The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The unfulfilled pledge of constructing John Kale Institute of Science and Technology and irregularity in sharing revenue generated from national parks dominated president, Yoweri Museveni’s wealth creation rally in Kisoro district on Wednesday.
The rally that took place at Girosora playground in Nyakabande Sub County was the climax of Museveni’s two day’s wealth creation tour in Kigezi sub region. However, when given platform to address the residents, Abel Bizimana, the Kisoro District LC 5 Chairperson openly told Museveni that his electorate is unhappy with government’s failure to fulfill its promise to construct the proposed John Kale Institute of Science and Technology at Nyakabande.
Museveni promised to build the institute in memory of the late, John Muhima Kalekezi, the father of the former Inspector General of Uganda Police Force, General Kale Kahiyura for his role in instilling Ugandans with the spirit of Pan-Africans, whose core value was to liberate Africans from colonialism in the 1950s.
Bizimana noted that although Museveni laid the foundation stone for the institution on October 14th, 2017, nothing has been done to date. Bizimana also told Museveni to compensate 78 residents who are demanding Shillings 6.8 billion to vacate the 168 acres of the land earmarked to host the institute.
He explained that residents occupied the land after government became reluctant to use it.
He says the affected residents ran to court when government started plans to develop the land, which ruled in their favor. Bizimana explained that his efforts to write to the Education and Sports Ministry about the institute haven’t yielded results.
Bizimana used the same platform to express disappointment on the manner in which; Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) distributes revenue generated from national parks. He said they are tired of the irregular distribution of the funds.
According to Bizimana, Kisoro district only received Shillings 90 million out of the Shillings 4 billion in the 2018/2019 financial year that Kigezi region received yet Kisoro contributes a lot of revenue to tourism.
He wondered the criterion used to distribute the money for Kisoro to get a meager share yet it generates Shillings 200 per day, highest compared to Rubanda, which only generates Shillings 50 million and Kanungu Shillings 70 million.
He was supported by the former Ethics and Integrity State Minister, James Nsaba Buturo and Bufumbira county MP who said that the Institute is needed as early as yesterday.
In his response, Museveni promised to expedite the construction of the Institution as well as compensate residents to vacate the land freely and happily. Museveni also promised to Expand Kisoro Airfield so that it starts accommodating bigger airplanes.
However, Museveni didn’t comment on the issue of sharing revenue from the national park. He instead re-echoed his promise of tarmacking tourism roads in Kisoro district to ease transport for tourists.
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