Tororo District Data Base

2006-11-20T01:12:00.000-08:00

AGRICULTURAL COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION THRIVES IN TORORO.

By The Districts NAADS Coordinator.

ONE would think that Tororo district being at the Kenyan border mainly depends on cross border trade and smuggling but don’t be fooled, the situation is totally too different in most parts of the district.

In the north of the district some five kilometer drive away from the town center there exists established farmers who have opted to change the impression by depending on progressive farming system.

Leuben Angopa has engaged in a vigorous exercise to introduce citrus growing particularly hybrid oranges for commercial purpose under NAADS Program. Angopa says since the inauguration of NAADS three years ago, he has managed to expand on his farm to currently over five acres of citrus plantation.

He appreciates that NAADS for having encouraged formation of Local Farmers Groups (LFGs) scheme to promote enterprise farming activities and scheme has spread to all sub counties implementing NAADS programme and the scheme has spread to all sub counties implementing NAADS programme in the District.

“Tororo currently boasts of over 500 hectares of exotic oranges, which shows a fairly good fight against hunger, and poverty.”

In ate 1980’s and1990’s almost none of the farmers had interest in undertaking the enterprise agriculture with the misconception that was almost expensive enterprise to handle.

To day NAADS programme has exposed farmer to various skills and technologies that has enabled them to conduct budding and grafting seedlings by themselves because such seedlings used to be too expensive and only accessed in established National Agricultural Research Institutes like Kawanda, Serere, Namulonge among others

“The production of oranges has eased education of my children and my daily income has also increased and I can do my own budget at my own time” Angopa says. “However we are experiencing lack of market locally a real challenge to the progress of the citrus enterprise but never the less we will not give up.”

Similarly bee farming in Tororo district is also plentitive and persistent says that Benjamin olem one of the successful bee keeper in Mukuju Sub County.

“I started this enterprise after undertaking serious training under NAADS and I felt that I should portray the skills acquired from the training practically because I saw it as one of he potential enterprises that needs little capital for its start up”.
“The most important input is that the bees themselves are collected from the wild with profit so far he gains from other enterprises that were directly funded by the NAADS. Olem is set to expand his enterprise.”

Olem says bee keeping is simple and require very little space and management. He one just needs to collect bees into catcher usually a small wooden box with holes around the bottom edge. Smear bits of honey to attract more bees into the catcher, when the bees are enough, then transfer them to a large beehive where they are left to build a nest of honeycombs.”

“The bee’s hives can be tied to tree or put on signpost in a shady area but placing bee hives near fruit or flowered trees is advisable because it ensures more sources of nectar and pollen for honey production”.

After six months, the honey is harvested always used at home made device of burning grass which produces smoke and keep the bees on one side of the hive while I remove the bee combs.

He says that leaves a few combs behind for the bees to feed on and persuade them from shifting due to inconveniences made in the evening when the bees are less active, he takes honey combs he has harvested and squeezes with the.

“Just use my hands to squeeze but in future when my enterprise expands as its my proposal I will need to acquire a mechanical presser to speed up the processing” Olem says.

“I am proud that since NAADS started implementing its activities in the district it has made me resourceful everyday I have to earn not less than Ushs 2000 a day that I get from selling some of my farm produce.”

“It has even enabled me to expand my house that thought would not have done and I have the potential to make my own domestic budget and raise school fees for my children.”

My message to my fellow farmers is that let us put what ever knowledge we get out of training into practice we shall give a kick back to poverty I am working tirelessly to see to it that I become potential honey producer and exporter in Tororo district”

“I can’t wait for a night fall before he can process more honeys he to earn some money tomorrow.”

2006-11-09T06:52:00.000-08:00

NEWS

Otala Re-Launches National Iodine Day.

Dr. Emmanuel Otala State Minister for Primary Health Care yesterday re-launched national iodine day at Tororo St George memorial stadium and asked all the wanachi to stress consumption of iodized salt in their homes.

Otala said that lack of sufficient iodine causes Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) which leads to serious implications such as still birth, miscarriages, goiter, Staten growth and deafness among others.

“We must stress eating iodized salt because it has also very severe adverse consequences in our households, education sector and economy and the nation as well.”

“Iodine deficiency disorders program started in 1994 and was officially launched in 1995 by the first lady Janet Museveni at International Conference centre to give it a high political profile.”

“After decade we can celebrate to having eliminated iodine deficiency disorders as a public problem because Uganda has now achieved World Health Organization (WHO) standard to be declared IDD free” the Otala added.

Tororo woman Member of Parliament Grace Oburu called upon government to ensure that all salt that enters this country through the boarders of Malaba and Busia are iodized.

“I implore security to tighten all the entry points to stop importation of un iodized salt since Tororo was not chosen to host this day by mistake but because of law consumption of iodized salt.”

The consumption of iodized salt in eastern region is at 65% unlike western and central which stand at over 90%.

She discouraged mothers from buying cheap salt so as to avoid health complications like still birth, miscarriages and abortions.

The function was attended by Executive Director Uganda National Bureau of Statistics (UNBS) Assistant Commissioner Child Health, RDC LCV chairman CAO, DDHs and his worship the Mayor among others.

Iodine Deficiency Disorders remains unknown. UNICEF

Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD) in Uganda remains unknown and unrecognized by the vast majority of Ugandans populations United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) official said yesterday during the re-launch of national iodine day at St George memorial stadium in Tororo.

“The situation in Uganda is that as a land locked country surrounded by highland areas, we remain at the risk of iodine deficiency because studies carried in the mid sixties to seventies indicated that IDD was a problem in some low land and high lands areas of this country.”

Brenda Kaijuka the project officer at UNICEF said that yet iodine deficiency can have harmful consequences for human health and socio economic development and lack of it in our daily diet is the leading cause of preventable mental retardation in children.

“In order to address the IDD problem in Uganda , UNICEF has since 1994 supported the government’s efforts in ensuring universal salt iodization in addition to continued support to prevent and control other micronutrients deficiencies.”

She said that this drive has dramatically cut down the number of affected IDD in half over the last ten years.

“In1990s less than one in five household consumed iodized salt while today coverage has soared levels indicating that it has 69% protecting newborns against IDD”

“An assessment of the IDD situation in Uganda conducted in December 1995 found that Uganda has achieved the international targets set by world health organization WHO of attaining 90% of households with adequately iodized salt” she added.

2006-10-29T23:15:00.000-08:00

NEWS

TORORO DISTRICT CHAIRMAN WARNS ON DESERTIFICATION

Tororo District Chairman Emanuel Osuna has warned that the district will soon experience desertification if nothing is done to save the environment from destructive human activities.

He said the district today experiences poor rainfall distribution patterns because of massive felling of trees and bush burning which he blamed on charcoal burners and timber harvesters.

Osuna’s warning comes in less than two weeks since he launched a comprehensive tree planting campaign through out the district

“It’s crucial that each household at least planted ten tree seedlings to ensure a sound environmental management because Tororo like many districts in Uganda, survival of the population depends on their rational utilization of the natural resources,” Osuna said.

He further advised local council ones to enact bye-laws to punish criminals who are destroying the environment without planting even a single tree seedling.

The first phase of the tree planting campaign is targeted mainly sub counties and primary schools. He called upon all concerned donor communities to take on environmental conservation intiatives in the district.

TORORO NUMBER TWO IN HEALTH SERVICE DELIVERY

Dr David Okumu Tororo District Director of Health Services Friday 27th October 2006 announced that this year Tororo District emerged second best in the delivery of health services in the whole country.

Okumu revealed this during a monthly assessment departmental meeting held at the District teachers’ resource center.

Okuma said that Tororo District in financial year 2005-2006 registered low early child death, maternal and mortality rates unlike other district in the country which had their raising instead.

In 2003-2004 Tororo District was rated 1st but due to some challenges, they dropped to the second position to the 5th position in the financial year 2003-2004

He attributed this success to his very committed health team in the district the jovial Doctor said amid cheers from his fellow heads of departments.

Okumu assured his colleagues that come next year we shall to return to the top.

2006-10-29T22:56:00.000-08:00

Tororo District Local Government Information/Public Relations Office
Service Commitment
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"We are optimistic that our work will make a difference in its cardinal principles, it will always fight for progress and reform, never tolerate injustice or corruption, always fight demagogues of all parties, never belong to any party and always oppose privileged classes and public plunderers.
Never lack sympathy with the oppressed, always remains devoted to the public welfare, never be satisfied with merely printing news but always be drastically independent, never be afraid to attack wrong, whether by predatory, plutocracy or predatory poverty."
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2006-10-25T03:30:00.000-07:00

TORORO DISTRICT STARTS TREE PLANTING CAMPAIGN DRIVE 2006

Tororo District Local Government is located in Eastern Uganda. It borders with the Republic of Kenya to the East, Bugiri District to the West, Palisa and Buteleja to north and Busia to the south. It has a total area of 1175 sq.km. It physically lies between longitude 33 & 34 degrees East and latitude 0 & 1 degree North.

Tororo District Local Government has two rural counties which include West Budama and Tororo Counties and 15 rural sub-counties and one in town. The Municipality, which forms the third County, has two divisions’ i.e. Western Division and Eastern Division.

Tororo District Local Government has a total population of 402,621 with sex ratio of 94.9 9 for every 100 females. The population growth rate is at 2.7% and 90.9% of the population lives in the rural area whereas only 9.1% are the urban residents.

Tororo District is a Local Government and like many districts in Uganda, the survival of the population depends on their rational utilization of the natural resources and sound management of the environment. To ensure that the public understands and participates in sound environmental management, the district has launched a crucial environment awareness campaign.

Similar to any other type of campaign, the district on 20th and 21st of October launched a tree planting drive in the whole district mainly in primary schools and Sub County Headquarters.

This is because environmental awareness which starts early in life should be introduced in the formal institutions so as get integrated into the system. The district zeroed on these institutions because they can effectively cope with this new challenge to promote environmental awareness both through non-formal and informal channels.

Primary education represents the minimum education which every individual should receive to live a good and useful life in Uganda. In 1997, government has introduced free primary education for at least four children from each family which will greatly reduce illiteracy level in the population.

Tororo District Local Government also plans in future to equip the households at sub counties and primary schools with appropriate skills and attitudes with which to interpret and develop a friendly environment.

At the informal level, the main focus will be on members of the local council executives, local environment committee, community group (youth and women) and religious organizations. Members in these groups will have access to many more people and the moment they are environmentally aware, transfer of the knowledge would be faster.

At lower levels, it will be the responsibility of the local authorities whose focus would be the wider rural urban communities. Within the framework of the decentralization process (both local government and environment management), this will not be difficult because the institutional arrangements is already provided for. For example the district will utilize the office of the environmental officer who is at the sometime be the secretary to the District Environment Committee (DEC) to provide technical guidance to Local Environment Committees (LECs)

Non governmental and community based organizations or any other groups are being encouraged to engage in environmental education or awareness campaign at this level too. Since these organizations are in most cases working with/for grassroot communities, they shall reach more people and have a bigger impact if they integrated environmental awareness in their activities.

At the national level, we hope the Ministry Of Education in conjunction with NEMA shall be responsible for supporting and encouraging environmental education in schools. These institutions have the mandate to supervise and monitor the quality of environmental education imparted to pupils. The Ministry of Local Government could also be involved at the policy level to minimize intersectoral conflicts which may arise during operations.

Compiled by:
Francis X Orono &
Solomon Onyango
Information/Public Relations office
Tororo District Local Government
P.o Box 100, Tororo Uganda.

2006-10-25T02:19:00.000-07:00

TORORO DISTRICT COUNCIL 2006-2011

DISTRICT EXECUIVE COMMITEE

Hon Emmanuel Osuna: District Chairman
Hon Martin Etoori: Vice Chairman /Secretary Finance, Planning, Admin & Investment
Hon Onyango Okirol: Secretary Production Environment & Security
Hon Jox Jabwana Okong: Secretary Works, Roads & Transport
Hon Sarah Apadet: Secretary Youth, Gender & Social Services.
Hon Simon Opio: District Speaker
Hon Wilson Owait Deputy District speaker

DISTRICT COUNCILLORS
Hon Micheal Mijasy
Hon Alefred Oketcho Ochwo
Hon John C. Ochwo
Hon Alex Okoth Owor
Hon Joseph Epaluna Ojwang
Hon Patrick Opol
Hon Margret Akoth
Hon Jane Emokol
Hon Michela Orisa Owor
Hon Ignatius Okong Okiror
Hon Christine Adikini
Hon Isaac Omella
Hon Tony Okae
Hon Jockelyne Aya
Hon Yerusa Ochwo
Hon Lydia Naketcho
Hon John Okea
Hon Susan Olowo
Hon Justine Ayo
Hon Connie Owor
Hon John Kapere
Hon Joseph Okware
Hon Peter Omuse
Hon Rose Omongoyel
Hon Grace Amoit
Hon Gladys Omella
Hon Silevre Owere Oketcho

2006-10-25T02:06:00.000-07:00

UGANDA'S CABINET CHART 2006-2011.
PRESIDENT: Yoweri Museveni
Vice President: Prof. Gilbert Bukenya
PM Prof. Apolo Nsibambi
First DPM and Minister in Charge of EA Affairs: Eriya Kategaya
Second DPM and Minister of Public of Service: Henry Kajura
Third DPM and Minister of Information and National Guidance: Kirunda Kivejinja
Minister for Security: Amama Mbabazi
Presidency: Beatrice Wabudeya General
Duties (OPM): Adolf Mwesige
Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries: Hillary Onek
Defence: Dr Crispus Kiyonga
Relief and Disaster Preparedness: Tarsis Kabwegyere
Education and Sports: Namirembe Bitamazire
Energy and Minerals: Daudi Migereko
Internal Affairs: Ruhakana Rugunda
Finance: Dr Ezra Suruma Works: John Nasasira
Justice, Constitutional Affairs and AG: Dr Khiddu Makubuya
Gender, Labour and Social Affairs: Syda Bumba
Trade and Industry: Janat Mukwaya
Water and Environment: Maria Mutagamba
Lands, Housing and Urban Development: Omara Atubo
Health: Dr Steven Mallinga
Foreign Affairs: Sam Kutesa
Minister of communication and information communication technology (ICT): Hamu Muliira Local Government: Maj. General Kahinda Otafiire
Without Portfolio: Dorothy Hyuha
Chief Whip: Kabakumba Masiko

MINISTERS OF STATE:
Agriculture: Kibirige Ssebunya
Fisheries: Fred Mukisa
Animal Industry: Maj. Bright Rwamirama
Higher Education: Gabriel Opio
Primary Education: Peter Lokeris
Sports: Charles Bakabulindi
Energy: Simon D'Ujanga
Minerals: Kamanda Bataringaya
Finance (General Duties): Fred Omach
Planning: Omwony Ojwok
Microfinance: Salim Saleh
Investment: Prof. Ssemakula Kiwanuka
Privatisation: Chekamondo Rukia
Foreign Afairs (International Affairs): Okello Oryem
Regional Affairs: Isaac Musumba
Gender (Women) Rukia Isanga
Youth: James Kinobe
Labour: Mwesigwa Rukutana
Disabilities: Sulaiman Madada
Health (General): Richard Nduhura
Primary Health Care: Dr Otaala Emmanuel
Housing: Werikhe Kafabusa
Urban Development: Urbane Tibamanya
Lands: Atwoki Kasirivu
Office of the VP: Economic Monitoring): Kagimu Kiwanuka
OVP (Ethics): Nsaba Buturo
Office of PM (Relief and Disaster preparedness): Musa Ecweru
OPM (Northern Uganda): David Wakikona
OPM (Karamoja): Tom Butime
OPM (Luwero Triangle): Nyombi Thembo
Trade, Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities: Wambuzi Gagawala
Industry: Ephraim Kamuntu
Tourism: Serapio Rukundo
Water: Jenipher Namuyangu
Environment: Jessica Eriyo Transport: Simon Ejua
Works: John Byabagambi Defence: Ruth Nankabirwa
VP Office: James Baba
Internal Affairs: Matia Kasaija
Justice: Fred Ruhindi ICT: Nsambu Balintuma
Local Government: Hope Mwesigye
Public Service: Sezi Mbaguta