Another advocacy forum formed in Hakibaale Sub-County, Kabarole District to Monitor Service Delivery.

Youth of Hakibaale Sub-County in Kabarole district have formed an advocacy group called ‘Committed Citizens for Better Services’ to monitor the delivery of government services in their area. The formation of the group has been inspired by the ‘Listeners Forum’ radio program which is supported by Toro Development Network (ToroDev) in partnership with Better FM, Fort Portal.

The advocacy group follows the formation of other advocacy groups in Ntoroko district and in the Kabarole District Sub Counties of Mugusu, Kisomoro and Katebwa.

During the initiation of the ‘Listeners Forum’ talkshow in January, 2012, ToroDev has been actively encouraging the formation of advocacy groups to enable sustainable monitoring of service delivery in the Rwenzori Region districts.

Participants from Hakibaale Sub County. 

The group will be officially launched on Saturday, 28^th July, 2012 in Hakibaale Sub County, Kabarole district where all political leaders have been invited and the King of Tooro Kingdom, Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukiidi IV will be the chief guest according to Amanyire Kaswata John the founder of the advocacy group.

According to Kasweta, the objectives of the advocacy group include among others; bridging the gap between local people and their political leaders, assisting local leaders in monitoring service delivery, fighting corruption, promoting unity and cooperation between local leaders and the local population, improve the delivery of government services and to give a voice to the voiceless.

While appearing on the ‘Listeners Forum’ talkshow, on Sunday, 22^nd July, 2012, members of the advocacy group Muhereza Mugara Patrick who is also a parish councilor for Hakibaale and Kasweta highlighted a number of issues affecting development of their sub county.

They appealed to the local leaders to lobby Rural Electrification Agency to extend electricity to Kabenda trading center in Hakibaale Sub County to enable the reduction of unemployment levels especially among the youth through the starting up agro-processing industries and other small scale businesses which require electricity like saloons.

The members of the advocacy group also highlighted the poor state of the education sector, water and sanitation sector and road sector and appealed to their leaders to take action through increased budget allocations to those sectors and improved monitoring to avoid shody work by technocrats.

ToroDev staff, Akugizibwe Solomon while appearing on the same talkshow promised to build the capacities of members of service delivery advocacy groups through training in ICT skills, monitoring and evaluation, skills in monitoring service delivery, skills in information access and sharing and documentation among others.

ToroDev is a public accountability NGO operating in the Rwenzori Region districts of Western Uganda. ToroDev sponsors the ‘Listeners Forum’ radio program on Better FM which focuses on discussing issues of public accountability for improved service delivery. The radio talkshows which mainly targets the marginalized population groups of rural women and youth broadcasts every Sunday for 2 hours (08:00 – 10:00pm).