Chwa West MP Okin Ojara

Chwa West County Member of Parliament in Kitgum district, Okin Ojara has appealed to Parliament to protect them from prostitutes who he said have brought their business closer to the August house.

Ojara who was raising the matter on the floor of Parliament during the Prime Minsiter’s question time said he recently found naked ladies standing at the gate of Parliament.

“I had just got into my car to drive home and while I was driving out, I was being beckoned by these same naked ladies just right at the gate of Parliament,” Ojara said sending boots of laughter among the legislators.

He said these prostitutes have started chasing after MPs and wanted to know whether it was legal for them to do so.

Other MPs were also in support of Ojara’s querries and sought an explanation from government on the matter.

The Prime Minister, Ruhakana Rugunda, however, denied any knowledge he was not aware of such kind of trade near Parliament.

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The ban was imposed about six months ago with the intervention of the Ministry of Gender Labour and Social Development (MGLSD) that intervened and transported a number of girls back home.

However, while appearing before Parliament on Tuesday August 16, officials from the MGLSD attempted to persuade Parliament to lift its ban saying the situation has since improved following their numerous meetings with officials especially from Saudi Arabia where most complaints were registered and other neighboring countries. Their attempts were however, futile as the Parliamentarians stood their ground on the matter.

State Minister for Labour, Herbert Kabafunzaki.

State Minister for Labour, Herbert Kabafunzaki, said that a law would be made to monitor workers’ right but faced stiff resistance from members; Beatrice Anywa,Woman MP, Kitgum district, Matthias Mpuuga, Member of Parliament  , Masaka Municipality, together with the leader of opposition Winfred Kiiza, who argued that lifting the ban would endanger the unemployed youths whom they said were mixed with both the literate and the illiterate and make them slaves.

“It is a responsibility of leaders to ensure that Ugandans are not involved in the modern-day slavery. We shall not accept this because previously there have been assurances on this matter but all we continue hearing and seeing in the media are these ugly scenes where Ugandans are humiliated by their employers in the Middle East. Let us get a solution for these youths here,” Kiiza charged.
Lucy Akello, the MP for Amuru district, said that the workers taken out especially to Arab countries should be given both going and return tickets so that when they are mistreated, it is easier for them to return home.

The Speaker, Rebecca Kadaga, however, asked the gender ministry officials to take to parliament a bill in regards to externalization of labour so that there can be a mechanism that regulates the export of labour prompting the Minister of State for Labour, Herbert Kabafunzaki who said he would draft the document that he will soon table before the house.

Parliament also mandated the parliamentary committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development to investigate more into issues of labour exports and give a report to parliament.

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On our way back from Tinmango, we find the pregnant woman, seated under a tree shade. She has stopped to rest. She is tired. I ask the driver to stop so that we can give her a lift. She gets into the car. She is nine months pregnant. She started the 17 kilometer treck in the morning at about 7:30 a.m. By the time we pick her up, she has walked 8 kilometers. We ask why her husband did not escort her to the Health Center. They have only one bicycle and it has broken down. And so she has to walk. If he manages to repair it, he may come to pick her up once she gives birth.

Good medical care still eludes many Uganda

She has only the clothes she is wearing and a kavera full of mangoes. From the watery stain they leave in the car, I can tell that some of them are already over ripe. The mangoes are the only food she has to feed on over the next few days – depending on when she gives birth.

We drop her at the Health Center III. The place is locked, save for the maternity ward, which is manned by a female traditional birth attendant. The only other medical personel at the Health Center is a student doctor from Gulu, who is away today. We leave the woman at the Health Center and wish her a safe delivery.

As we drive off, I think of the lady and the many like her who treck long miles to access health care. I think of my friends in Kampala, how we throw baby showers. This lady only had a kavera of mangoes, no clothes for herself to change into and no baby clothes to wrap her new bundle of joy.

I think of her as we leave. I thank God for the blessings He has given me. I ask Him to forgive me for taking things for granted. I thank Him that He enabled me meet this woman, so that He can show me just how much I have been blessed – and how much therefore I need to be a blessing to others. I wish her smooth labour on this labour day.

By Jackie Asiimwe Mwesigye

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 Officials of Kitgum Taxi Park have warned drivers in the park against leaving the park with their vehicles when they are drunk.

Kitgum Taxi Operators and Drivers Association Chairman, Jackson komakech says there has been a by-law in the park for reinforcing this warning but some drivers have been dodging it.

Komakech says some drivers leave the taxi park when they look sober but drink along the way and this act often put the lives of those traveling in such vehicles at risk.

Komakech says this time they will seriously check drivers at the park before they leave the park to ensure no one drives under the influence of alcohol.

His warning follows the incident where a car carrying passengers to Orom overturned killing one person along the Kitgum-Orom road late last month.

Reports indicate that the driver of the vehicle had been drinking along the way at Kitgum Matidi before proceeding with the journey.

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Trouble between the two butcheries and Kitgum town council steamed on Tuesday last week in which the town council forcefully evicted them from a road reserve where they were
operating from.

The vendors claim that they lost their business and kiosks as a result of forceful eviction. The chairperson Kitgum meat and butcheries association Godfrey Tolite says they have enough evidence about the demolition.

He says the technical people are now working with their lawyer to access the damages caused to them by the town council and file suit in court.
Toliti explains that since the kiosks were demolished people now fear to buy meat from the butcheries. However the Kitgun town clerk Michael Wakurachi says it is an fortunate that butchers have decided to resort to courts of law.

He says the place where the butchers have been operating from is a road reserve and the town council reserves the right to evict them at will. He however says the council is prepared for legal battle should the butchers’ risk. Wakurachi says town council can’t be intimidated on the said road reserve on humanitarian ground.

Ultimate Media

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