Long-standing challenges in health service delivery, education infrastructure, and rural accessibility in Rukiga District are beginning to ease following the commissioning of key community projects by the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) ahead of the Tarehe Sita celebrations on 6 February 2026.
The projects, commissioned by the State Minister for Internal Affairs, Hon. David Muhoozi, directly target critical service gaps that have for years affected residents, health workers, and learners across the district.
At Mparo Health Centre IV, the absence of a dedicated paediatric unit had constrained quality care for children. This gap has now been addressed through the commissioning of a Paediatric Patients’ Department, constructed in memory of Afro-Nasa Kangiro Joseph, Joseph Bitwari, and Karambuzi James, who were killed during the Idi Amin regime in 1981.
In addition, inadequate medical supplies and basic ward facilities had hampered patient care across several health centres. The UPDF responded by donating euro forms, waste bins, and bedsheets to Mparo HC IV, Kitanga HC III, and Kashambya HC III, improving sanitation and patient comfort.
Another major challenge has been the lack of accommodation for health workers, particularly at Kitanga Health Centre III, where staff previously rented far from the facility, affecting response times and service delivery.
The newly commissioned two-storeyed modern staff block is expected to stabilize staffing and improve healthcare access for the surrounding communities.
Minister Muhoozi emphasized that with accommodation challenges addressed, health workers are now better positioned to serve the public efficiently.
In the education sector, overcrowding at Katungu Primary School had reached critical levels, with more than 600 pupils sharing only three classrooms. This situation undermined effective learning and classroom management.
The commissioning of a modern two-classroom block has eased pressure on existing facilities, creating a more conducive learning environment. However, school administrators noted that challenges such as teacher shortages, aging classroom structures, and school security concerns still require attention.
Katungu Primary School Headteacher, Ms. Judith Ninsiima, welcomed the intervention, describing it as a timely response to a pressing educational need.
Poor rural infrastructure, particularly during the rainy season, has long disrupted movement and access to essential services in parts of Rukiga. The Nyakarambi–Kangondo Bridge in Mparo Ward was a major bottleneck, often cut off by floods, affecting residents, traders, and schoolchildren.
The newly commissioned bridge is expected to significantly improve transport safety, economic activity, and school attendance, especially during periods of heavy rainfall.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremonies, Gen. Muhoozi noted that the UPDF’s involvement in community projects reflects a broader shift toward people-centred security and development.
“The UPDF has fundamentally changed into a pro-people force, working hand-in-hand with citizens for the collective good of the nation,” he said.
Local leaders, including Kitinda Village LC I Chairperson Innocent Musoke, described the projects as practical interventions that respond to everyday community problems rather than symbolic gestures.
The event attracted several leaders and aspirants, including Dr. Sylvia Alinaitwe, Hon. Capt. Damson Christmas Kivumba, and Michael Kwarikunda Mbareba, underscoring the political and social importance of addressing service delivery challenges at the grassroots.
As Uganda marks another Tarehe Sita anniversary, the Rukiga projects highlight how the UPDF’s outreach programmes are increasingly being used to confront healthcare, education, and infrastructure deficits, while reinforcing the army’s evolving role in national socio-economic transformation.
