By George Busiinge

Nineteen teenage mothers in Buseruka sub-county, in Hoima district, near Kabalega International Airport, have acquired vocational training that has equipped them with skills to start income-generating activities.

The Hoima District Community Development Officer (CDO), Ebongo Kenneth, said the Hoima district leadership is worried because of the increasing number of girls between the ages of 15- 19 years who get pregnant.

He said the rising number of teenage pregnancies in the district needs attention from community leaders and parents. He was attending the graduation ceremony of the teenage mothers in Buseruka.

Babra Nakilinya and Tono Eva, both teenage mothers, dropped out of school after their parents stopped paying their school fees when they got pregnant. 

Tono graduated in tailoring after SBC, the company constructing Kabale International Airport thought about them and brought the vocational skilling program.

Tono confesses: “After acquiring a certificate in tailoring, I promise that am going to start saving money that will assist me to pay school fees for my daughter.”

She called upon her fellow teenage mothers not to lose hope come but the join the program.

Komakech Charles, the Chief Administrative Officer of Hoima district, says the project has given hope to teenage mothers; that they can do something to earn a living and look after their children.

Komakech also appreciated SBC and appealed to mothers who attained this training to use the skills acquired.

Amosi Muriisa, the Public Relations Officer of SBC, says that because of the influx of people in the area teenage pregnancy became common in Buseruka.

As part of their Cooperate Social Responsibility, SBC decided to skill these mothers so that they can earn a living and get money to pay school fees for their babies.

The Local Council (LC) 5 chairperson of Hoima district, Kadir Karungi, has died in a road accident while driving from Hoima to Kampala.

It is not yet what caused the late Friday night accident; police is gathering further information and is yet to make a statement.

Preliminary information that one other person believed to be Karungi’s bodyguard was also killed in the fatal accident.

The killer accident happened at Kateera on Hoima- Kampala highway.

By George Busiinge

In February 2018, SBC Uganda Ltd commenced the construction of Hoima International Airport. The initial handover of what has come to be known as the oil airport was in February 2022 but was later extended to June 2023.

Barely four weeks to the handover, SBC Uganda has laid down their tools due to the government’s failure to address some of the concerns like variations of material prices brought about by the global economic crisis and inflation, among other factors.

SBC Uganda has asked the government to revise the terms of the contract because the prices of materials used to construct the airport, like cement, steel and fuels, among others, have gone up and surpassed the contract money agreed upon.

The government has refused to give the contractor more money, saying that what was given to them is enough to complete the remaining work something that has angered and rattled SBC Uganda who has since absconded from work.

In January 2018, Standard Chartered Bank, with guarantees from the United Kingdom Export Finance agreed to lend Uganda 307 million Euros for the construction of Hoima International Airport for a period of three years.

State Minister of Works and Transport, Fred Byamukama, has unsuccessfully intervened in the matter, saying the work has overstayed and should be handed over on the agreed time frame or else SBC Uganda risks having the contract terminated.

The Minister has accused some top officials in the government of trying to swindle 28 Million Euros. He said they are currently carrying out investigations on some of the top government officials involved.

He has further revealed that the government will not face any legal implications because it is the contractor who is running away from work.

Amos Muriisa, the SBC Public Relations Officer, says they have had several engagements with the government but their concerns have not been attended to for close to one and a half years.

He has however distanced the company from the allegations of working with mafias in government to scam the said money.

The Hoima District Chairperson, Kadir Kirungi, has asked the government to intervene in the matter because some of the workers of SBC are the ones suffering yet they have families to look after.

Hoima District Resident District Commissioner, Rogers Mbabazi, has requested workers to stay calm as government settles its grievance with their employer.

By George Busiinge

Refugees and host communities in Hoima and Kikuube districts have recently received a multi-billion humanitarian, peacebuilding and development project.

The four-year project worth Sh60 billion dubbed Mutual Inter-Related Resilience Program was launched by the Ola Hallgren, the head of program cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden.

The Project is funded by Act Church of Sweden and will be implemented by the Norwegian Refugee Council, Action against Hunger and Lutheran World Federation.

Speaking during the launch, Ola noted that the project will help in improving the livelihoods of both refugees and host communities.

He commended Uganda for hosting refugees and having good policies which have helped to provide a good haven for the refugees from different countries.

He noted that Uganda currently hosts 1.3 million refugees while Kyangwali hosts 14,700 refugees. He says that donors will continue to give support to Uganda to improve on the livelihood of refugees and host communities.

Professor Augustus Nuwagaba, the project consultant commended funder of the project and warned the project implementers against the misuse of the funds.

He says that several projects have been funded with huge monies but the funds end up not befitting it targeted group due to poor management of the project.

Peter Karslsson Sjogren the Act Church of Sweden’s Africa Director says there is need to exercise transparency and accountability as they implement the project.

Moses Kapuroni, the Kikuube district chief administrative officer says the settlement is facing several social challenges and called for more support to improve on the lives of the people.