is not alone in this stigmatization thing. In the neighboring Kipucu village, also in Busiriba Sub County, Ms Yowanina Tumusiime, 55, has her both feet swollen and smelly; puss is oozing out despite the linens she uses to cover her feet.

She says she was divorced by her husband before he died in 2000.

“In 1996, he rejected me after my feet worsened by swelling and married other two women, I suffered a lot” Tumusiime says, adding, “My daughters constructed for me another house, but I don’t have money for treatment because I no longer dig”

Tumusiime says that when she tries to walk in the neighborhood, children throw at her stones thinking that she is mad.

“This irritates me most because am not mad. Am living a miserable life, my sons are around but don’t care, it is only my daughters who try but only send few items and money on Christmas day” Tumusiime says sadly.

Ride Africa, a Fort Portal based NGO has recorded about 58 patients in Busiriba in its survey conducted in October 2011 but says the number is bigger in the area but due to stigma, people hide and or use long clothes or gum boots to cover their feet.

“Most people cover their feet with long trousers and dresses, or wear gum boots in Busiriba to hide their limbs” says Mr Michael Kisembo, a Project Officer with Ride Africa heading Natural Resource and accountability monitoring.

Ride Africa has found that there is no data by the district authorities on the extent of elephantiasis in the area and there is poor information flow, health officials don’t know how to handle the disease.

“We identified the problem, carried out a social survey in the four parishes of Busiriba, Kaniimi, Kahondo and Bigodi and found out that women of 35 years and above are the most affected” Kisembo says, adding, “People think the disease is caused by elephants that escape from the nearby Kibale National park which had caused a conflict between the locals and

UWA officials until we held a dialogue that dispelled the myths”

Ms Gloria Atuhaire, 14 from Kyairumba village has been sick for eight years; she has extremely swollen feet, and lives a misery life. She can hardly walk with ease and worse still she is an orphan.

“I get severe fever and pain all the time, I cannot walk with ease, my classmates laugh at me at school but I have to push on. I have never got any treatment; every time we go to the health unit they tell us we go to Fort Portal but no one can take me” Atuhaire says.

She adds, “I feel very isolated, when I see my age mates playing and sometimes not wanting to play with me. This is the most terrible disease that I have seen in my community. I wish I could get some help and get healed”

However, the patients have petitioned the district authorities for help.

“We the undersigned people that live with elephantiasis in Busiriba sub county, observe that the district local government provides support and treatment to people suffering from different diseases in the district but we have not been given any attention, we live in isolation” read part of the petition.

Following this, the district health officer, Dr Ocen Gregory asked the Ministry of health to carry out a survey in Busiriba and identify why Busiriba is the most affected than other areas.

“We request your office to intervene so that a technical survey for Lymphantic Filariasis is conducted in the district since the people are living in very painful, uncomfortable life and the disease has reduced the sufferers ability to live a normal life” Dr Ocen wrote to the Program Manager, Neglected Tropical Diseases, Uganda.

Health Dilemma

When contacted, Ocen said that the survey was carried out and some samples taken from some patients and it is now confirmed as Elephantiasis.

“The infection was there about 20 years ago, nothing we can do now apart from caring for the patients” he said on phone on Thursday.

According to the district authorities, Busiriba Sub County has a population of about 26,700 people who are living adjacent to Kibaale National Park. Kamwenge district has an estimated population of 363, 200 by 2010.

Men, women and children as young as eight years in Busiriba have experienced the disease for over 20 years. They say that they have tried both medical and herbal medicine in vain and have given up.

Dr Vincent Olowo, the district environmental officer says reasons that “When a person keeps on stepping on the volcanic soils there are some minerals or soil particles which keep entering the body through the pores in the feet, as the soil accumulates, it blocks the pores and goes into the lymphatic system and once it is blocked, body wastes will not come out and in the end the body swells due to the pressure exerted”

He says the disease covers the whole district but Busiriba Sub County is the most hit with very many cases. Other environmentalists say that the people in Busiriba could be affected by the waters of Busabara wetland which could be having some minerals that enter them through the feet as they fetch water.

“The disease is in both Kibale county and Kitagwenda, but the most alarming place is Busiriba Sub County, but the whole district is not safe” Dr Olowo says.

Mr Eriya Mujungu, the deputy resident district commissioner has asked the residents to wear  shoes and keep good hygiene as one of the preventive measures for the disease but how many can afford to buy shoes is the big question in Kamwenge.

However, the fight against stigma is not all lost, Ms Mauda Birungi of Kitwe village in Busiriba cant lift her both swollen legs, she is helped all through by her husband, Mr Godfrey Bitungwa. The couple got married about 3 years ago.

“I married this lady about 3 years well aware of health problem; her relatives told me that they had failed both at medical and herbal treatment” Bitungwa says, adding, “I do everything for her at home including cooking”

“In this village, some people have rejected me but others like but my husband is there for me, I don’t mind” Birungi who spends a day sitted on a mat outside their house says. On Sunday, the couple goes to the nearby Kitwe church (COU) as Birungi walks slowly with two sticks to support her.

UTILITIES

According to the World Health Organization, Elephantiasis is characterized by skin thickenings and the gross swelling of underlying tissues, particularly in the legs, the scrotum, the vulva, the male genitals, the arms, and the breasts, that may have underlying accompanying internal damages to the kidneys and lymphatic system.

Treatment options for patients with Elephantiasis may include Albendazole, Diethylcarbamazine, Ivermectin, and Doxycycline for worm infestations, rigorous hygiene of the affected areas, lymph fluid flow promotions that help reduce the frequency of acute inflammations, and surgical treatments for Scrotal Elephantiasis.

The according to Kamwenge district health department, the disease was first reported in the district in 2004 and authorities wrote to the Ministry of Health which sent a team for 3 days to find out the cause of the disease where it found out that the diseases was caused by a tropical worm called Filariasis and transmitted to people by a mosquito but no action by the district and the ministry is yet done.

Prevention of the disease

Sleep under treated mosquito nets, always wash the legs and keep the clean, always were shoes to avoid direct contacts with the soil, there is need for periodic deworming of children in the area.

Symptoms:

Generally acquired in early childhood, taking several years to develop, and typically affecting more men than women, the symptoms of Elephantiasis may include such things as kidney damages, lymphatic pathologies, hydrocoele, excessive fluid collections around the testicles, body parts swelling up to ten times their normal sizes, chronic lymphedema, immune response deficiencies, and lymphatic system failures.

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Ministry plans new timber laws

Ministry plans new timber laws

Water and Environment Minister Maria Mutagamba (L) and the WWF country director, Mr David Duli, tour some degraded areas in Kibaale District yesterday. PHOTO BY Felix basiime 

By FELIX BASIIME
 

Posted Tuesday, June 19 2012 at http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Ministry+plans+new+timber+laws/-/688334/1430294/-/view/printVersion/-/102iuae/-/index.html

In Summary

The proposal is meant to curb deforestation and illegal timber trade in the area.

Kibaale/kyenjojo

The Ministry of Water and Environment has set new terms on which it will license all timber and charcoal dealers countrywide. 

The Environment minister, Ms Maria Mutagamba, said the ministry has streamlined licensing timber and charcoal dealers and the number will be cut down and licences will have a security mark so that they are not duplicated as it has been the practice before.

The minister said this while touring the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) projects in the northern Albertine forests in Kyenjojo and Kibaale districts last week. “I came taking photos all the way from Kampala and I have noticed we have degraded almost everything that God gave us. 

The new dealers will therefore first have to prove that they have planted several acres of trees and must be in associations,” Ms Mutagamba said

Regulation measures
She said in areas where timber cutting and charcoal burning takes place, the district authorities will first quantify how much harvestable timber they have and then recommend the people they know will not go beyond the recommended volumes.

Ms Mutagamba advised district forest officers countrywide to plant one acre of tree nursery beds every year so that the ministry can support them. She observed that deforestation is going on in the countryside because agricultural extension staff no longer advise farmers on what to do with the available but unutilised land.

She said the ministry issued a three months ban in March after it learnt that some officials of the National Forestry Authority were conniving with other dealers and some forest officers in dubious timber dealings. 

“But the three months have elapsed so we have come up with new measures. We shall issue fresh licences with security marks, register fewer operators and many tree planters,” she told a gathering at Pachwa Sub-county in Kibaale.

During her tour in Kibaale, the minister witnessed the signing of the MoU between Pachwa Linda Ebyobuhangwa Association and National Forest Authority, which later signed another MoU with Kikonda Tulinde Ebyobuhangwa Association in Kiryanga Sub-county.

fbasiime@ug.nationmedia.com

Encroachment on River Mpanga worries authorities

A section of river Mpanga in Fort Portal town. Photo by Felix Basiime

Encroachment on River Mpanga worries authorities

BY FELIX BASIIME

& DORCUS MURUNGI  (April 25, 2012)

KABAROLE: District authorities in which river Mpanga snakes through are worried over its encroachment by the people living near it and believe they will choke it.

The most concerned are the leaders of Kabarole district because Mpanga is the main river in the district which the National water and sewerage corporation bases its supply for Fort Portal town.

According to the Kabarole Natural Resources Department, degradation of the river banks through planting of eucalyptus trees along the river, numerous car washing bays, stone and sand mining are all threatening Mpanga.

This is coupled with impurities or other materials being dumped direct and polluting the water which pauses serious threats since most people in the district use water directly from the rivers.

The river originates from Mount Rwenzori through Kabarole district, is the boundary of Kabarole-Kyenjojo districts, snakes through Kibale National Park and flows through a cleft over the 50 meter Mpanga falls and continues along the boundary of Queen Elizabeth National Park before it drains into the Lake George, a Ramsar Site downstream.

“According to reports which were carried out by various NGOs, it was found out that the water levels are reducing drastically and the district has entrusted  our department to look for the way forward because we cannot relax when our main water source is being encroached on” said the Kabarole district environmental officer, Mr Godfrey Ruyonga on Monday.

The environment department has also identified stone quarrying, soil erosion and disposal of human wastes which all affect the river.

The river which supports a population close to one million along its course is drastically reducing its water levels as observed by Protos, an NGO which is working in partnership with Kabarole research and resource center (KRC) in Fort Portal.

“We have recently observed that the water levels of Mpaga River are reducing and they are not only reducing due to the dry period but also due to human activities which are a major threat to the river” said Mr John Murungi, the Public Relations Officer at KRC.

The NGOs say that an abattoir in Kabundaire in Fort Portal where most of the wastes are thrown in River Mpanga which is a major threat to the river.

According to reports carried out by KRC, a lot of the remains of the abattoir are poured into river Mpanga which contaminates the water.

“We got very shocked when residents of Kabundaire admitted that all the animal remains are poured into the water of which this is not only threatening the water levels but also the health of the great majority of people who cannot afford tap water but use the  river water directly,”  Murungi
said.

Efforts to stem the problem

The NGOs have come up with a resolution to preserve the river and save it from degradation

“We have come up with a resolution of preserving Mpanga River and this time we have designed a communication tool of which we are showing people how they can use the river properly for effective preservation” Murungi says.

Mr Godfrey Ruyonga said, “The first initiative is called the upstream which is targeting farmers. Since the river originates from the mountains, most people practice farming on the slopes which bring soil erosion and hence contributing to encroachment of the river but farmers have been taught on the various methods of farming like terracing, contouring and mulching which can at least reduce the soil erosion that is affecting the river”

In the middle stream intervention, Kabarole district is targeting the stone miners.

Stone quarrying in Karangura Sub County has proved a major threat and so the district has set rules and regulations to govern mining such that it does not disturb the water levels.

In the downstream intervention, the district and NGOs are targeting the people in Fort Portal municipality where activities along the river banks like the abattoir, washing bays and pit latrines that are pouring their wastes direct to the river.

Ruyonga believes that these interventions will work, “Though the river is still facing those major threats, we are working steadily and soon the river will be out of danger”

Mr Jeconious Musingwiire, the western region focal person and public awareness officer for NEMA has warned that if the upstream catchment (Kabarole district) of river Mpanga is not well managed, it will in the near future affect hydro power production at Mpanga hydro power plant in Kamwenge district. The 18-MW project is worth US$13 million.

“There is encroachment of wetlands, poor agricultural methods coupled with the impact of urbanization and the key challenges are the impact of water levels on river Mpanga of which drop will affect the hydro power plant in Kamwenge if the upstream catchment area is not well managed” says Musingwiire.

Mr Ambrose Atwoko, the Town Clerk Fort Portal municipal council, which owns the town abattoir, says,

“Yes, the abattoir dumps wastes in river Mpanga but we are to relocate it to Kibimba in West division if we get funds and also plant trees and fence off the land along the river in our area so as to stop any further activities” Atwoko said adding, “We have already warned the operators of the washing bays to relocate”

One of the managers of the washing bay in town, Ms Jennifer Abwooli says, “We have constructed soak pits so that water from the washing bay is contained and does not go direct to the river”

Most washing bays in Fort Portal town are perched along the banks of River Mpanga or its tributaries.

                                                UTILITIES

Environmental laws in Uganda stipulate that there should be no developments or activities within 100 metres from water bodies.

As an indicator of the importance of river Mpanga it has in the region, several businesses and institutions are named after Mpanga in the districts where it flows in Kabarole, Kyenjojo and Kamwenge.

These include; Mpanga SS in Fort Portal town, Mpanga growers’ tea factory (manufactures of Mpanga tea in Kabarole district, Mpanga hydro power station in Kamwenge district, Mpanga market in Fort Portal town, Mpanga millers in Fort Portal town.

Kabarole is endowed with several rivers which include; Kayagi, Kaija, Kahomba, Sogohi, Muzizi, Rwimi, Kakoko, Kakule, Kabago, Kizikibi and Mpanga among others which have their sources in Rwenzori Mountains (Source: Kabarole district local government five year development plan 2011-2016).

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Bickering hinders Fort Portal town from gaining city status

 An areal view of Fort Portal Municipality. Photo by Felix Basiime.   

Bickering hinders Fort Portal town from gaining city status

BY FELIX BASIIME

& DORCUS MURUNGI

[http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/1395066/-/item/0/-/131n1mu/-/index.html] April 28

FORT PORTAL: It is now one year when leaders of Fort Portal municipality launched a big quest to transform this town into a city status.

During the 2011 campaigns, both the area MP Alex Ruhunda and town mayor held joint campaigns with their slogan "Nikisoboka Fort Portal kufooka city" meaning that it is possible for Fort Portal to turn into a city. These leaders who were successfully elected also promised that this quest was possible in five years.

Some of the criteria for a city status

According to the Local government Act, a municipality to turn into a city must have a population of at least 500,000.

There must be facilities, institutions, developments and the enabling environment that automatically attract people to work, invest and stay there.

These are like hospitals, schools, hotels, universities enough space for both residential and business premises.

Mr Ambrose Atwoko, the town clerk says, “Further plans include encouraging private investors so as to startup businesses that can attract a big population. The town is also trying to encourage church investment services for instance it has supported the catholic church of Fort Portal diocese to construct the premises of Centenary bank and all this is aiming at development Fort Portal municipality into a city”

Area for expansion is another criterion. Currently Fort Portal has West, East and South Divisions covering about 27.82 sq kms. It needs to expand beyond this by annexing some neighboring sub counties and to do this, the urban authority has to lobby these sub counties, it is not an automatic process, the law says that sub counties requested must sit and decide to join the city or not.

Other things that qualify a municipality to a city status include the services that the private sector offers to support the growing city and its population.

“Of course for any place to become a city, you must have a modern market which is being constructed at Mpanga, you must have a regional referral hospital, Buhinga has improved now, there are good hotels, 5 star hotels are coming up” Ruhunda says.

He adds, “There must be adequate power supply, Fort Portal-Bundibugyo and Ibanda-Fort Portal roads are being worked on and being the cleanest town in Uganda, with the its high tourism potential and oil development, there is no doubt that Fort Portal is already a business hub in the region”

What is in place now

Fort Portal town was founded in 1893 as a garrison for Sir Gerald Portal for a colonial administrative centre. However, over time it grew in size and population, becoming a Municipal Council in 1975.

It lies at the foot of Rwenzori Mountain, 5,050 feet above sea level. According to the 2002 national census, it had estimated population of about 41,000 but according to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, estimated population of the town by 2012 is at 48,000.

Of the 27.82 sq kms, only 4 sq kms is covered by the central business district and the remaining pieces of land are used for residential purposes and agriculture related activities.

It is 290 kms from Kampala and a regional town for Kabarole, Kamwenge, Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo and Ntoroko districts. It is the hub of Tooro in terms of business administrative and private sector transactions.

Most roads in town are tarmacked and well drained. In partnership with the World Bank and NEMA, the Municipal authorities have established a garbage recycling plant at Kitere where a manure processing unit has been established and plans to use it to produce gas and electricity.

“The oil industry will make Hoima and Fort Portal towns into cities; I hope that Kamwenge and Kagadi roads are worked on quickly, that is my conviction” says Ruhunda.

According to figures from the Petroleum Exploration Department, 2.5 billion barrels of oil have so far been confirmed from 40 per cent of the entire Albertine Graben.

Part of the oil discovery is in Ntoroko district, north of Kabarole and following the farm-down between Tullow Oil and its partners Total and the Chinese Oil giant CNOOC in February, intensive oil activity is expected in Hoima, Buliisa and Ntoroko districts as Tullow starts extended well testing and appraisal drilling in preparation for eventual production.

CNOOC to operate in Ntoroko is already in Fort Portal town where it will base its operations.

The hinterland of Fort Portal too is attractive, and has pulled several tourists to the town the reason why the hotel industry has steadily grown here.

The attractive features include tracking the chimpanzees in Kibale Forest National Park and in the Semliki Valley, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Mount Rwenzori National Park, the Rwagimba and Sempaya hot springs, Amabere Ga Nyina Mwiru near Nyakasura School and several crater lakes.

Good Hotels include: Mountains of the Moon Hotel (2000) Ltd, Rujuna Hilltop Guesthouse, Palace Motel, Rwenzori Travelers Inn,  Tooro Resort, Ataco Country resort, Kluge’s farm hotel and camp site, Sunrise International Apartments, Raja Excelsior, Lesuiex Centre, Riviera, Hotel Cornerstone, Lake Kyaninga Lodge  and Hilton among others.

Some of the camp sites include Ndali Lodge, Kibale primate lodge, Mantana Tented Camp, Crater Valley Kibale (CVK) forest resort beach, Chimpanzee Forest Guesthouse and Camp Site, Bigodi Wetland Sanctuary, Rweteera Safari Park and Tourist Camping Center, Rwengo Lakeside Campsite.

For hanging out, the night life bubbles at Club Ecstasy on Bwamba road and at Africana where most people hang out for nyama choma, take away, drinks, music and watching soccer. On most weekends, folks hang out at Gardens Restaurant where most musicians perform.

What has been done so far

“For expansion, we wrote to the Ministry of Local government to impress it upon the district council, but we are also lobbying some councilors” says Mr Ambrose Atwoko, the town clerk.

He adds, “We have set up various programs within a five year development plan and am quite sure that Fort Portal municipality will soon project into a city”.

In this plan, the authorities are focusing on putting of marram in some roads, opening new roads and even tarmacking others.

“You know it is well known in Uganda that Fort Portal town ranks among the cleanest so we as leaders have embarked on serious cleanness, there has been a monthly allocation of Shs 15 million which is meant to ensure cleanliness” Atwoko adds.

The whole town has dust bins and trucks collect the garbage. Infrastructural development is being emphasized in the town and with the help of government; Fort Portal has helped some schools to construct new buildings at Buhinga primary, Kyebambe Girls SS, Nyakagongo primary and Ngombe primary.

Fort Portal is also a beneficiary of the country’s bigger project of upgrading the major markets. The government project; Markets and Agricultural Trade Improvement Project – I (MATIP-I) involves re-constructing 21 markets. Works at Fort Portal’s Mpanga market are under way.

Fort Portal Municipal Council authorities have prioritized physical planning exercise in the next five years. This planning will provide for road location, schools and health facilities, open spaces, play grounds, commercial centres and residential neighborhoods.

Target will be put on 6 wards that have not been planned for in the recent past.

The council intends to hire a consultant to design a strategic plan for the next 15 years to show the road map of a city status.

“We want to hire an expert in physical planning to help our technical team in planning for a city” says Ruhunda.

The challenges

There is potential and endowments that would turn Fort Portal into a city like minerals (Oil and Pozzolana) but despite all these, the leaders burning quest for a city in the next 5 years will remain a dream or on paper if the ongoing infighting among town councilors is anything to go by.

It is one year down the road since the urban authority political wing was sworn in but infighting has ruled till now which has affected development to some extent.

It started as a simple allowances bickering between councilors on one side and the mayor and his deputy on the other side but has since grown into a full cold war.

On August 25, 2011, town mayor Mr Edison Asaba Ruyonga and his deputy, Ms Margaret Kihika stormed out of the council session in protest after council maintained their earlier position to reduce the mayor’s emoluments from Shs 2.8 million as proposed by the Executive to Shs 2 million per month.

Ruyonga and his deputy, Ms Kihika had in July 2011 dragged Fort Portal municipal council to court accusing it of reducing their allowances and emoluments.

This was after councilors in a June 27 council session reasoned that the allowances received by the two officials are higher compared to other municipalities in the country yet service delivery was still poor.

Since then, the two parties have never compromised. “Whatever idea I table in council, it is trashed by councilors, so for me I dropped the idea to push for a city status” Ruyonga sadly told this paper.

But Kabarole woman MP, Victoria Businge Rusoke challenges the Fort Portal municipal council to end their conflicts and focus on service delivery and develop the town.

She observes that the conflicts between the councilors and the two mayors have retarded development and denied people service delivery since they are always embroiled in a tag of war.

“These conflicts are diverting us from our work and focus of service delivery; you are not doing what you are supposed to do to the people. We need to cooperate, respect each other and serve the people accordingly” Rusoke told the municipal council session last year.

What other residents say

“I think it was a campaign slogan (City status) like any other. Starting with Obama's "Yes We Can" yes we can what??!!!, even Jacob Zuma of South Africa promised south Africans 500,000 jobs during his election campaign and.......the list can go on and on!!!!! Briefly, all politicians are liars” Mr Patrick Bamanyisa said.

“It (City status) can be achieved but you can’t get it or achieve it as one person it is collective, both leaders and local population, you also need to be one as leaders, no corruption, but now there is nothing besides fighting small political wars at the moment” said Crouch Haliri.

“It is possible for Fort Portal to develop into a city but you see this involves a process where the leaders together with the people unite and develop strategies to be put in place to ensure sustainable development and economic growth of the town” former area MP, Mr Kaliba Steven says.

He adds, “But see what is happening now they are playing cat and mouse games, all these guys (Ruyonga and Ruhunda) had during the campaigns was just empty talk, they completely had no plans to transform the town, they just had political excitement and lacked focus, okay tell me it’s about a year down the road, people who were promising a city in 5 yrs, what plans do they have put in place? Or what have they done so far to show we are headed for a city in the next 5 years, zero!!!”

Kaliba adds, “Those two guys are just confused fellows who do not know what Fort Portal's priority is. They had better concentrate on how to raise house hold income, better health, infrastructure and improved education in the town”

Ms Nyakato Rusoke says, “It (City status) was just a campaign gimmick, nothing has been done, we don’t have a single public toilet in town, most buildings in town especially on Lugrad street and Kiboga road are not connected to the sewer line”

Nyakato adds, “There are no street lights because Fort Portal municipal council failed to pay Umeme bills and the people of Fort Portal will not benefit from the quarrels of the mayor and his councilors, for us we want work not fights”

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