Karambi Action for Life Improvement (KALI) KASESE

Neighborhood Assembly Reaches Munkunyu Sub County

A Neighborhood Assembly has been launched in Munkunyu sub county- Kinyamaseke trading centre to involve all community member in participating in government projects in this sub county. This follows the training they received about the NAs in august 2013 by a group of women (CBO) called KITWA – Kinyamaseke Tuwathikanaye Women Group and signed a Memorandum of understanding with KALI to implement it.

The NA was launched by the Chair Person LCIII, 2 parish councilors and the CDO Munkunyu sub county who appreciated the platform that it would enable give feedback to the people. The LCIII chair person accepted that most of the community members no longer attend community meetings at the LCI level because they seem to be busy and also that the mode of mobilization was still low but commended KALI for its mobilization strategy of using drama which automatically mobilizes people because they enjoy their traditional sounds.

The issues raised in this NA were;

1.     That the sub county has 6 parishes with a total population of 12000 people but with only 2 government health centers of which the health centre III was integrated with the church and therefore with no free medication. The LCIII said that they were planning for a purely government aided health centre III.

2.     Inadequate water supply in the lower division which has only 2 tap stands to serve 100 households yet water is not frequent. However, it was realized that the water users do not pay the water user fee to maintain water flow. The LCIII gave a case that in the last month, out of 120000 shillings they are supposed to raise, the only handed over 16000 shillings. He also said that the negotiations with Amaizi marugi had been going on and that they accepted to contract the extension of the water to the town and that the survey was starting in January 2014.

3.     That the parental participation in the education sector is still very low as they do not attend school meetings, some do pack food for their children and also some do not contribute financially towards the school development. KALI together with the sub county leadership pledged to continue sensitizing the community on radio, community meetings and drama so that people can take up the culture of participating in children education.

4.     The CDO sensitized the people about some of the bye laws and the district Ordinance on education and emphasized on absenteeism, early marriages and lunch for the children. He said that the sub county was going to work with the schools directly to implement some of these bye laws and to trap parents who do not report or who are culprits of such issues.