Residents of Rukiga District are up in arms over poor service delivery and the abandonment of key government programs, saying they feel betrayed by the promises made when the district was carved out of Kabale in 2017.
Locals say they expected improved services and better governance after gaining independent district status, but these hopes have yet to materialize.
Gideon Bandebaho Tumwijukye, an aspirant for the Kashyambya Sub-county district councilor seat, cited the abandoned Kantare–Rushekyera–Nyarubisi road. Constructed under the Agriculture Cluster Development Project after the COVID-19 lockdown, the road was only completed up to Rushekyera, leaving the Nyarubisi section untouched. Bandebaho said the incomplete road has severely affected transport between villages and business centers, especially during the rainy season, hindering farmers from accessing markets.
Nelson Atwongyeire, a candidate for the Rukiga LC5 chairperson seat, pointed to another incomplete Noozi–Butambi road, valued at UGX 1.6 billion and connecting Rukiga to Rubanda District. According to him, the contractor abandoned the project three years ago. Atwongyeire called on residents to organize a peaceful demonstration, saying it’s the only language the current leadership seems to understand.
Agnes Success, a resident of Muhanga Town Council, decried the deteriorating health sector, noting that most health workers frequently abscond from duty. She said that Mparo Health Centre IV the the district’s main health facility, compels patients to hire its ambulance when they are referred to Kabale and Mbarara Regional Referral Hospitals. She also criticized the district leadership for failing to respond to the ongoing nationwide strike by Arts teachers, which has disrupted learning in the area.
Samuel Namanya, a resident of Bulimya in Murushaki–Ibumba Parish, Rwamucuucu Sub-county, reported a severe water shortage affecting the community.
Barnabas Tugumisirie, Director of the Rukiga Forum for Development, said the district is plagued by rising incidents of mob justice, driven by weak security systems, delayed justice, and widespread lawlessness. He added that poverty levels are alarmingly high, and called for urgent intervention from the central government.
In response, Rukiga District Education Officer Vastine Beyendera urged residents to remain calm, acknowledging that the district is grappling with a limited budget. She defended the practice of patients contributing fuel for ambulance services, citing budget constraints. On the teachers’ strike, she clarified that it is a national issue beyond the district’s jurisdiction.
Rukiga Deputy Resident District Commissioner Enoch Wandera warned that anyone planning a demonstration must first seek clearance from police. He also dismissed claims that the district turned a blind eye to abandoned road projects, instead blaming delays on the rationalization of the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) into the Ministry of Works and Transport.
Meanwhile, Albert Taremwa, Director of Local Sustainable Communities Organization (LOSCO), said in partnership with the Uganda NGO Forum, they held a half-day workshop at Satellite Hotel in Rwahi aimed at advocating for human rights and economically empowering vulnerable communities. Taremwa noted that all concerns raised during the workshop will be compiled and shared with relevant government offices for further action.
