KALI SUPPORT SUBCOUNTY BUDGET CONFERENCE IN KASESE DISTRICT

 Background:

Mr Nicholas Muhesi KALI officer sharing duing Nyakiyumbu S/C budget Conference

 Every March to April of every financial year, Central and Local Governments presents a framework paper  of the proposed identification of sectoral priorities for the next financial year to the parliament or council before the actual national budget is released in June. The general public, individuals and sectors wait with baited breath, yearning to hear what is in the budget for them.

Following the Public Private Partnership (PPP) strategy, KALI in partnership with Sub County Local Governments organized budget conference aimed at fostering a feedback from the sub county leadership to give accountability to the grassroots on the budget performance review and about what was planned for the in coming  financial year budget 2013/14.  

PARTICIPANTS
To make the duty bearers and grassroots (stakeholders) as beneficiaries, Kali  in partnership with Local Governments in Kasese District  at Sub County level of Nyakiyumbu, Kitholhu, Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Town Council, Katwe-Kabatoro Town Council and Kyondo Sub  county Local governments approached KALI to partner for conducting budget conference as  indicated in table below:

 Table1: Showing 5 sub county and  participant disaggregated data

Date     Sub county    Participants               
                                                               M     F   T          
20/3/2013    Nyakiyumbu                        87    6    93          
22/3/2013    Kitholhu                              52    6    58          
25/3/2013    Mpondwe-Lhubiriha TC    45    20    65          
04/04/13    Katwe-Kabatoro TC           25    13    38          
08/04/13    Kyondo                                 59    7    66          
Total                                            5    268    52    320       

The disaggregated data for the participants was 268 males, 52 females making a total of 320 participants. The key  participants were the District Councilors, parish councilors, standing committees, heads of departments, implementing partners and the general public.   

Opening Remarks
All meeting started at different interval of time with a word of prayer led by good Samaritans.
The Sub County LCIII chairperson/ mayors welcomed and thanked the participants for the overwhelmed turn up within a  short notes. They briefed the participants on the significance of having   Budget Conference as:
It promotes transparency  by allowing all the stakeholders to identify priorities for funding.
It makes the citizens to have a chance to contribute to and have a sense of ownership  during resource allocation and utilization.
It provides an opportunity to the citizenry to receive reports on previous performed and the current performance trend and therefore come up with practical and feasible solutions on the existing challenges in the operation of local government.

The theme of budget conference hinged on “Planning in local government with the aim of creating impact”
Basing on the theme above the LCIII chairpersons/mayors further gave an overview of the Budget conference as one of the local government monitoring tool process . It is therefore during a budget conference that citizens receive and give comments on draft sectoral priority plans and financial resource allocation and  give out their opinions and views that would be incorporated in the final compilation of the estimated budget plan.

Objectives of the budget conference
The overall objective of the budget conference was to share the budget estimate presentations on the previous financial year 2012/2013 achievements and know the 2013/2014 financial budget outlook. The specific ones were:
To receive and discuss the sub county revenue performance report of 2012/2013
To receive and discuss the sub country resource envelop for 2013/2014
To receive and discuss the sectoral budget framework paper.
In accordance to the Local Government Act 1997 amended 2006 under section 8394 the chairpersons/mayors took the participants through the sources of revenue and expenditures and how allocations are made to each sector.

SECTORAL PRESENTATIONS
During the budget conference the technical heads presented to the meeting their draft sector budget framework paper (BFP) based on the following highlights:
Review budget performance first and second quarter 2012/2013
Major constraints and possible remedies
Receive projections for FY 2013/2014
Expenditure framework -allocation of available resources
Unfunded priorities

During the budget conference heads of department and sectoral committee heads, followed budget guiding question such as: What are the priorities of the council. The council must work with in the national framework of the cabinet such as Universal Primary Education, Primary Health Care, Agricultural Extension (NAADS), Feeder roads, water and sanitation. These are priorities that the Poverty Action Fund also spends on. Every local council must reflect these in its planning and budgeting process.

KEY ISSUES
Planned priorities  FY 2013/2014
 Nyakiyumbu Sub County
Completion of Ndongo SDA primary school.
Completion of Kitholhu HCII and Musyenene HC III
Repair of 2 boreholes
Opening of Kibara-Rwehingo Road
Support farmers with coffee, banana and Cassava cuttings in all parishes.
NB: Two boreholes will be provided by the district

Kitholhu Sub county
Construction of classrooms at Kyabayenze, Ikobero, and Kitholhu primary schools.
Completion of 6 classrooms at Kisabu and Kyabayenze primary schools.
Construction of staff quarters at Kisebere, Ikobero and Bulemera primary schools.
Kyabikekuru and Muroho GFS will be boosted by Kabandi stream from Kithobira parish so as to increase the water volume and this will bring the water coverage to 49%.
Demarcating of government land
Construction  of data bank is on going at a cost of 64 million but only 35 m has been realized.
Construction of Kyabikere Health  centre II
Equipping Kitholhu and Kanyatsi maternity wards with beds and delivery sets
Construction of 5 VIP latrines of 3 stances
Rehabilitation of un functional protected spring
Training of VHTs on health related issues
Completion of Kiraro maternity ward in Kiraro parish.

Mpondwe-Lhubiriha Town Council
Construction of 4 latrine stances in Rusese primary school
Roofing of primary school in Kyambogho wards
Completion of ward offices
Construction of Mpondwe-Custom market under PPP
Maintenance of existing roads
Opening of new roads
Construction of Kalimanga Market under PPP
Establishment of cattle market in Sesele ward.
Extension of water to the community.
Continue with routine garbage collection
NAADS to continue with coffee, banana, poultry, piggery enterprises
Land procurement for abattoir and sementry

Katwe-Kabatoro Town Council
Construction of a male ward at HC III
Routine maintenance of roads
Procure motorcycle for works department
Renovation of salt lake shade

Kyondo Sub County
Construction of 3-class room block and office at  Bughungu Primary school.
Completion of Ngome primary school.
Construction of GFS at Kasokero
Construction of market shade at Buyaga
Construction of 3 latrine stance at Kinyabisiki and Kyazabiri trading centres
Construction of a foot bridge at Bughungu and Busingo crossing points.
Upgrading of Bwethe HCII to HCIII


Achievements
Parish chiefs committed themselves and  agreed to collect priorities in liaison with the  Village and Parish Development Committees.
Participants were vigilant during the budget presentation and asked relevant questions that helped the Technical Committees to have priorities that are engendering budget.
The  participants  in Kyondo Sub County tasked the LC III chairperson and the Speaker to explain  why and how CDD money was given to groups.
The youth group in Kyondo Sub county  are going to petition the RDC and the Sub County speaker about the CDD money.
The participants in Katwe Kabatoro TC demanded for the accountability on the expenditure of Roads, market places and the Crocodile cages .
All participants were furious on how NAADS is being implemented in their respective areas despite the new guidelines where 70% is administrative and training costs.
Despite the inadequate funds from local revenue, all sub counties agreed to conduct budget conferences at every financial year.
The LCIII  chairpersons and SAS realized the importance of Implementing Partners in their areas and pledged to network together. This created visibility of CSOs that work in particular places.
Despite few number of women in attendance, they  were active participants as they participated, deliberated and represented their electorates in their respective departments.

General  emerging key operational challenges from the presentations

Misconception of education policy and Act 2008
Automatic promotion to next class
Laxity of parents not to register their children in school
Lack of ownership of school by community
Delayed UPE funds from the centre
Lack of midday meals to learners
Sharing of latrine stances by both teachers and pupils
Regular and un explained salary cutting of salaries from the MoES/MFPED/Public service
Multiple loans by teachers from money lenders/Sacco and Banks
Redundant staff quarters
Absenteeism of both teachers and pupil
Transfer of teachers Vs pay roll
Low repayment of NAADS inputs
Low attendance of farmers to trainings and meetings
Conflict in choice of enterprises by food security farmers
Failure to win the program by youth groups supported under NAADS
Threat of swine fever to the piggery enterprise
Late co-funding by both the sub county which affects the program
Lack of an effective Banana Bacterial Wilt Control measure
Coffee stumping
Threat of Brown cassava mosaic disease.
Threat of Coffee rust
Unskilled procurement committees of NAADS

SPECIFIC CHALLENGES
Low turn up of participants during the budget conference. This was attributed to the planting season as most women are the ones  most involved.
Sub county leadership does not invite the key stakeholders.  This has a direct bearing on the partnership, networking and collaboration in the implementation of the sub county activities.
Inadequate funding from the central  government
Low resource base which impacts on the sub county operations.
Low absorption rate of NAADS programme.
The Heads of Department /Technical and standing  committee members  still have a gap in making a gender budget. This was witnesses during the analysis of the Community Based Services Department in support to women, youth programme activities, support to PWDs and Children programme activities and support to education pragramme activities in most sub counties. Also the department of Environment and Natural  Resources was poorly funded.
Some of the activities are still rolled out yet they were funded 100%.
Most of the sub counties did not plan for protected springs in their budgets but were thinking about designing GFS which is a district priority.
Most of the budget projections were not realistic to cater for the needs of the grassroots. i.e some critical activities were not realised.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Revenue enhancement Strategies
The Sub Counties will employ and engage stakeholders mostly implementing partners to realize a big tax and resource base to enhance improved service delivery and development. 
As budget conference forum involves quite a number of Sub County, advocacy  priorities and issues could be channeled to the district local government and other duty bearer from the central government and beyond through the implementing partners and politicians.

RWECO-KALI should  conduct a budget conference training before the councils made their budgets so as to an engendered budget and good response and people to know their priorities they need.

Despite the meagre resource base and funding not realised 100% the budget estimates were pro-poor as they aimed at improving service delivery in respective areas.


COMPILED BY


MUHESI NICHOLAS-Programme Officer

CITIZENS EMBRACE COMMUNITY WASH PROGRAM IN KASESE DISTRICT

1.0  Introduction 500 words maximum

KALI in partnership with SNV, UNICEF and Kasese district local government is implementing CEP program in the Bwera & Nyakiyumbu Sub counties. Specifically, this report looks at interventions under Community WASH. Where emphasis is on Sanitation and hygiene and O&M of Karalike Gravity flow scheme and the promotion of YY methodology among the community water users. KALI implements this programme in 2 Parishes; Kisaka in Bwera Sub county and Lyakirema in Nyakiyumbu sub county respectively. The scheme serves 692 H/H on 52 tap stands/water sources.

In the previous quarter (November-December-2012), KALI’s intervention was in 25 water tap stand communities. This in the new contract reduced to 15 tap stands. However, through constant partnership with Karalike scheme BOD C/man; KALI has been tracking the performance of the entire 52 gravity flow scheme. In this reporting period, 5 activities have been carried out under this programme. These include; Training tap committees, CLTS triggering, Follow-up on YY, mobilization meeting with VHTs and Sensitization meetings on S&H. additionally, 02 KALI staff attended a refresher training on CLTS by SNV. 

Citizens  of Lyakirema I Village Nyakiyumbu S/C  Mapping out their Village during CLTS triggering

Achievement/Case story I:

a)    During the training, Grace Biira from Ndanda tap of Nyamighere village in Lyakirema parish assured participants that “since Karalike GFS scheme started 2years back, there has not been any reported case of cholera here”. Before the water scheme, this parish was one of the periodically affected with cholera cases in Nyakiyumbu sub county. Most people here go farming in the cotton belt which greatly has no latrines & water. Reaching home, they would still find no water!!! This is an achievement of KALI and SNV intervention on sanitation and hygiene alongside the trainings on O&M of the gravity scheme.

b)    Baluku Kibanika says; ”Since KALI/SNV supported KGFS, there has been improvement in water supply/flow at tap level. At least, a tap can receive water 5 days a week. Before KALI/SNV intervention, water would come once in a week or twice in a month”. This has been attributed to championing the election and trainings of new water BOD in O&M and sanitation and hygiene practice. Baluku Kibanika adds, he has been able to make bricks and built a Kitchen at his home, as result of a good WSSB mgt trained by KALI/SNV.

c)    Water user SACCO at Mithimusanju tap-Kisaka Parish. Following the water user community meetings carried out in December 2013, a water user SACCO has been organized and mobilized by Mithimusanju tap stand committee. This was found during the different follow ups and sensitization meetings in Kisaka parish. Started Jan.2013, Current membership 56, savings as on 10/04 was 2,970,000=, the SACCO has passbooks with its name and. Has all records including minutes from day one of its inception. This tap committee has instituted a health committee which make support visits to group members for improving S&H in homes.

Cross cutting actions in the 5trainings

• Tap committee to hold periodic meetings with water users
• Mobilise water users to pay WUF through churches e.g. Catholic, Church of Uganda & Islam etc.
• Implementing by-laws governing water scheme
• Involving chair person LC I in all tap related activities at village level
• Report WUF defaulters to the LCI office after three months for action.

Case, quotation II:

During tap committee training in mithimusanju-Kisaka, the parish chief attended and in his closing remarks, he encouraged committee members to serve community Voluntarily .he further said, “it would be shameful for someone from Kisaka-mithimusanju village to get cholera while places like Kyogha parish/village with water crisis but can’t get cholera cases”.  

2. CLTS Triggering.

• 02 Villages Triggered-Kisaka II Village and Lyakirema I Village in Lyakirema Parish.

Kisaka II Village triggering, 106 community members attended 19 were males and 87 females.

• 08 homes out of the 56 mapped in the village map had no latrine &those who had were in a sorry state.
• Kisaka II Village has 197 H/H most of them have no good latrines.
• There was no OD area identified in Kisaka II village.
• Kisaka II triggering was attended by District Health Inspector, District water mobilize, H/A & CDO Bwera, KALI & SNV staff roles were shared among these key players to manage the triggering process.

Lyakirema I village triggered: over 100 members attended the session.

• 180 H/H in lyakirema I village
• 60 identified as having poor latrines.(not worthy using during day time)
• Children revealed 6 H/H do not have latrines at all during mapping exercise.
• OD area identified and team was heading to the area.
• KALI staff got faeces behind the houses during transect walk to the OD area.
• All participants were triggered check the attached photo raising arms.

3.

4. Mobilization/Sensitization meeting with VHTs:

• Meeting Venue was at Bwera S/C Hall.
• 13 VHTs/participants turned up (F=1, M=12),
• Agreed to use churches and other public functions to sensitize community on S&H.
• According to Bakereti Desire VHT Kabaghole 3 H/H have constructed Latrine after Dec. 2012 VHT training on S&H.
• Health Assistant Bwera sub county attended this meeting

5. Sanitation & Hygiene sensitization meetings;

 Nyamughona Church, over 60 people attended

 Mubutu & Nyakasojo C.O.U tap Community mobilized

 All the above meetings were hard to reach areas thus each meeting took one day.

Mithimusanju tap and Lyakirema Trading centre Tap.

               In all the above meetings, Safe water chain, hands washing with soap, latrine coverage were emphasized.

               LC I offices were mobilized to attend and continue with the sensitization crusade on S&H in communities.

General challenges affecting S&H performance.

• WUF collections still pose a challenge to most WUG. Thus affecting O&M of the scheme
• Hired of Spanner 36 when every needed. It’s used at the source/reserve tanks.
• Slow pace of adapting to approaches of; YY, Safe water chain and S&H.
• Low volume of water due to Low water table in the period of Jan-March 2013.
• S&H practices done when community members know H/A will inspect homes.

Outputs achieved:

02 Villages triggered.

03 Households constructed latrines in Kabaghole Village-Lyakirema Parish.

04 Communities sensitized on safe water chain.

06 Taps followed up on YY approach.

15 tap committees trained

02 KALI staff attended CLTS refresher training.

Recommendation.

The already existing water user’s YY/SACCO need to be trained in financial management and record keeping.

Challenges.

• By the time of implementation-Jan-march, the organization had one camera which would be scrambled for among project staff up to Kamwenge field area. this affected picture taking. However, since April 2013, this has been solved. Every KALI project officer has a new camera.
• Low community adaptability of S&H practices. However, through partnership with local government, sensitization will be mainstreamed in all government programmes.

COMMUNITY WASH

Outcome 5:

 70% of functional community water points at the time of spot check

• Percent above is of 15 taps of project area by spot check/follow up time.
• Water supply has improved due to repairs made by the water BOD
• 03 water sources were none functional due to leakages along Nyakasojo pipeline.
• 60% is an estimate for KGF scheme. This means improvement compared to the past.
• However, High pressure on Kayibindulha-pipeline Lyakirema- has caused tap Norse breakages in thus, affected frequent water supply

% of districts with functioning rural water service provider associations

45% of water points with functional water user committees

• 15 Tap stand committees were trained out of 52 committees.
• Total trained=82 (M=45, F=37) out of the expected 90 (6 members X15 taps)
• The Tap stands were clustered as per the dates in the table below.
• Training manual used was a print of “Rural Water Training Manual-2011-2014.
• A copy given to C/person Karalike GFS BOD to help him during follow-up meetings

• Table below shows taps trained & households per tap

S/no	Date of training	Name of tap trained	Number of H/H per tap
01	27/03/2013	Kanyabubgu Tap	10
02		Nyamughona Tap	12
03		Nyamughona Trading Centre Tap	23
04	02/04/2013	Mithimusanju Tap	80
05		Syayipuma Tap	25
06		Kisandu Tap	20
07	03/04/2013	Sayuni C.O.U Tap	15
08		Namugongo Trading Centre Tap	31
09		Bazara Tap	10
10		Kaibindulha Tap	15
11	05/04/2013	Ndanda Tap	30
12		Tsumbira Tap	21
13		Bisogho Tap	30
14	06/04/203	Nyakasojo P/S Tap	18
15		Mubutu Tap	30
Total H/H for 15 taps of intervention			370

The taps above have higher number of H/H most of them have constant supply of water

50% of Water User Committees with clear mechanism for collection and utilization of the O&M funds

14 out of the 15 taps trained and followed up had receipt books given to water users upon payment.

All the 15 taps had receipts from the central WSSB upon payment of tap WUF

WSSB has general receipt book headed with the name of the Gravity scheme.

Achievements of BOD as central water committees:

The WSSB was changed with effect from March 2012 due to multitude of challenges that were sounding the scheme mgt. SNV and KALI’s trained on, water policy issues,O&M and issues of S&H around WUCs to this new team & this has yielded improved O&M of the scheme tremendously. The month of December 2012 alone, 150,000= was collected.

The WSSB has;

• Held two BOD meetings 22 February. And 13 April 2013
• Conducted general meeting for Tap stand committee members from all the 52 taps of the scheme and in this meeting the RDC and DPC attended. The two were on a mobilization tour in Rwanguba parish-Bwera S/C.
• Repaired Kyabayora pipeline. Out of 8 leakages, 5 major ones have been repaired.
• Repaired 2 leakages along Kitakombya pipeline
• Cleaning of reserve tanks at the source has been done routinely every 3 months.
• Collected WUF of 367500= This makes a total collection of 517500= in a period of four months (December 2012-March 2013)

The situation above is an achievement due to SNV/KALI intervention of CWASH.

The tool Kit given by SNV:

• Helped in rapid response to pipe leakages once logistics are available.
• No more hire spanner 24 as it was before.
• Simplified work. After buying plumping materials, tools are readily available

WSSB Strategies to improve the scheme:

• Rationing of water supply. Of 4 main lines, 2 will be given water each day.
• Recruiting 2^nd scheme attendant. One has not effectively managed all lines.
• Hold sensitization/mobilization of water user communities on WUF, YY, S&H sessions in churches and other religious denominations within project catchment area.

 Access to Safe water:

• The scheme has 52 water sources/tap stands
• 692 households have access to safe water on Karalike GFS.
• 100 to 200 meters average distance of water sources from the village,

KALI’s role on gender issues

• Emphases on 3 women out of 6 or 7 tap committee members all over the scheme.
• Treasurer becoming a woman. Before, even men were treasures. This is being de-campaigned by KALI at all water sources/taps.
• Sensitization of water user communities to mainstream gender issues in all activities
• Encourage women to take up leadership positions at different levels in the communities.

Outcome 6:

10% water sources in districts that have user groups with YY scheme.

Lyakirema Parish-Nyakiyumbu S/C

• 09 Taps were followed up. None of them had formed water User SACCO. However,
• 5 had existing VSLA by water users.
• Bazara Tap, Ndanda Tap,Sayuni tap,Kayibundulha tap and Namugongo Catholic Tap the water users with VSLA going on. However, they are not well organized.YY approach will be mainstreamed
• The other three did not have any trace of VSLA.

Kisaka Parish-Bwera S/C:

05 taps followed up for YY. 

• Mithi 7 tap: had formed Water user SACCO. Jan. 2013 after WUG community meetings in dec.2013
• The group has 56 members
• Saving by time of spot check was 2,970,000=
• SACCO Members borrow at an interest rate of 5%.

• Nyamughona C.O.U tap: had VSLA going on under the name Nyamughona women group
• The group has 22 members (M=14, F=18)
• The group has total savings of 298,500=
• YY will be integrated.

Nyamughona T/C tap,Syayipuma Tap and Kisandu tap did not have any YY neither

did they have VSLA gong on.

A lot on YY mobilization is still needed.

15% of water user groups in districts that provide credit to members

• There is one water user SACCO that has started at Mithi 7 water source
• It’s providing credit to members at an interest rate of 05%
• The second one is building on existing VSLA methodology. YY is being mainstreamed

• However, YY approach is building on the challenges of VSLA in the community. e.g. poor loans re-payment, multiple borrowers, this will affect YY adaptability.

40% of Water User Committees with implementing mechanisms for collection and utilization of the O&M funds:

There are over 10 WUC with implementing mechanism. Example; Kayibindulha tap, Namogongo T/C tap, Nyamughona Tap, Mithi 7 tap, Bazara tap Kahangwa tap,Syayipuma tap among others. These committees;

• Have Receipt books for collecting WUF
• Keeps the 30% per H/H or carry it forward for next month payment
• Make minor repairs at the tap esp. the tap nose

However, there is low response to payment of water user fee by community members.

Outcome 7:

00% of targeted HH adopting appropriate technologies (e.g. ECOSAN)

10% of HH with access to hand-washing facilities and tippy taps.

% of villages declared open defecation free (ODF)

Outcome 8:

50% of HH drinking safe water at the point of spot check

40% of HH practicing the safe water chain, including household water treatment and safe storage such as clay water filter

Compiled by:

Geoffrey Bwambale

Scovia Masika