Katokye Residents Decry Lack of Water, Electricity and Health Centre
Residents and local leaders in Katokye Sub-Parish, Kyanamira Sub-county, Ndorwa East County in Kabale District, have decried the lack of access to clean water, electricity and government health services, saying the challenges are slowing development in their communities.
The concerns were raised on Thursday during a budget planning meeting held at Christ the King Church in Rwakashande, attended by leaders representing 14 villages in the sub-parish.
Other issues raised included insecurity, inadequate government support for agriculture and concerns over the distribution of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds.
The villages represented included Nkombe, Rwesanziro, Rugarama II, Nyakahita, Nyakabungo, Ahinoni, Omurutojo, Rugarama I, Omungororero, Nyarungwe, Rubira, Kyamuhoozi, Rwakashande and Rwakashande II.
Tobias Twinamasiko, the LC1 chairperson of Nyakabungo Cell, said residents lacked access to nearby water sources and were forced to walk long distances to fetch water from a spring.
He appealed to the government to extend water services to the area, noting that Katokye is close to Kabale Municipality and is experiencing increasing urbanisation.
Residents also expressed concern over the absence of a government health centre in the entire sub-parish, saying this limits access to public healthcare.
Insecurity worries residents
Security was another major concern raised during the meeting, with local leaders reporting cases of theft and attacks on residents as early as 8pm. They also cited cases of livestock being stolen from homesteads.
Musheka Robert, the chairperson of Nkombe Cell, raised concerns about insecurity and the distribution of PDM funds, alleging that some intended beneficiaries had been left out.
Sunday Policap, the chairperson of Rugarama I, also expressed concern over what he described as inadequate government support for the community.
Youth miss out on skilling opportunities
Bugabo Robert, the LC1 chairperson of Rugarama II, said young people from Katokye Sub-Parish had not benefited from the Kigezi Presidential Zonal Industrial Hub in Kamuganguzi.
The hub, located in Rukaranga and Murambo villages in Buranga Parish, Kamuganguzi Sub-county, offers vocational training in skills such as carpentry, hairdressing, tailoring, shoe-making, welding, construction, baking and electrical installation.
Bugabo called for greater efforts to ensure young people from the sub-parish access the training opportunities to acquire practical skills and improve their livelihoods.
Leaders call for agricultural support
Minyeto Godiano, the chairperson of Nyakahita Village, called on the government to support residents in agricultural enterprises such as coffee growing, Hass avocado farming and beekeeping.
He said such initiatives could help improve household incomes and create economic opportunities for local communities. He also highlighted the persistent lack of water in the area.
Residents demand electricity extension
In Rubira Village, residents said electricity poles had already been installed, but power had yet to be connected to their community.
They appealed to their area Member of Parliament, Protazio Begumisa, to raise the matter in Parliament and advocate for electricity extension to the affected villages.
The residents expressed concern that communities located close to Kabale town remained without electricity, saying access to power could support businesses and accelerate development.
The leaders urged the government and relevant authorities to address the challenges raised during the budget planning meeting, particularly access to water, electricity, healthcare, security, vocational training and agricultural support.
They said addressing these needs would improve living conditions and help accelerate development across Katokye Parish.
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