PWDs not catered for in public buildings

A survey has indicated that there is difficulty in accessibility to buildings and facilities in Kampala by persons with movement limitations.

Most buildings don’t have facilities such as ramps and lifts while many of the existing accessibility facilities were not designed according to the required standards.

Can’t access services
While addressing the media about the status of People with Disabilities (PWDs) the chairperson Uganda National Action on Physical Disabilities, Mr Arthur Blick, said it is in these buildings where services crucial to human survival are provided. “This contributes a lot towards unemployment and inadequate involvement in community by PWDs,” Mr Blick said.

The survey indicated that only 95 per cent of public buildings in the central business district (CBD) conform to the required standards.

According to Ms Phyllis Kwesiga, an architect, accessibility is not only for the wheel chairs but even all sorts of disabilities should be put in consideration like pregnant women, blind people among others.

So what role should we as stakeholders play in order to harmonise this problem?

Museveni Orders Forest Evictions

President Yoweri Museveni has directed the immediate eviction of encroachers currently occupying the Kyenjojo forest reserve, saying they must leave the forest before the Government uses the relevant organs to effect the eviction.

"Those in the forest must leave now. The residents and leaders must work hard towards ensuring the protection of the environment by stopping the destruction of the forest," he said.

His directive comes after part of the natural forest along the Mubende-Fort Portal road was cut and the trees burnt for agriculture and charcoal. The encroachers have defied several orders to vacate the forest and instead, intensified its destruction by erecting semi-permanent houses close to the highway.

The President was speaking on Thursday at a civilian veterans rally at Butiti Primary Teachers' College, Kyenjojo district. The President was in the region on a four-day sensitisation campaign to improve family incomes as part of Government efforts to reinforce the poverty eradication fight among veterans. He addressed rallies in Kabarole and Kyenjojo districts.

Museveni urged the residents to support the veterans in waging war against poverty, noting that a village person can lead a decent life like the town people if they engaged in modern agro production in cost effective enterprises.

He said when the NRM came to power in 1986 the national revenue was only sh5b compared to the current Sh9 trillion. This he said has enabled the Government provide Sh20b to Kyenjojo district per year for rendering services to the people.

The President urged residents to cultivate at least one acre of coffee, one of fruits such as mangoes, oranges and pineapples, one of bananas to ensure food security and elephant grass for dairy cows and also engage in projects such as piggery and poultry.

Museveni also announced the appointment of Major Joseph Mwebesa to command the Kyenjojo production zone.

While still in the tour of the region, Museveni commissioned the Kitere Municipal solid waste composite plant in Fort Portal's west division and a power line to Kitere that is part of the wider power supply to Fort Portal Municipality worth Sh710m, as part of the Government's power distribution programme to empower small scale enterprises in peri urban areas.

The Kitere plant that is jointly funded by the World Bank, NEMA and Fort Portal Municipality, recycles garbage collected from the municipality into organic manure suitable for agriculture and biogas.

The President was accompanied by the Minister for Energy and Mineral Development, Eng. Irene Muloni.

The President who was visibly impressed by the technology at the plant pledged to look into some of the challenges faced by the facility.

Museveni also met with a delegation of investors from Haldor Topsoe, a technology firm based in Denmark. The delegation was led by the company's chief executive officer, Bjerne S. Clausen.

They were accompanied by the Danish ambassodor to Uganda, Dan E. Frederiksen and the Uganda Deputy Head of mission to Denmark, Ambassador Danny M. Ssozi. The company is interested in producing fertilizers from oil by-products.

Clausen informed President Museveni that their is a leading technology provider in Amonia chemical required in fertilizer production.

Clausen said once the plant is established in Uganda, it will create 10,00 jobs directly and 10,000 indirectly and will greatly boost the agricultural sector in the country.

The President welcomed the investors and pledged Government's full support for the project. "I totally support this one. I warmly welcome you to Uganda. In fact, we need it," President Museveni stressed.

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201308121212.html

Updated at E-Society Resource center Kyenjojo

2nd Technical Planning Meeting since financial year 2013/2014 started sits

The District technical planning meeting today 26^th August 2013 sat at Kasiina council hall to update themselves on the current activities within the district.

The other component of the meeting was the invited Implementing partners (IPs) with the district who were required to join this extended TPC. SDL turned up and RWECO/RIC-NET was represented by RIC-NET ICT officer.

Meeting Highlights

Among the issues discussed was the power crisis at the district headquarters that had gone into the fourth week. Members highlighted a number of resolutions having realized that the district receives a low power voltage as explained by the district engineer and also that the district runs high voltage equipment.

Resolutions were Education, Works and health departments be switched off for the mean time as the district waits for a higher voltage connection. The planning unit is among the most affected departments with power given a faulty metre that needs replacement.

There were also issues raised by the chairperson of the meeting about accountabilities and that some funds from UNICEF were halted due to unfinished accountability from the health department. DHO was requested to inquire from the project focal person and report back as soon as possible so as to have the funds released.

Engravement of town council equipment especially the newly procured double-cabins was to be done and that Katooke town council had already done so.

A first batch of 332 bicycles for LCS was delivered to the district and the last batch would be delivered soon.

From NAADS the DNC (District NAADS coordinator) reported that he had received an email that the secretariat was to deliver 11 motor cycles to the lower local governments and the secretariat would deliver them soon.

50,000 seedlings of calyptus were delivered to the district by National Forestry Authority (NFA). These are to benefit the entire community of Kyenjojo District.

Sector reports

All district sectors submitted their reports and intentions for this week. Among them was;

Health: the District health officer reported that they had several workshops throughout the month the latest being one to equip laboratories that was held in Imperial Hotel-Kampala.

That quality improvements meetings were held  such as strides, Justice for children among others and auditors from World Health Organisation (WHO) through the health ministry had made a follow up with the district on the M-Trac project.

The DHO also reported important activities that were going to run throughout the week and other months to come. These included;

Safe male circumcision conducted by spears that will be targeting Katooke and Butunduzi town councils.

HIV/AIDS review meeting due on 28^th -29^th August by the AIDS commission.

Micro planning meeting about polio vaccination. This is going to be a door to door immunization against polio that will run in two phases September 21^st-23^rd and then October 19^th-20^th 2013.

Education reported that several monitoring activities were going on in the District and that mocks were conducted on 20^th to 21^st August 2013 and that marking would be done by next week.

Several reports and sector work plans were presented.

All present Implementing partners (IPs) were recognized and their services appreciated. “We appreciate all the activities of our IPs and had it not been your support to the district we would be limping. We promiss to continuously work and cooperate with you” said the District planner Mr.Busingye Richard.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:00 am.

In other news the District is conducting an inspection and evaluation of all District (Government) motorcycles at the District headquarters.

The District council will be sitting and passing the 2013/2014 District budget this Friday 30^th August 2013.