“We have four hundred CBO/NGOs in Kabarole District, but not all are compliant to the law and functional” remarked Mr. Tadeo Balisanga the Community Development Officer (CDO) Kabarole District.
Mr. Balisanga said this at the NGO evaluation meeting held on 22.02.12 at Mucwa. Opening the meeting Balisanga noted that his office is mandated to register, coordinate and monitor the operations of all CBO/NGOs in the District. He however apologized for the continued inconsistence in conducting NGO coordination meetings which he attributed to inadequate resources.
Mr. Balisanga informed the meeting that he had received a communication from NGO Board warning him of the increased NGO operations in the country which need to be closely monitored because some of these organizations are allegedly involved in criminal campaigns/work. Accordingly NGO Board had requested his office for an update of all the registered organizations in the District and what they do; and to this he had called for this evaluation meeting.
Explaining the purpose of the meeting, Mr. Balisanga said it is to get all the organizations in Kabarole together to share their work with the District because many NGOs are doing work that the Government is not aware of. The meeting was to also remind the different organizations to regularly update/renew their registration with the District every two years.
He added that all organizations are expected to share their reports, budgets, and work plans with the District, asserting that “if Government can display their work plans and budgets why not Civil Society, I challenge you to walk the talk”
Responding to the CDO’s communication, members raised a number of issues expressing their dissatisfaction over the relationship between the District leadership and their operations. Members noted that most times both District and sub county leaders shun away from CBO/NGO meetings whenever called upon especially those that are not financially or adequately facilitated. This they said has created a big gap between the two parties and has left either suspicious of the other.
Lack of routine monitoring of CBOs/NGOs by the District leadership was also raised by the members saying this is the reason why Government has continuously undermined the contribution of CSOs in society and also gets them framing CSOs as anti-Government agents.
Commenting on the unrecognized contribution CSOs were making in Society one Mr. Mihanji of Parents Concern revealed that his Organization had built eight permanent houses for widows in Fort portal Municipality alone costing over 180million but it is unfortunate that the District/Municipality is not even aware and appreciative of this. He appealed for a closer collaboration between Government and CSOs.
In addition to this, the meeting also appreciated the fact that many organizations are not familiar with the NGO policy and requirements and at this it was recommended that the office of the CDO should get this policy distributed to the CBOs/NGOs in the District.
Summing up the discussion, several other recommendations/appeals were made by the members. These included;
1. Government to revamp her monitoring system of NGOs, challenging that why has Government always complained of Briefcase organizations yet they have never exposed or closed up any especially in Kabarole District.
2. The District to call for bi-annual coordination meetings of all CBOs/NGOs in the District.
3. The CDO’s office to mobilize/fundraise monies to conduct the coordination meetings from the different organizations in the District incase his office is not in position to facilitate them.
4. CDO’s at the sub county level should be tasked to also conduct similar meetings and monitoring visits of the CBOs/NGOs in their sub counties.
5. The District should consider extending the funds allocated for capacity building to CBOs and NGOs as well.
6. RIC-NET to support the CDO in mobilizing other organizations for coordination meetings through its bulk Sms program.
7. CBOs/NGOs to routinely share their work plans, budgets and reports with the District and the CDO is to develop a particular reporting and work plan format and share it with all organizations for uniformity.
8. All the CBOs that did not come along with their certificates of registration, work plans, budgets and reports should ensure that they are availed to the office of the CDO by end of February 2012.
Closing the meeting the RDC, Kabarole District thanked the office of the CDO for conducting such a meeting and especially for inviting him to this meeting which he said is the first of its kind that he has attended in the Rwenzori region. He thanked all the members for the great work that their organizations are doing in their different fields of work.
He said Government appreciates the role and contribution of CSOs and would never take it for granted. He apologized for the poor monitoring and collaboration and promised that he was going to ensure that this weakness is addressed.
He advised members to work towards making their organizations self sustaining with less reliability on donor funding because this will keep them in business after the donor funding ends.
He however warned that he was going to institute a committee to keenly study the operations and visibility of all the organizations in the District and he will make sure that at least by the end of this year the number has been reduced to 300 only or less because many organizations are not functional any way while some are allegedly undermining Government efforts.
This meeting was attended by approximately 45 members from the different CBOs and NGOs in Kabarole District.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Thursday, February 2, 2012
The vice of corruption exists but it’s not political
“Some leaders have not yet conceptualized the reason why they are in leadership, and this is one of the biggest challenges and obstacles to development, Good Governance and improved service delivery” asserted the Kasese District Speaker Hon. Zepher Mubingwa.
He noted thus while presenting a paper on the District Position on Effective Service Delivery and Participation of the Citizenry in Governance of resources at the District Leaders Meeting organized by GoodHope Foundation and RWECO Coordinating Unit on 01.02.12 at Kasese SSD Hall.
Hon. Zepher Mubingwa was one of the six (6) leaders who turned up for the leaders meeting out of the invited and expected seventeen (17) leaders in the District. Hon. Geoffry Lubangula District Youth Councilor, Hon. Adongkara for Mayor, Vice Chairperson Karusandara Sub County, LCIII Chairman Nyakiyumbu Sub County, LCIII Chairman Bulembia Division and LCIII Chairman Maliba Sub County were the only leaders that turned up for the meeting.
Frustrating as it unveiled, the meeting nevertheless proceeded with some leaders standing in to present for the absent leaders. The meeting whose purpose was to review the progress on the fulfillment of the regional issues in the Citizen’s Manifesto by leaders and to sensitize stakeholders on the concept of Citizen Manifesto and Neighborhood Assemblies still achieved its objectives at the end of the day, courtesy of the few leaders that turned up.
In his presentation, the District Speaker Hon. Zepher Mubingwa challenged the participants to tell him how many people in Kasese vote Candidates basing on their Manifestos; he together with the participants agreed that largely most decisions are not based on their (voters) knowledge of the candidates’ manifestos but rather personal sentimental attachments or bandwagon influence. He added that it’s unfortunate that many development programs and Candidates’ Manifestos are drafted by individuals without the in-put of those they intend to lead. He thanked RWECO/GoodHope for this Citizen Manifesto program which he noted will help in merging the two to shape the delivery of services to the people.
Explaining the position of the District/Government’s on Effective Service Delivery and Participation of the Citizenry in Governance of resources, the Honorable noted that Government is the sole provider of social services and its main task is the creation of a favorable environment for development. He revealed that Kasese District Local Government is committed to improving service delivery and ensuring a poverty free society by 2015.
He added that the District intends to achieve this through encouraging people’s participation in development programs and processes - bottom up planning; “this planning will enable government to capture the people’s needs” he remarked.
He hailed Government for the policy/law framework although he regretted to note that Uganda on the other hand has continuously failed to implement these good laws and policies. “There is still very limited will to enforce these laws; I think we are defeating ourselves” Mubingwa Lamented.
Among other challenges to improved service delivery the Honorable noted; irresponsible citizens and leaders. He said under the UPE program parents irresponsibly have convinced themselves that they have no role to play while some leaders have continued to take citizen’s concerns and Government programs for granted whereas others have embarked on mismanagement of public resources. Interestingly Hon. Mubingwa said that while corruption/mismanagement of public resources is being practiced by both NRM and Opposition, it has most often been associated with/tagged to one party-NRM; “ I with due respect acknowledge that the vice of corruption exists but it’s not political, and, thus should not be attached to NRM alone” he remarked. Inadequate resources and lack of specialized Human resource were also named among the challenges.
Summing up his presentation the District Speaker pledged Government support and cooperation to CSOs and RWECO in particular in all her programs and activities.
Other topics discussed during the meeting included the youth and unemployment: steps and programs by Government to make the youth engage in work and Women as Vanguards of development: has Parliament delivered on its promises. These sessions pointed out Government’s interventions in extending services to the two interest groups and also got the participants into debates on Government’s shortfalls in delivering services and what can be done to address these hiccups.
Bravo to all the leaders that turned up, without you we would not have realized the day’s objectives and also heard the vast information that you shared.
Still wondering what happens when leaders shun a leaders meeting?; it still goes on my dear, big ups are given to those leaders that turn up while the absentees are entered into the Voters black books till then……
He noted thus while presenting a paper on the District Position on Effective Service Delivery and Participation of the Citizenry in Governance of resources at the District Leaders Meeting organized by GoodHope Foundation and RWECO Coordinating Unit on 01.02.12 at Kasese SSD Hall.
Hon. Zepher Mubingwa was one of the six (6) leaders who turned up for the leaders meeting out of the invited and expected seventeen (17) leaders in the District. Hon. Geoffry Lubangula District Youth Councilor, Hon. Adongkara for Mayor, Vice Chairperson Karusandara Sub County, LCIII Chairman Nyakiyumbu Sub County, LCIII Chairman Bulembia Division and LCIII Chairman Maliba Sub County were the only leaders that turned up for the meeting.
Frustrating as it unveiled, the meeting nevertheless proceeded with some leaders standing in to present for the absent leaders. The meeting whose purpose was to review the progress on the fulfillment of the regional issues in the Citizen’s Manifesto by leaders and to sensitize stakeholders on the concept of Citizen Manifesto and Neighborhood Assemblies still achieved its objectives at the end of the day, courtesy of the few leaders that turned up.
In his presentation, the District Speaker Hon. Zepher Mubingwa challenged the participants to tell him how many people in Kasese vote Candidates basing on their Manifestos; he together with the participants agreed that largely most decisions are not based on their (voters) knowledge of the candidates’ manifestos but rather personal sentimental attachments or bandwagon influence. He added that it’s unfortunate that many development programs and Candidates’ Manifestos are drafted by individuals without the in-put of those they intend to lead. He thanked RWECO/GoodHope for this Citizen Manifesto program which he noted will help in merging the two to shape the delivery of services to the people.
Explaining the position of the District/Government’s on Effective Service Delivery and Participation of the Citizenry in Governance of resources, the Honorable noted that Government is the sole provider of social services and its main task is the creation of a favorable environment for development. He revealed that Kasese District Local Government is committed to improving service delivery and ensuring a poverty free society by 2015.
He added that the District intends to achieve this through encouraging people’s participation in development programs and processes - bottom up planning; “this planning will enable government to capture the people’s needs” he remarked.
He hailed Government for the policy/law framework although he regretted to note that Uganda on the other hand has continuously failed to implement these good laws and policies. “There is still very limited will to enforce these laws; I think we are defeating ourselves” Mubingwa Lamented.
Among other challenges to improved service delivery the Honorable noted; irresponsible citizens and leaders. He said under the UPE program parents irresponsibly have convinced themselves that they have no role to play while some leaders have continued to take citizen’s concerns and Government programs for granted whereas others have embarked on mismanagement of public resources. Interestingly Hon. Mubingwa said that while corruption/mismanagement of public resources is being practiced by both NRM and Opposition, it has most often been associated with/tagged to one party-NRM; “ I with due respect acknowledge that the vice of corruption exists but it’s not political, and, thus should not be attached to NRM alone” he remarked. Inadequate resources and lack of specialized Human resource were also named among the challenges.
Summing up his presentation the District Speaker pledged Government support and cooperation to CSOs and RWECO in particular in all her programs and activities.
Other topics discussed during the meeting included the youth and unemployment: steps and programs by Government to make the youth engage in work and Women as Vanguards of development: has Parliament delivered on its promises. These sessions pointed out Government’s interventions in extending services to the two interest groups and also got the participants into debates on Government’s shortfalls in delivering services and what can be done to address these hiccups.
Bravo to all the leaders that turned up, without you we would not have realized the day’s objectives and also heard the vast information that you shared.
Still wondering what happens when leaders shun a leaders meeting?; it still goes on my dear, big ups are given to those leaders that turn up while the absentees are entered into the Voters black books till then……
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Voicing the Silence Campaign- be our companion
Voice the Silence and cry aloud against corruption and poor service delivery by our leaders and companies.
Save lives from the condemnation of invisible death.
"Rushwa ni Adui ya maendeleo" or "Corruption is an enemy to development"
Are you aware of this:
- 1.1 billion people in developing countries have inadequate access to water.
- 2.6 billion people lack basic sanitation.
- 30,000 children die each day due to poverty, that's 210,000 a week, and almost 11 million per year.
And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.”
At any given time, half the people in developing nations are suffering from health problems caused by water and sanitation deficits.
Source: http://www.globalissues.org
Share this with a friend and talk with your leader to change this trend.
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