New factories, floods, Jinja city status take centre stage in Busoga

In February, the first Bishop of Busoga Diocese, Cyprian Bamwoze, succumbed to leukaemia at Mulago Cancer Institute where he had been admitted since December 2018.

Bamwoze was diagnosed with leukaemia in August 2017 and had since been in and out of hospital, according to his son, Mr Paul Bamwoze.

He had reportedly been on expensive medication, a combination of chemotherapy. Bamwoze retired in 1998 and was succeeded by Dr Michael Kyomya.

Floods kill 22 in Buyende
In April, at least 22 people died in Buyende District due to floods caused by heavy rain.

The floods affected Kabugudo, Nabyeyo and Itanwa villages in Kidera Sub-county. The sub-county chairperson, Mr William Kiiza, said the deceased were swept by floods into nearby swamps.

Health workers at Kidera Sub-county would later say they were overwhelmed by the increasing number of patients. The officer-in-charge of Buyende Health Centre IV, Dr Anthony Kwiri, said the floods interrupted the hospital theatre, laboratories and refrigerator and they could not work without electricity because they lacked a generator.

The only alternative left, he said, was to transfer the patients to Kamuli General Hospital, but even lacked an ambulance.

Woman gives birth to five children
On August 25, a 37-year-old woman, who previously gave birth to twins and triplets, gave birth to quintuplets.

Ms Sofiat Mutesi, a resident of Nawaikoke Village, Kibale Sub-county in Namutumba District, went into labour at Ivukula Health Centre III at around 9pm and she delivered a boy weighing 1.5kgs.

She was then taken in an ambulance to Iganga-Nakavule Hospital in Iganga District to avert any complications after it emerged that she was carrying more than one child.

Ms Maureen Babine, a midwife at the hospital, said Ms Mutesi, upon arrival, gave birth to the second baby, a girl weighing 1.5kgs, at around 11pm.

She then delivered a boy and two other girls weighing 1.3kgs, 1.6kgs and 1.4kgs, respectively.
Ms Mutesi has, however, walked out of the marriage, fearing she might again conceive and give birth to another set of children if she continues living as a married woman.

“I am looking at a situation where I have another set of children, maybe eight, according to what doctors told me before inserting an implant in my body, and there is no one to take care of the children because men are good at abandoning their responsibilities,” she said recently.

American accused of killing children
In June, an American woman accused of causing the death of unspecified number of children from Busoga, Bugisu and Buganda sub-regions, for the first time spoke out on the allegations.

Ms Renee Bach, 28, who came to Uganda as a missionary in 2007, had by 2009 allegedly started performing medical procedures on children at her organisation, Serving His Children (SHC), in Masese, Jinja, despite not having any formal medical training.

It is alleged that under her care, some children died, including Kifabi Twalali, 2, from Namutumba District, one Brian from Buyende District, Elijah Benjamin and one Wepukhulu, 6, from Manafwa District.

Yosam Masai, 8, from Buwangolo Village, Bubutu Sub-county in Manafwa District remains mentally retarded to-date after reportedly undergoing treatment at the hands of Ms Bach.

However, Ms Bach, through her US-based lawyer, Mr David Gibbs, described the allegations as ‘nonsensical’ and ‘sensational’.

Through Women’s Probono Initiative (WPI), a civil society organisation, Ms Gimbo Zubeda and Annet Kakai, filed a notice of motion against Ms Bach and Serving His Children at Jinja High Court.

Jinja gains city status
Cabinet approved the creation of nine cities, five of which will become operational on July 1, 2020. They include Arua, Gulu, Jinja, Fort Portal, and Mbarara. Hoima and Mbale will become cities in July 2021.

The move is part of a government plan to turn the municipalities into regional cities, with Fort Portal, Mbarara and Hoima being regional cities in western Uganda; Entebbe in the central region; Lira, Arua and Gulu in northern region while Mbale and Jinja cities will serve the eastern region.

The then Minister of Local Government, Mr Tom Butime, said a budget of Shs130b will be set aside for the operationalisation of the cities after meeting all the requirements.

Death of Budhagali
In October, Dada Nabamba Budhagali, the oracle of Bujagali falls, succumbed to diabetes and high blood pressure at Nile Hospital in Jinja District, according to his daughter Betty Namande.

At the time of his admission to hospital on September 1, he was reportedly ingesting food through a tube and could neither talk nor move as the left side of his body was paralysed.

Dr Edrine Mulema, the medical director at Nile International Hospital, said whereas Budhagali’s condition initially improved, there were some “essential tests” they wished to carry out but the family could not afford the medical bills, which had accumulated to about Shs7m.

The oracle was buried at 2:30am on November 5, and weeks later, 32-year-old Hassan Kironde assumed the role although he continues to face criticism from sections of the society, including some officials of Busoga Kingdom.

Museveni opens 10 factories
In May, President Museveni commissioned 10 factories in Jinja and Buikwe districts as part of his wealth and job creation gospel.

According to the Investment minister, Ms Evelyn Anite, the factories would help reduce Uganda’s trade deficit which stands at about $2.9 billion. The factories included Modern Laminates Limited, which produces pulp and paper, and Nile Agro Industries Limited, which is engaged in processing and refining of vegetable cooking oil. Others were Auromeera Industries (U) Limited, which manufactures plastic and chemical products such as solid and sodium silicate; MMP industrial park, Buikwe, Shree Modern Textiles Limited, Modern distilleries Limited, Nile Aluminum Limited, Nile batteries Ltd and Nile transformers Limited.