Government to sack all Naads district coordinators

Mayuge- All National Agriculture Advisory Services (Naads) coordinators in the country will be laid off for failure to transform rural communities from poverty.
President Museveni made the pronouncement during celebrations to mark 28 years of NRM victory held in Mayuge district yesterday.

The President expressed disappointment that whereas the government disburses Shs120 billion to districts for Naads activities every year, there is no change in the economic status of the rural beneficiaries.

“This money always stops at the top in the salaries of the Naads coordinators and the real beneficiaries don’t get the money. Therefore, we are to restructure and have all the Naads coordinators out,” Mr Museveni declared.

He said the Naads coordinators will be replaced by District Agricultural Officers (DAOs) and the sub-county extension workers who will be earning their salaries as civil servants without encroaching on the Naads money.

There are 112 districts, 1,026 sub-counties and 5500 parishes in the country. A district Naads coordinator earns Shs2.5m while a sub-county coordinator receives Shs1.05 million.

Projecting growth
Mr Museveni said the proportion of the people below the poverty line has declined from 56 per cent to 22 per cent, adding that GDP per capita is now $600, in spite of much of the population still being engaged in subsistence farming.

Mr Museveni also wants the inputs being given to farmers to be increased as opposed to the small items that Naads coordinators have been giving under the pretext of wanting to cover every person.

The President announced that he will institute a probe into atrocities reportedly committed by soldiers such as the Mukura Railway wagon suffocation of residents and the Bucoro Pit incident.

The Okungulo (Mukura) Railway Station massacre is said to have taken place on July 11, 1989 when residents were reportedly brutally suffocated to death in a train wagon after being accused by NRA (now UPDF) of supporting the then Uganda Peoples Army rebels.

In the Bucoro incident, which took place in March 1991, NRA deserters and those suspected of being rebels, were reportedly imprisoned in a compound in Gulu. There were reports of raping women.

Others he mentioned include the incident at Kanyum, where residents were allegedly killed by elements in the army for no reason.
“I am going to follow up all these incidents and unearth the culprits, if they are still alive, so as to hold them accountable and compensate the victims or their descendants,” Mr Museveni said. “I will personally organise mato oput (Acholi traditional approach to reconciliation) with the concerned families and communities,” he added.

President defends UPDF deployment in S.Sudan

President Museveni defended the deployment of UPDF in South Sudan, saying it was to protect Uganda’s economic interests.

The President said when the war broke out, there were many Ugandans trapped in South Sudan because they were doing business.

“South Sudan is a big market for Uganda’s produce and when the war broke out, the prices for commodities in the country fell. This was good for the consumers but bad for the farmers and industrialists.”

“The president of South Sudan Salva Kiir wrote and requested for help, we responded. These useless local people here (opposition) asked why did we send the army. Why don’t we send the army to help where we kusaka (trade) from? What’s the army for? For only parade? Whoever doesn’t understand that, you should not even elect him for LC I (village leadership),” Mr Museveni said.
He added: “All concerted efforts should be done to stablise DR Congo and South Sudan for trade to flourish.”

Mr Museveni, who arrived at around midday, was received by the Vice President, Mr Edward Ssekandi, Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly Margaret Ziwa, acting Chief Justice Steven Kavuma and Security minister Muruli Mukasa. The President inspected a parade commanded by Col Kenneth Muhirwe.

Several people were awarded medals. They included former Buganda Katikkiro, Paul Kavuma, presidential advisor Hajjati Anuna Omari, former minister of internal affairs Ibrahim Mukiibi, Uganda’s Ambassador to China Charles Wagidoso, the retired Bishop of Mityana, Kefa Ssemakula, former RDC Zerida Rwabushagara and Monitor journalist Sam Opio Caleb.

LIST OF THOSE WHO RECEIVED MEDALS

NAMES
Prof Asavia Wandera
Amb. Wagidoso Madibo Charles
Richard wekwesa
Sam Opio-
Tenya Namusubo Catherine
Patrick Merikol
Samuel Magombe
Masafu Anne Rose
Aida Talinyeba
Peter Bugusera
Gonza Ssensamba
Funga Erizafan
Hams Waibi
Mbalule Julian
Ausi kirunda
Bireko Ibrahim
Ouma Amula
Onyango Willis
Ikoda Jamila
Ahamada Musasa
Buruhani Mugoya
Topha Mutoto
Salim Mugoya
Hassan Mwirewano
Feibe Mbigiti
Zake Magidu
Isababi James
Yahaya Kisu Agururu
Ausi Byantalo
Haji Mulabayi Kiwanuhi
Zerida rwabusangara
Haji Sulaiman Ssekiyunga
Hussein Okiria
Minsa Ntale
Kusemererwa Patrick
Irene Mangali
John Muyambi
Vincent Kabandize
Boniface Byasingaraho
Agnes Gumisirize
Grace Kateretembi
Kigozi Laurencio
Kasimu BuyondoSam Kabali
Paulo Kavuma-Ex- Katikiro
Bishop Senabulya George
Sam Kanyerezi Byampuna
Christopher Mukasa
Mr Lutwama
Bishop Kefa Kamya Semakula
Asiri Sendagala Mujankondo
Peter Sinabulya
Samuel kayanja
Eseri bugembe
Nalwanga Kitongo
Kiyaga John
Semikwano Paulo
Sentuya Emmanuel
Kasasa Joseph
Sekitoleko Nkata Joseph
Rashid mukasa Majegere
Karibonga Lukwanga
Ssegaaga Grace Kabali
Semalulu Joseph
Kasule Dan
Kasende Mukasa
Edith najjuuko Kassede
Hellen Nasiwa Guweddeko
Merekizaddeki Nsumba
Lawrence Kyeyune Kabulyebukwanga
Kimunigiina Lukwanga
Batume Butume
George Walwanyi
Isababi James
Haji Kyeyune Ahamad
Mirembe Ruth
Amb Ibrahim mukiibi
Sembatya Moses
Haji Abdul Gamal
Mr. Richard Ezatibo
Rev. Draza Benard
Mr Samuel Wasajja
Kusemererwa Patrick
Irene Mangali
John Muyambi
Vincent Kabandize
Boniface Byasingaraho
Agnes Gumisirize
Grace Kateretembi
Kigozi Laurencio
Kasimu BuyondoSam Kabali
Paulo Kavuma-Ex- Katikiro
Bishop Senabulya George
Sam Kanyerezi Byampuna
Christopher Mukasa
Mr Lutwama
Bp Kefa Kamya Semakula
Asiri Sendagala Mujankondo
Peter Sinabulya
Samuel kayanja
Eseri bugembe
Nalwanga Kitongo
Kiyaga John
Semikwano Paulo
Sentuya Emmanuel
Kasasa Joseph
Sekitoleko Nkata Joseph
Rashid mukasa Majegere
Karibonga Lukwanga
Ssegaaga Grace Kabali
Semalulu Joseph
Kasule Dan
Kasende Mukasa
Edith najjuuko Kassede
Hellen Nasiwa Guweddeko
Merekizaddeki Nsumba
Lawrence Kyeyune Kabulyebukwanga
Kimunigiina Lukwanga
Batume Butume
George Walwanyi
Isababi James
Haji Kyeyune Ahamad
Mirembe Ruth
Amb. Ibrahim Mukiibi
Sembatya Moses

Hajj Abdul Gamal
Mr Richard Ezatibo
Rev Draza Benard
Mr Samuel Wasajja