Youth advocacy forum tasks local leaders to give accountability.

Youth leaders from Mugusu Sub County, Kabarole District tasked their local leaders on 15^th October, 2012 at Mugusu Sub County community hall to give accountability and explain the mandates of their particular offices. The workshop, organized by Mugusu Forum for Development Club in Partnership with ToroDev attracted 60 participants.

Local leaders were represented by the area member of Parliament, the sub county chairperson, the sub county chief, the sub county NAADS coordinator, the local areas district and sub county councilors, the Kabarole district speaker , the health assistant and the OC Police officer among others.

Participants during the workshop

According to the Club’s coordinator, Mukwano Senyonjo, the workshop was aimed at empowering local communities with skills to monitor service delivery and demand accountability from local leaders. Mukwano also indicated that the workshop was aimed at sensitizing local communities in Mugusu Sub County on their rights to good health, education, clean environment, food, etc.

The area member of Parliament, Hon. Stephen Kagwera indicated that service delivery starts with local people and therefore appealed to the local communities to ensure that local leaders implement their manifestos to ensure improved service delivery in their local communities.

The In-charge of Mugusu Police post sensitized the participants on the whole process of reporting cases to the police. He also appealed to the local communities not to pay for police bail since it’s free.

The Kabarole District speaker, Hon. Mugabo Clovice promised to lobby for funds through the district council to work on the Mugusu Gravity flow scheme which was poorly constructed and the sub county roads of Mugusu – Butebe, Mugusu-Muhoora-Kasusu, Kiraaro-Kinyankende and Kyezire-Kiraro.

The sub county health assistant appealed to the local communities to improve on the latrine coverage and reduce the spread of diseases. According to the health assistant, latrine coverage currently stands at 89 percent so as to improve the hygiene and sanitation of the sub county.

In early 2012, ToroDev supported the initiation of advocacy forums in the Rwenzori Region districts to improve the monitoring of service delivery. Currently, ToroDev is engaged in training members of advocacy forums in online advocacy, monitoring service delivery and demanding accountability from their local leaders.