ToroDev held a rural radio debate/magazine in Karugutu, Ntoroko district to capture service delivery issues from women and youths in Health, water Education and Economic development sectors.

With financial support from NED and SIDA, ToroDev carried a rural radio debate /magazine from Karugutu in Ntoroko district. The rural radio debate aimed at giving women and youth chance to record issues affecting service delivery in their communities and then amplify them live on ToroDev supported radio talk shows for duty bearers to pay attention.

The rural radio debate was held on 26th July, 2018 at Karugutu in Ntoroko district where about sixty (60) women and youth shared how they found service delivery in the sectors of health, education, water, economic development, etc and how they wanted them addressed. The recorded voices were amplified live on 29th July, 2018 at Jubilee radio during ToroDev supported weekly talk show that is aired live every Sunday 8:00-10:00pm.

Some of the women who attended the rural radio debate

The main objective of holding these debates is to provide chance to women and youths from the remotest villages to participate in the democratic engagements of their country and also contribute in following up newly elected duty bearers to improve essential service delivery in their communities’’, Said Anselm Amanyire during the rural debate in Ntoroko district.

Some of the issues raised by women and youth during the rural radio debate included;

“The Kyabandara II-Nombe road is in bad conditions, its impassable especially during rainy season and it has developed potholes which has resulted into increased accidents due to poor marrum used during construction”, Said Kyasiimire Mary from Kyabandara II in Nombe sub county Ntoroko district during the rural debate.

Kyasiimire Mary from Kyabandara II in Nombe sub county sharing her views with the radio moderator

“We lack water in Karugutu town council and Karugutu south people are drinking dirty water which is unhealthy to their lives and we have few boreholes which cannot sustain the population of all the villages around the town council. We request Ntoroko district water board to lobby and work on water issues which is affecting people especially women and children”, Said Ms Komuhendo Stella from Karugutu south during the rural radio debate.

 “In Karugutu health centre IV there is increased absenteeism and early departure of health workers and this has resulted into less attention to patients. We also have a problem of shortage of drugs and lack of safe & clean water. The monitoring committee at the health unit seem to be non functional, health services have been negatively affected hence need to equip the committees to do their work effectively’’, Said Ms Mbabazi Maimuna during the rural radio Debate in Karugutu town council

Maimuna added, they always burn drugs which are expired and yet we lack drugs. Why does the facility request for drugs which cannot be consumed by the people? She requested leaders to lobby for improved health infrastructures in the district and also provide water at the facility to improve hygiene.

“We have 3 government aided secondary schools in Ntoroko district that serves all the sub counties. This has increased enrolment of students in these schools and yet we have understaffing as a challenge. This has affected performance of students especially at national examinations. We request the district education department to recruit more teachers to reduce the existing teacher: student ration’’, Said Nesta Mbabazi from Karugutu south during the rural radio debate.

A woman sharing her concerns with Mr Mukonyezi Wilfred a radio moderator during the rural radio debate.

“During campaign period our MP’s pledged a lot of things such as construction of water sources,  roads among others but after  being elected into power they have never come back on ground to give accountability to us on what they have been doing or to update us on the pledges they made during campaigns. We need our leaders to come back to electorates and give them accountability and  also hear our view in communities by making public meetings in our areas’’, Said Mbabazi Maimuna  during the rural radio debate.

“People walk long distances to come for ARV’s but they are not at Karugutu health centre. This has caused patients to miss drugs and yet the policies say that they are not supposed to miss drugs once they start them. We request the DHO to handle that issue urgently”, Said Mrs Kaija Mary from Karugutu south.

“We have failed to benefit in operation wealth creation programs due to late release of seeds and poor quality of seeds supplied to farmers. They bring seeds which are not useful to the community and what people did not request for. We request OPW program coordinators to always carry out consultative meetings on what people need before seeds are supplied in communities but also involve the beneficiaries in planning processes for the program to succed”, Said Mr. Mugisa saidi during the rural radio debate. 

We also interacted with one of the elected leaders representing Karugutu town council in the district council for a comment on the issues raised by citizens

Honorable Olivia Mutamba the district councilor representing Karugutu town council in the district council during the rural radio debate

Honorable Olivia Mutamba the district councilor representing Karugutu town council in the district council said as leaders they have engaged the District Health Officer (DHO), Resident District Commissioner (RDC) and other leaders in the district on the issue of patients not being attended too or delaying at the health facility whenever they go for medical services because of absenteeism and late coming of health workers. As leaders we shall not keep quiet, we shall keep talking until the challenges affecting health services are improved especially at Karugutu HC IV which is the main health facility in the district, of course there are other issues like lack of safe and clean water sources, domestic violence, child marriage, increased school dropout, etc we shall deal with responsible people to see that the reported challenges are dealt with. Said Hon. Mutamba Olivia the district councilor representing Karugutu town council during the rural radio debate in Ntoroko district.

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