Inhabitants of Nshenyi and Kyarwehunde parishes in Ruhaama County, Ntungamo District in Uganda are demanding that they become part of Rwanda following claims that they cannot access social services in Uganda.
The locals, who live at the border with Tanzania and Rwanda, said at a meeting last week that they lack clean water, roads, schools and agricultural extension services.
“We feel we have been ignored because of our location. We live in Uganda and get everything from Rwanda. We need to be part of Rwanda,” Mr Lawrence Kabesiime, a Kyarwehunde councillor, said.
Mr Gerosome Turyareba, an elder, said their challenges have not been addressed for a long time because they are located on the sides of the district neighbouring other countries.
Mr Deo Karuhaama, the Kyarwehunde village chairperson, said without water and roads in their areas, residents will continue demanding to secede to Rwanda where they get better services.
“We shall not allow any government official to speak from here, we shall not allow anyone to campaign from here visit our churches or schools because they have left them in a poor state,” Mr Karuhaama said.
However, Mr George Bakunda, the representative of Ms Janet Museveni, the Ruhaama County MP, denied reports that residents wanted to secede, saying Kyarwehunde parish was still developing, adding that they had provided services like a maize milling machine, constructed boreholes and several roads in the county.
Monitor
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