NEIGHBORHOOD ASSEMBLY A STRATEGY FOR BETTER SEVICE DELIVERY

It seemed like the seating parliament of Uganda in their usual session deliberating about the challenges of the community when the speaker introduced the cabinet of Nyahuka town council to members of parliament seating. Being a minister in your subcounty requires  research, consultation with the community and make a presentation on issues affecting the ministry to the community without consideration  for seating allowances and transport refund.  Imagine how we would save for a parliamentary session with minister debating on development  issue like they were deliberating on access to drugs without food for people living with HIV/AIDS without consideration for parliamentary seating allowances and the posh cars.   I am not surprised that the chairperson LC3 Nyahuka town council described the neighborhood assembly as for the initiative that has taught people how to fish for better service delivery in Nyahuka Town council.

For the people of Nyahuka town council their concern were people living with HIV/AIDS are given drugs but they have no food to eat and this has led people to die because of hunger as they  have no income generating projects.  Imagine the counselor for people with disabilities deliberating on 6,000,000 million shillings that was supposed to support the disabled people in Nyahuka town council but was misused because of lack of follow up by the leaders.  This issue generated a hot discussion in the neighborhood assembly to involve the mayor and the woman counselor. Cabinet members agreed to follow up the money at the district level. What about the unfair representation by the counselor who reported that the problem of Nyahuka Town council was roads yet their problem was water as addressed by Neighborhood assembly.  

The parliament (NA)was on fire when the youth representative presented the challenge of unemployment as they have become  a problem to their parents who have educated them and the members of parliament emphasized that the town council needs to introduce innovative  skills to help the youth like hand crafts. What about the youth affected by HIV who are stigmatized and the leaders were tasked to advocate for youth friendly services in the community. The parliamentarians were as well concerned by the challenge of lack of access to information from the town council to the community as well as the number of youth who are dropping out of school. In his response the town council counselor promised to follow up on some of the issues raised in the neighborhood assembly as well as continue supporting the neighborhood assembly. The CID Nyahuka had warned members of using such platforms to mobilize community members to rebel against their leaders but was disproved after the session

The neighborhood Assembly was attended among others by the Town Council Mayor, the representative town clerk for Nyahuka town council, the community, town council counselors, representatives of PWD, Representative from the association of people living with HIV/AIDS and the head of police, The head of internal security organization, youth leaders, Church leaders as well as over 70 community members. The meeting neighborhood was graced by Nyahuka person with disabilities drama group with music, dance and drama sessions declining service delivery to the vulnerable people.

Sheila K
RWECO