Leave No One Behind: Better Production, Better Nutrition, Better Environment, and Better Life is the theme for this year’s World Food Day.

In the case of Uganda, there are still some communities that face food stress, and their prolonged food insecurity poses a threat to the government’s extensive efforts to ensure that no one is left behind in terms of the nutrition and security of food and animal feed.

The Government (OPM), FAO, and WFP published the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Insecurity in June 2022, in Karamoja sub-region for instance, the impact of ongoing average to below-average food and livestock production over the last two years, coupled with a currently fragile security situation are causing widespread food insecurity. Also over 40% of the population (518,000 people) in Karamoja is facing high levels of food insecurity, up from 30% (361,000 people) last year.

Similarly, high food prices have left many families unable to afford nutritious foods – forcing them to find other ways to cope by consuming their seed stocks, leaving nothing for the planting season while others have had to borrow money or reduce expenditure on necessities such as education and health.

In Uganda, Agri-food systems transformation is a key driver for socio-economic transformation, and as such it is imperative that to commemorate World Food Day 2022, the country takes stock of developments and commitments made to make food and feed available and affordable, to foster sustainable development and prosperity for all.

During the Policy dialogue session, different actors that have a role to play in ensuring that Uganda is food and animal feed secure will discuss the impact of studies undertaken and honing out policy issues surrounding the problems and ensuring that all actors are involved.

The actual day celebrations will start with a grand exhibition on site showcasing different commodity fields, agricultural technologies for holistic improved production and productivity. The event which will be attended by 300 guests, will be televised with produced videos of content provided replayed to promote best practices and will have the inauguration of the National Food Systems Coordination Committee officiated over by the Chief Guest

As part of the efforts to boost Food Security in the Country, the Chief Guest Rht. Hon. Robinah Nabanjja the Prime Minister of the Republic of Uganda will inaugurate the National Food Systems Coordination Committee first before we move to the awards.

The #WFD2022 National Organizing Committee (NoC) will also recognize and award outstanding individual and institutional actors that have played a significant role in advancing smart agriculture in Uganda over the years.

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The pressure on Members of Parliament amounts from their voters who are directly affected by the rise in prices of the essential commodities as end point consumers.

During the plenary on Thursday, 10 March 2022, Nakaseke South County legislator, Paulson Luttamaguzi Ssemakula said a bar of soap has risen from Shs4,000 to as much as Shs12,000 and this is worrying Ugandans.

 According to Hon. Gaffa Mbwatekemwa the Igara County West legislator the prices of agriculture inputs have also increased and a bag of fertilizers which used to cost Shs130,000, now costs Shs220,000.

Mbwatekamwa called for the suspension of taxes on fuel, warning that if prices are not checked now, costs of essential commodities will continue calling the ministers responsible to explain the matter urgently and extensively.

Our sources from border districts like Busia say that a bar of soap now costs Shs15,000. The surging prices have forced MPs to abandon their constituencies because they do not have sufficient explanations to the escalating prices of household necessities.

The Government Chief Whip and also Ruhinda North County MP, Thomas Tayebwa, said that the Prime Minister is expected to meet manufacturers on 11 March 2022 to look into the matter and will present a statement on Tuesday, 15 March 2022.

Deputy Speaker Anita Among has since given the government until 15 March 2022 to make a statement on the matter.

 “Let us give the government time to prepare so that they can give us actions, not just lamentation. It is a multi-sectoral issue,” she said.

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Gov’t contributes 160M to Mbarara Catholic Archdiocese construction project. The government has contributed 160 million Uganda shillings to renovate the Mbarara Catholic Archdiocese as well as constructing Archbishop’s house.

On behalf of H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and in presence of Cabinet ministers, members of parliament, Most Rev. Paul K. Bakyenga, investiture of Most Rev. Cambert Bainomugisha among other community and Church leaders, Prime minister Robinah Nabanjja handed over the money to the Metropolitan Archbishop of Mbarara Ecclesiastical province.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Mbarara covers the districts (parishes) of Mbarara, Ibanda, Kiruhura, Isingiro, Bushenyi, Sheema, Rubirizi, Mitoma, Buhweiju and, Rubirizi and Ntungamo.

Today we are launching the renovation of the Mbarara Catholic Archdiocese and the construction of the Archbishop’s house. The fund is intended to renovate the Catholic church and construct the Archbishop’s house in Mbarara, Prime Minister Nabanja said.

We live fulfilled lives when we serve the Lord. I accompanied Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabanja the prime minister of the Republic of Uganda to the Diocesan day with the faithful of the Mbarara Archdiocese. We believe the good Lord will help us achieve this project in the time soonest, Government Chief-whip Thomas Tayebwa said.

History of Mbarara Archdiocese:

In the year 1900 Bishop Streicher, Vicar Apostolic of the Vicariate of North Nyanza, sent two White Father Missionaries (Missionaries of Africa) to South Western Uganda to explore the possibility of introducing Catholicism. These were Fr. Lebros and Bro. Hermann Kock.

The two approached Nkore, the present geographical area which is now Mbarara Archdiocese, through Kooki, in Masaka Diocese. Joseph Rutebemberwa, one of the pioneer catechists led them. A son of that catechist, Msgr. Thomas Bishanga, became the second priest of Mbarara, having been ordained in 1944.

On arrival of the missionaries, Kahaya II, the then King of Karo-Karungi gave Nyamitanga Hill to them to set up their quarters and chapel. This later became the seat and foundation of their mission and is presently the Diocesan Centre of Mbarara Archdiocese.

In 1909, Fr. Borrel opened Rugazi mission, now Rugazi Parish. In the same year, Fathers Letohic and Lefleur opened Rushoroza mission in Kabale, Kigezi. In October 1912, Fathers Bringuier, Nicolet, and Bro. Tobie Kizza, the first African Brother to join the White Fathers, opened the Ibanda mission. In 1919 Fr. Lefleur founded Kitabi mission.

The Rwenzori Vicariate

Rwenzori Vicariate was carved out of the Vicariate of Uganda on 28th March 1934. The new Ecclesiastical territory then covered the political districts of Western Uganda, i.e. Nkore, Kigezi, Toro, and Bunyoro.

On July 25, 1934, Fr. Francis-Xavier Lacoursiere of the White Fathers ordained the first Bishop of Rwenzori Vicariate. Nyamitanga in Mbarara became the seat of the Vicariate. The size of the Vicariate was 400 square miles with 13 missions.

Mbarara Diocese

On 25 March 1953, Rwenzori Vicariate assumed the status of a diocese. In 1956 F.X. Lacoursiere retired after 21 years as Diocesan Bishop. The Second Bishop of Mbarara Diocese was Jean Marie Ogez, ordained on 26 August 1957. Due to poor health, Bishop Ogez retired in October 1968.

The third ordinary and first indigenous African Bishop is John Baptist Kakubi. He was appointed on 5 July 1969 and ordained Bishop on 1 August 1969. He retired on 23 November 1991. The present Archbishop Paul K. Bakyenga is the fourth Bishop of Mbarara. He was appointed Bishop Coadjutor of Mbarara 1 April 1989, ordained Bishop on 24 June 1989, and became Bishop Ordinary of Mbarara on 23 November 1991. He was installed Archbishop of Mbarara on 11th July 1999. On 2 Jul 2005 the Holy Father appointed Msgr. Lambert Bainomugisha auxiliary bishop of Mbarara and was ordained bishop on 1 Oct 2005at Nyamitanga Cathedral in Mbarara.

Mbarara Archdiocese

On 30 January 1999, the Holy See elevated Mbarara to an Archdiocese and Metropolitan See of the Western Uganda Ecclesiastical Province, with Paul Bakyenga as its first Archbishop. The installation ceremony of Archbishop Paul K. Bakyenga took place on 11 July 1999. Mbarara Archdiocese shares borders with Fort Portal and Kasese Dioceses in the north, Bukoba Diocese Tanzania in the south, Masaka Diocese in the east, and Kabale Diocese in the west. The Archdiocese of Mbarara Covers the following districts; Mbarara, Ibanda, Kiruhura, Isingiro, Bushenyi, Shema, Rubirizi, Mitoma, Buhweiju, and Ntungamo.

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Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has reassured the public that there is no crisis of fuel in the country and also discouraged hoarding of petroleum products by businessmen and women, which has led to an unnecessary hike in fuel prices.

“The scanner at Busia border got an accident but it was replaced with a mobile scanner shortly and tankers are moving smoothly and therefore I want to request fellow Ugandans especially businessmen and women that it is not necessary for any fuel station to increase fuel prices. It is not necessary,” Nabanjja said.

By yesterday afternoon some fueling stations had abnormally hiked a cost of petrol at UGx; 10,000 per liter and others averagely selling it between 7,000 to 8,000 Ugandan shillings.

According to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, supply was normal when drivers were being allowed to present negative COVID-19 results from Kenya until 1^st January 2022, when a directive was issued by the government of Uganda requiring all truck drivers to undergo testing at Malaba and Busia entry points due to the third wave of Omicron varriant.

The ministry says that the price of Petrol in the country should not exceed UGX. 5,000 per litre and that the cases of scarcity in districts such as Hoima will be addressed shortly with the ongoing replenishment.

Solomon Muyita the Principal Communications & PR Specialist at the ministry said; It is known that trucks had spent about 10 days in the queue where none was crossing the border hence affecting and reducing stocks for Petroleum products in the country. However, on 12^th January 2022, the Ministry of Health commenced free COVID-19 testing for the truck drivers at the Malaba and Busia border points and the problem of fuel shortage will soon be dealt with since the turnaround time for trucks has started improving.

“Uganda’s Oil Marketing Companies have most of their trucks in the traffic between the Kenya loading points and the borders, and once cleared in a few days, supply and prices will return to normal, and there is no need for the public to panic. Our reservoirs are up and working and Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC) is actually making big improvements on them to ensure consistent availability of stocks in the reservoirs.”

Government has also revealed that, with the full opening of economic activities, there has been an increase in uptake of Petroleum Products, which saw a spike in the country’s consumption that affected the 10-day stock levels resulting in some stock out of Petrol at some gas outlets and that everything possible is being done to prioritize the handling of Petroleum Products at the borders to ensure build up in-stock levels in the country.

Uganda is a net importer of petroleum products in a liberalized downstream petroleum market with an average current daily consumption of 6.5 million liters. The country loads its products through the terminals located in Eldoret, Kisumu, Nairobi and Mombasa, and supply is majorly through road transport.

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“We have had a good meeting and agreed to work together. We have decided to leave certain issues in the past and work for the betterment of our country,” revealed the Vice President, after a closed-door meeting with Nabbanja and Onek.

“We have agreed to look ahead and forget the past. We are one,” the Vice President emphasized.

The meeting, chaired by the Vice President as an arbiter; was also attended by Gen. Moses Ali, the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business in Parliament, and Lucy Nakyobe the Head of Public Service and Secretary to Cabinet

The others in the meeting held at the Vice President’s Office were Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, Dr. Baryomunsi Chris the Minister of Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance and Esther Anyakun the State Minister for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees.

The meeting follows a letter from Eng. Onek, in which he discomfort in his working relationship in the office of the Prime Minister.

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According to the letter dated October 29th 2021, Minister Onek discloses his displeasure over Hon Nabbanja’s actions in the Ministry where he said  she has totally usurped his duties.

The President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the Speaker of Parliament and his Deputy, the Minister of State for Relief, Disaster Preparedness and Refugees and Principal Private Secretary to the President all have been copied in the letter. 

“From the time of your appointment, I have been observing with total displeasure the fact that my role and that of my deputy as Ministers in charge of refugees and disaster and lead policy makers in matters of refugee and disaster management have been TOTTALY ursuped by your office” Onek writes.

He also highlights a scenario where the Prime Minister called meetings and even went to disaster affected places and visiting refugees without informing him or his deputy, yet she prefers to involve the staff whom line Ministers supervise.

“On October 29th 2021, you called a meeting with the local leadership of Bududa without involving my office or even the area Members of Parliament which may lead to decisions being made that contradict earlier and cabinet position.”

Minister Onek who said that he has worked with the previous three Prime Ministers accuses Hon Nabbanja of purging the department of disaster management and taking over the distribution of relief items and causing interdiction of staff without proper investigation. 

“The interdicted staff were accused of causing financial loss without conducting a forensic audit by involving the auditor general”  Onek emphasizes.

Minister Onek also informs the Prime Minister to put it in writing to the appointing authority (the President) so that he can be relieved of his responsibilities so that Nabanjja can ably work alone because he does not want to be held accountable for decisions where he has no input.

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