RWECO Members particpate in Labour Day

Photos by John B. Thawite (DIO Kasese)


Uganda has today May 1, 2010 joined the rest of the world to celebrate Labour’s Day at Nyakasanga play ground in Kasese district.This year, the main celebrations were held at Nyakasanga play ground, Kasese town, under the theme: “Entrepreneurship and skills; a pre-requisite for employment creation.”

The function has been attended by the President of Uganda H.E Yoweri Museveni, several government officials, Members of Parliament, representatives of workers unions, donor community, cultural institutions, human rights organisations and the resident citizens.

Uganda first marked Labour Day celebrations in 1963 and has continued to celebrate the day every year. Labour’s Day is a gazetted public holiday in Uganda.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) May 1st an international Labour Day in 1889.Since then the day has been celebrated by many countries including Uganda.

For RWECO, this celebration was preceded by training on how to document results for 20 CPf and 15 staff members of KALI. IWDP, GHFRD and RIC-NET.

East Africa Election Monitoring Process Roundtable held in Nairobi

Julius,James and John from KRC,RWECO CU and RIC-NET represented Rwenzori region at he East Africa Election Process Monitoring Workshop was held at the Ndemi Place, Ndemi Road off Ngong Road, Nairobi, Kenya.

The Workshop was organised as the first in a sequel of proposed round table discussions, to provide a platform for engaging the upcoming elections processes in the East Africa region. Rwanda and Tanzania will hold elections in August and October 2010 respectively while Uganda will follow in 2011 and Kenya in 2012. The Workshop therefore brought together HIVOS partners and other interested parties to map out common interests and concerns; outline possible interventions and strategies; and formulate roadmaps through which each stakeholder could engage in the elections processes. Of particular importance to the Workshop was appropriate and innovative ways of using ICTs as tools for effective monitoring and management of the elections processes.

Tamme Hansma the HIVOS Programme Officer, Human Rights and Democratisation (East Africa) made a few opening remarks. After introductions, the Facilitator, Ms Koki Muli gave an overview of the electoral cycle and process, which essentially set the pace and parameters for the Workshop. Jenny de Boer of TNO ICT, Tanya Notley of Tactical Tech, Ezekiel Massanja of LHRC, Reinier Battenberg of Fruits of Thought and Erik Hersman of Ushahidi made presentations on the work of their respective organisations. During plenary discussions and group work sessions, Participants were able to engage with the presenters, the presentations and with one another thus enriching the Workshop’s outcomes.

The Workshop was closed by Ms Will Janssen, HIVOS Representative.

The Workshop was facilitated by Ms Koki Muli while Ms Njeri Kang’ethe recorded the proceedings. Participants were drawn from HIVOS’ Partners and other interested parties and senior HIVOS’ staff.

Some of the outcomes of the Workshop were the strategies that were formulated by the Participants; and which to a great extent, informed the country action plans/roadmaps.

These strategies were:-
For every country, voter education must be a key intervention at every phase of the electoral cycle/process.

Law/Policy Reforms – points of entry must be found for each country e.g. Tanzania review process, Kenya Constitutional Review/Boundaries etc.

Whilst use of donors’ resources e.g. databases is encouraged, CSOs must maintain their autonomy.

Ways must be sought to collaborate with election management bodies to ensure co-operation and avenues of building on synergies rather than working at cross purposes.

CSOs must employ innovative ways of inspecting voter registration, e.g. sampling, collateral surveys.

A comprehensive, sustainable monitoring process that includes conduct of the media, politicians, voters themselves and other stakeholders should be put in place.
For every country a contingency plan should be put in place to deal with what ifs of an election, e.g., parallel votes.

Ways and means should be sought to formulate citizens’ manifesto for every country.

Ways and means of owning means of independent opinion polls should be sought.

There is need to establish a regional steering committee that coordinates the commonalities of the strategies arrived at; lessons learnt, etc. This should be replicated at the national level so that CSOs speak with one voice.

At the close of the Workshop that run from Thursday 4th – Friday 5th March 2010,, each country roadmaps were in place and the Participants had already diarised plans of action. Ms Will Janssen, HIVOS regional representative, offered the option that HIVOS will provide staff input to assist in keeping the momentum going.

This Report is a summary of the proceedings and key outcomes of the Workshop.

CITIZENS EFFORT IN ELECTIONS MONITORING PROCESS:

Greetings from the Rwenzori region, and updates on the planned citizens based action on elections monitoring process.

Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence (RWECO) has been joined by Kabarole Resource and Research Centre and Rwenzori Anticorruption Coalition to form an elections process monitoring platform that will monitor the electoral process in all the districts of the Rwenzori region (Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kabarole, Kamwenge and Kyenjojo (and the new creations thereof)).This brings a total of 77 sub counties (and new creations thereof) and about 1500 polling stations.

Amongst themselves RWECO and her partners already have a total of 700 grassroots monitors in all the sub counties of the mentioned Districts who are tracking service delivery and holding leaders accountable. These will be mobilized and additional 800 more recruited so each polling station is overseen by a monitor over the entire period of the electoral process (voter registration, display of registers, candidate registration, campaigns, actual polling and post elections).

RWECO plan to use web based tools to document and report on the electoral process and organize interface occasions between the citizens and the relevant electoral stakeholders to demand for and cause action on the issues documented and reported by the citizens.

Also, we intend to mobilize the citizens to formulate a citizen manifesto that will guide them to effectively engage with different candidates who will stand for different positions. We shall popularize the concept of citizens’ manifesto to influence or guide the way grassroots choose their leaders and hold them accountable.

Finally we intend to mainstream and promote peaceful resolution and management of conflicts in the electoral process and post election. We shall promote dialogue at all stages and among candidates and other stakeholders.

The uniqueness of this project is that it empowers citizens to mobilize each other, using a mix of both traditional and web based information and communications technologies, to participate actively in all stages of the electoral process and ensuring the process is free and fair.
It also links elections to the wider good governance picture by empowering citizens to make informed choices in choosing leaders based on mutually agreed terms of reference against which they will hold the leaders accountable. For instance, we plan to ask each person seeking leadership position to sign with the citizens a commitment to fight corruption once in power. The citizens will then hold this leader accountable by the signed commitment they make.

A Police man on defilement charges in KASESE

POLICE in Kasese are holding of their own on charges of alleged defilement charges.

The Kasese district officer in charge of criminal investigations department Abas Seenyonjo confirmed the developments when contacted for comment Jan.27 but declined to divulge the details of the case.

Ssenyonjo declined to reveal the identities of the suspect but our reporter has since established his identities from other sources as Sam Thembo the officer in charge of Kiburara police post in Kisinga sub-county Bukonzo county Kasese district.

According to the source within the police force which never wanted to be named because he is not authorized to talk to the press Thembo was picked from his place of work on Sunday and by press time he was still being held at Kasese police station as investigations continue.

Ssenyonjo said once investigations are complete Thembo’s file will be sent to the resident state attorney who will prefer charges against the accused and sanction if for court proceedings.

The CID boss decried of rampant cases of defilement in the district.

He however noted that some parents of the defiled girls report to police after negotiations with the suspect’s failure to pay the negotiated amount of money.

He said there is need for massive sensitization of the general public on the dangers failure to report defilement cases to relevant authorities.
by Michael Karugaba in Kasese

Rwenzori Peoples' Voice: Police summon Kasese town council officials over land sale

http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/-/688334/842980/-/whauc0/-/index.html

Police summon Kasese town council officials over land sale

Police in Kasese have summoned three senior officials of Kasese town council over alleged illegal sale of public land in the town. The accused are the town council chairman, Mr Cosmas Byaruhanga, the Deputy speaker, Mr Charles Masumbuko and the town clerk, Mr Wilson Musabe.
The trio were supposed to appear before the Officer in charge of Electoral, Political and Media crime, Mr Rashid Monday on Tuesday but by 5 pm none had appeared.
Mr Monday said the officers were attending an extra ordinary executive meeting but had promised to appear before his office to record statements.
Land in question
According to a press release from the District NRM office, the land in question includes the old taxi park on Speke Street, area near Nyakasanga police post along Kasese- Fort- Portal high way, the Lions Garden on Stanley Street and area behind Kasese town council offices along Rwenzori Road.
Authorities warned
The release signed by the party administrative secretary, Mr Buduwe Masitaki, warned town council authorities to back off from the sale of any public land.
The plot at old taxi park is currently being used by traders to off load their goods from Kampala and load for village trading centers.
When contacted, Mr Musabe denied knowledge of the summons.

Kasese Resident District Commissioner, Capt James Mwesigye, said he warned the town authorities against sale of any piece of land.

Mr Mwesigye, who also heads the Kasese District Anti-Corruption Committee added, “The agreements are done privately between the council authorities and the buyers but when they fail to agree or buy hot air that’s when they expose what was done in secret”.
By Colombus Tusiime.

Kasese district officials deny misuse of funds

Kasese district officials deny misuse of funds

Three Kasese District Local Government officials accused of alleged misuse of funds for a Gravity Water Flow Scheme have dismissed the reports as false and un researched .

The District Chief Finance Officer [CFO] Ferigo Kambale, Charles Police Mugisa the former chairperson of the Contracts Committee and the District Water Engineer Olweny Lamu stormed The New Vision in Kasese on Wednesday saying the reports were false and un researched.

The Sh. 720 million worth Gravity Flow Scheme is located in Mahango the sub-county comprising the steep mountains overlooking Kasese Municipality.

The trio were responding to a story in the January 10 Sunday Vision edition in which the Kasese Resident District Commissioner Captain James Mwesigye was quoted as ordering the police to arrest the three senior district officials..

“Yes, the RDC’s concerns were genuine . But he hurried in saying what he said because by that time the water project was not yet declared functional”, the trio said almost in chorus.

Earlier, the RDC had received reports from the general public in Mahango sub-county that there was no water flowing through the supply taps of the Gravity Water project system.

The RDC visited the affected area to see for himself and confirm the reports the basis on which he ordered police to take statements from the concerned district officials.

A source in the C.I.D .department at Kasese District Police headquarters confirmed that the trio on the orders of the RDC were called to police to make statements

Police later dispatched a team of investigators who went to Mahango and took pictures at various stand pipes, the police source who said he was not supposed to talk to the Press said on Wednesday [January 13].

The District Water Engineer said, “I had not even issued the Certificate of Verification because all of us were waiting to see if the contractor had done the expected work”, Olweny Lamu claimed.

The CFO said, ‘No money is released without the knowledge of the Chief Administrative Officer and I trust the working methods of the CAO”, Kambale said.

At that time, the deputy CAO Willy Bataringaya was the acting Chief Administrative Officer because the incumbent CAO Giles Kahika was on interdiction over allegations that he had got involved in recruitment of ghost Local Administration Police officers a case that was later waived off and reassumed office. MORE
John B.B.Nzinjah in Kasese 13/01/2010 Kasese district officials deny misuse of funds

The former chairperson of the Contracts Committee, Charles Police Mugisa explained that the contract to construct the gravity flow scheme was genuinely given to a Kasese based company called RUDO Investments Ltd

The New Vision attempts to locate the offices of the company in Kasese town were futile but sources said that the company was owned by two people one called Ruth and another known as Dorothy hence the name of the company RUDO Investments Ltd.

In a telephone contact an official in the Auditor General’s Office in Kasese said, “We are aware of the allegations but we cannot talk to the press and please do not attempt to reveal my name”.

“The RDC acted so early because the Water Engineer had not yet written to say the project had been completed and functional. He should have waited”, a member of the District Public Accounts Committee said but asked to be anonymous because the issue was still with police.

In a face to face contact with The New Vision, the chairperson of Mahango sub-county Community Project Implementation Committee Jackson Mbabo said, “According to the explanation of the Water Engineer, there had been a small mistake with the design of the scheme because after it was corrected, water is flowing and the people have no complaint”.

He said the scheme was designed to have 40 tap stands and that the source was supposed to release 2litres of water per second. “But the volume of water was not enough to adequately feed the number of stands rendering several of the tap stands starved”, Mbabo said.

Mbabo said that district had also later taped two other sources and integrated them into the main source of the scheme.

“And I think the people are happy enjoying the fruits of the NRM government. I do not see why there should be any farce about the project. We want harmony. I am even going now to tell the RDC that the problem had been handled and corrected”.
By John B.B.Nzinjah in Kasese 13/01/2010

Police to arrest three senior civil servants in KASESE

THE Kasese Resident District Commissioner, James Mwesigye, has ordered the Police to arrest three senior civil servants following allegations that they misappropriated over sh700m.
The accused are district water officer Lamu Olweny, the district finance officer Ferigo Kambale and the former chairperson of the district contracts committee Fred Mugisha.
The three recently recorded statements at Kasese police station and asked to report to police weekly.
They were summoned after Mwesigye instructed the Police to arrest them over misusing public money which was meant for the construction of a gravity water flow system.
Funded by Kasese district local government the gravity water project was to extend water services to the lower areas of Rukoki subcounty. Some parts of Mahango where water resources are scarce were also to benefit from the scheme.
Mwesigye explained that out of the 40 tap stands connected to the water system, 17 have never delivered a drop of water and that only five taps are functional.
"The money was meant to construct 40 tap stands but when I went to the area, I was shocked to see only five functional taps" The RDC told Sunday Vision on Friday.
Mwesigye noted that 18 of the tap stands have had water only once a year. When it comes; it is too slow and little to serve the population of over 2,000 families.

Adding a mobile component to the e-society pilot in Kasese

Background
HIVOS and its partners in the Rwenzori Region, namely KALI, IWDP, GHFRD and RIC-NET (working together under the name Rwenzori Consortium for Civic Competence, RWECO), are implementing a project titled “Enhancing Civic Competence to influence Local Government Planning and Feedback Processes in Rwenzori region”.

The overall objective of the project is “Making government structures affordable, transparent and efficient” (PEAP, 2004).

In relation to this bigger framework,RWECO in partnership with IICD and HIVOS have decided to run an e-society pilot in on one of the three districts (Kasese District). The project will use ICT in innovative ways in order to achieve the overall objective by adding a mobile component.

There are a number of identified challenges in using mobile phones to communicate and to access and disseminate information in Kasese. The most profound seems to be:
• Funding and affordability (total cost of ownership for users, innovative business models and billing plans for service delivery).
• Infrastructure (limited network coverage, network quality, electricity issues).
• Gender issues (men/women ownership and control).
• privacy issues
• Different networks, different tariffs.
• Surrounding supporting systems (trouble shooting, capacity building, user uptake, language , literacy issues, and customer care).
• Content (creation, management and relevance).
• Mistrust between citizens and the local governments, especially those at higher levels.
• Other challenges (segmentation, market strategies, lack of documentation and collaboration).
Here are some concrete examples on how mobile phones could add an extra value in the e-society:

Bulk SMS seems to be a key solution in e-society and can be used for sending out local news, alerts, announcements and reminders about upcoming meetings, events, radio shows, training etc.

It could also be used for sending out results from meetings, studies etc. An interactive bulk SMS program is preferred so that users can react on the content, for example challenge the agenda and come with suggestions, ideas and concerns.

Dedicated hotline (voice, SMS) for whistle blowing where people anonymously can alert (not report) on corrupt practices among civil servants and companies etc (see BungeSMS)

SMS quiz for civic education and awareness on good governance issues (see TextToChange). Voters’ education through quiz is another idea.

SMS polls to collect citizen opinions and priorities and forward them to local government, parliamentarians, media etc.

Mobile surveys and data collection for evaluation and monitoring purposes (see Episurveyor).

Kasese is surrounded by national parks and nature reserves and there are many conflicts between animals and farmers (animals are eating the farmers crop).
A warning system like one developed to track elephant movements in Amboseli, Kenya, could be used.

Public access solutions, for example using MTN's Village Phone Operators as a way improve service delivery and increase participation. It might be cost-effective to use smart phones and printers and notice boards as a way to reach out in areas where phone ownership is small.

45 pupils defiled and pregnant

About 45 pupils defiled and pregnant in the ten sub counties of Kasese district in the last three months.
Reasons for the above cases as put forward by respondents from the respective schools

Long distances traveled by pupils to school exposing them to defilers.

Parents sending their young girls to trading centre during late hours.

Poor relationship between parents-teacher-pupils where by parents does not allow teachers to punish their pupils in case of misbehavior.

Weak enforcement officers to punish those who defile the pupils. police sometimes do not handle these cases professionally leading to defilers being set free after sometime.

Interference of some politicians in the cases of defilement who encourage parents to discuss issues at their home without reporting them to police.
For full details of the list contact rweconews@gmail.com

NGO News Africa: Kasese District in Uganda to embrace information and communication technology.

NGO News Africa: Kasese District in Uganda to embrace information and communication technology.

RICNET meets with World Wide Web Foundation

It was a historical moment at the CTPH Tel-centre in the Queen Elizabeth National park when Mr. Murugahara John Silco-Director of RICNET, met with a team from World Wide Web Foundation. The team included Sir Tim Berners-Lee (founder/inventor of WWW), Rosemary Leith (the Director) and Stephane Boyera. Also present was Mr. Lawrence Zikusoka of CTPH and representatives from the local community served with the Tel-centres.

The World Wide Web Foundation is a new international grassroots non-profit founded by inventor of the Web, Sir Tim Berners-Lee, that seeks to advance the Web and empower people.
The foundation leads transformative programs to advance the Web as a medium that empowers people to bring about positive change.

By funding research, technology development, and outreach, the Web Foundation strives to enable all people to share knowledge, access services, conduct commerce, participate in good governance, and communicate in creative ways, so they can improve their lives and communities.

RICNET, which is a network of information centres (Tel-centres) in the Rwenzori region wishes to have a close cooperation with WWW Foundation to boost it’s support in the use of ICT and the Web to share relevant, timely information on public health, agricultural best practices, pests & Diseases, Crop markets, environmental protection and weather patterns, and early warning system on disasters with in the community.

The network also ensures that it bridges the Digital Divide that exists between the rich and the rural poor by providing ICT equipments and training to the rural community centres.

RIC-NET is working with district local governments in the region to enhance information sharing among the different stakeholders in the district.

A case in point is the revival and updating of districts’ websites e.g. www.kasese.go.ug , offer relevant trainings in web 2.0 tools and other packages, support districts with e-society centres (that include a district civil society organisations’ (CSO) portal, public sms platform and ICT equipment).

For more information, you can visit www.webfoundation.org , www.ricnet.info or http://rwecovoice.blogspot.com

I support the Web Foundation and invite you to join me!

Kasese District starts an e-society Centre

"This is the way to easy information sharing among district staff, the CSOs, the development partners and citizens”. This echoes the words spoken by a member of Kasese CSOs after a brief ceremony of signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Kasese District Local Government and Rwenzori Information Centres Network (RICNET) on 26th Nov.2009 in the office of the Deputy District Chief Administrative Officer.
Within the spirit of Public private partnership operationalized by the district in 2006, RICNET is to kick-start the setting up of the District Information Desk that will be the ICT hub for Kasese e-society.
The e-society answers the issue of inadequate access to timely and relevant information, a key aspect that limits citizens' effective participation in the planning and monitoring processes in the district.
with RIC-NET's support, the district is to get a full internet connected resource centre (District Information Desk) comprising of twelve (12)computers, a multipurpose photocopier ( printer and scanner) and other tools, all valued at about Shs. 24 million.
The district will provide the physical space for the resource centre (under the District information office), equip the room with furniture, and ensure equipment safety, optimal use and sustainability.
The e-society establishment entails aspect as: training District local government staff and some CSO staff ( working in thematic areas of: water, Education, Health, human rights and good governance) in the use of information sharing platforms such as d-groups, blogs, wikis and other web 2.0 tools; Kasese CSO portal enabling CSOs to upload/share the information available at their specific offices, and a mobile SMS technology platform enabling the citizens to express their opinion/ feedback on pertinent governance issues to the District leadership.
The 24-months agreement, signed by the Deputy CAO Kasese, Willy Bataringaya and the Director RIC-NET, John Murugahara Silco follows a series of partnership activities between Kasese district and RIC-NET, such as a round-table dialogue meeting in July 2009, updating the district website (www.kasese.go.ug), and training some staff in web 2.0 tools, several weekly radio talk shows and thematic dialogue meetings. http://rwecovoice.blogspot.com
The e-society is implemented with financial support from the European Union (EU) and HIVOS; and with technical support from IICD.

ICT Self Neeeds Assessment

The Civil Society Organisation in Kasese, with Rwenzori Information Centres Network (RIC-NET) as the activity lead agency, and the Kasese District Local Government under the policy frame work of Public Private Partnership(PPP)are implementing an e-society project in Kasese; a platform that will facilitate effective information sharing among the CSOs,Citzens and Kasese local Government.

In order for RIC-NET to tailor the upcoming training intervention to best suit the needs of the participants (CSO staff and KDLG staff), a needs assessment form has been formulated and can now be accessed from are kindly requested to complete the Skills and Training Needs Assessment Form now found at the District Information officer's Desk, at Rural information centres in the District (BIC,ORDISEF,BRIC, RWETEL) or click on ICT assessment on URL http://dgroups.org/iicd/kasese

The form is not intended to test or judge your level of skill, but rather to provide the training and curriculum designer with direct personal input regarding the areas of relevant (ICT) skills in which participants feel they need assistance.

Please complete the form and return it to Training Coordinator (Mr. John Thawite for KDLG or M John Silco and Balikenga Timothy from RIC-)as soon as possible but not later than 27th Nov 2009.

Instructions
Tick the option that apply to you or write what is required in the space provide. Summarize your ideas to fit in the space provided when required.

Thank you very much in advance.


RIC-NET and IICD

E-society activities going on well

Several consultation have been going on on what can be priority for implementation of the district e-society.

The e-society activities planned for kasese District are going well but implementation will be gradual and some times sequential.

1.There is a ICT needs assessment going from mid November to find out what ICT capacity the CSOs have and their gaps. trained will be done in second phase based on the assessment.

2.The District CSO portal is being built using the ELGG technology.This will enable CSO to update individual their own page or upload information any time.

3.The updating of the District website is on going. www.kasese.go.ug

4.Setting up of the District Information Desk is in the process.

5.After signing the MOU with the District authorities, some ICT equipments will be supplied to the District.

There is District d-group (a platform for people to share ideas) if you wish to join send request to kasese1@gmail.com