Ntungamo bans coin-slot betting machines in villages
Ntungamo- Security authorities in Ntungamo District have banned coin-slot gambling machines in rural areas in an effort to fight laziness among the youth.
During a meeting attended by the district police commander, the Chief Administrative Officer and sub-county chiefs, among other leaders on Tuesday, Mr George Bakunda, the Resident District Commissioner, directed security teams and stakeholders to seize coin-slot gambling machines, popularly known as kolo kolo, and pool tables in villages.
Mr Bakunda said children had resorted to stealing from their parents to participate in gambling.
“This business is destroying the lives of our children. Some of them are not going to school, we must stand up and fight for our children and grandchildren,” he said.
The leaders also ordered civil servants to stop licensing the business in rural areas.
Mr Bakunda also said they will not allow the growing towns and trading centres in remote areas to have pool tables and coin-slot machines because they are a security threat.
Mr Denis Singahache, the district chairperson, commended the security team for banning pool tables and coin-slot machines, saying it had accelerated school drop-outs and poor performance.
Mr Singahache said business must be regulated to save the future generation.
“This will save people and us from a lot of financial consequences. I thank Mr Bakunda, the security team, and all stakeholders for the move and urge that the ban should remain permanent,” he said.
The resolutions came after the DPC, Mr Damiano Katwesiime, reported that the crimes in the district had increased due to gambling.
However, the district internal security officer, Mr Apollo Tandeka, attributed the crimes to non-functional sub-county security committees mandated to hold monthly meeting to assess the security situations in communities.
The deputy chief administrative officer, Mr Leonard Ahimbisibwe, urged key security players to always work as a team to curb crime.
To register churches
The authorities also resolved to register all pentecostal churches in the district in order to reduce the mushrooming churches they said extort money from the flock.
Mr Bakunda expressed worry over the increasing number of churches and pastors faking miracles and prophesies, adding that some churches hide criminals.
“I have been receiving complaints on a daily basis where owners of some churches fight each other with flock over offertory and tithe meaning that they did not start the church to do the work of the Lord but for selfish gains,” he said.
Background
The moves comes after government announced measures to regulate the betting industry. Mr David Bahati, the State Minister of Planning, recently announced that President Museveni had ordered government not to register new sports betting companies or renew licences for the existing companies upon expiry.
The Finance minister, Mr Matia Kasaija, said the directive specifically meant to lock out foreign sports betting firms said to be repatriating profits to their mother countries.
Mr Bahati said government would determine the number of betting companies and where they will operate in a new regulatory regime.
