Masaka Health Officials Demand Dedicated Court to Tackle Worsening Sanitation Crisis
Masaka city health authorities want a dedicated court and magistrate to handle public health issues, particularly targeting people without latrines and those who indiscriminately dump garbage, so that they can be punished. According to health reports released for the city’s two divisions, the level of filth among residents has significantly increased. A study revealed that the prevalence of diarrhea among children under five has risen sharply — from 9% in the 2023/2024 financial year to 20% in 2025 — all attributed to the worsening sanitation situation. The report further showed that handwashing practices have declined: in Kimaanya-Kabonera Division, the rate dropped from 73% in 2023/24 to 39% in 2025, while in Nyendo-Mukungwe Division it declined from 52% to 49% in the same period. Madrine Kikomeko, the health inspector for Kimaanya-Kabonera Division, said they are tired of pleading with residents to build latrines, as many continue to ignore the call, leaving the city dirty and full of waste scattered everywhere. She lamented that even when they apprehend people who refuse to build latrines or who dump waste in the city and take them to court, most of the cases collapse due to lack of officers to follow through, which emboldens the offenders because of the absence of clear laws or dedicated judicial attention. Now, they are asking for a magistrate dedicated solely to public health cases, hoping that this will create accountability and encourage people to care about their own health and sanitation. However, Centenary Radio spoke to the Masaka city health officer, Dr. Patrick Kasendwa, who said the city’s existing court and magistrate already handle such cases, but blamed health workers themselves for not preparing their cases well enough for prosecution. Meanwhile, Masaka city Mayor Florence Namayanja has warned residents still constructing pit latrines in the city that they need to adopt waterborne toilets instead, saying the city needs modern sanitation facilities to improve public hygiene.
BANAMATEEKA ABAWOZA EMISANGO MU KOOTI ENKULU BATADDE WANSI EBIKOLA
Bannamateeka abawoza emisango mu Kooti enkulu e Masaka batadde ebikola wansi, berayiridde obutadda mukooti kuwoza musango okutuusa nga gavument n’abakulu musigga eddamuzi babawadde abalamuzi abamala. Banno babazze ekiwandiiko ekiteereddwako emikono gyabanamateeka bonna abakolerera e Masaka abawereraddala 26, nga bakulembeddwamu Alexander Lule akulira bannamateeka e Masaka, John Kawanga, Salifu Ssozi, Joseph Waswa, Eddy Ssansa, Sam Ssekyewa, Godfrey Baluku, Brenda Innomugisha, Harbert Zikusooka, Devis Kikyonkyo nabalala kyebatute mubakulu abavunanyizibwa okulaba nga bakola kunsonga yabwe. Bano nga basinziira ku Kooti e Masaka mukwogerako nabamawulire, bagamba nti emisango mingi gyetuumye mukooti eno nga negimu giri mumyaka 10 n’okusoba tegikolwangako kuggwa olw’abalamuzi ba Kooti enkulu abatamala. Alexander Lule akulira bannamateeka e Masaka agamba bamazze omwaka mulamba nga balina omulamuzi mukooti enkulu omu (1) yekka, nga ye Fatuma Nanziri olwaleero kwekusalawo nti okutandika n’olunnaku lwa Monday wiiki ejja tebagenda kudda mu Kooti okutuusa nga gavument ekkoze kunsonga yabwe. Munnamateeka ono agamba nti bawandiikidde abakulu mu Ssiga eddamuzi enfunda eziwera naye nga mpaawo kikolebwa, nagamba kino tebagenda kukigumiikiriza. Devis Kikyonkyo omu kubannamateeka abakolera e Masaka agamba bakooye okulyanga sente zabantu naye ng’emisango gyebalina okukolako gitudde butuuzi mukooti. Reported by Ddungu Fred ENDS
Masaka Court Clears Councilor Alice Nanungi of Alleged Conspiracy in Council Resolutions Forgery Case
In Masaka City, the court has acquitted Hon. Alice Nanungi, the councillor representing Nyendo-Mukungwe Division in the Masaka City Council, of charges related to conspiracy with former council clerk Luwaga Steven to forge council resolutions from meetings held on May 26, 2023, and August 24, 2023. Presiding over the case, Magistrate Kayiiza Abudallah ruled that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to prove that Hon. Nanungi conspired with Luwaga Steven to alter the council’s resolutions. As a result, he declared that Hon. Nanungi was not guilty. However, Luwaga Steven has been ordered to return to court on July 3, 2025, to face separate charges related to the alleged forgery of council resolutions, although the conspiracy charge involving Hon. Nanungi has been dropped. Hon. Nanungi’s legal representative, Sam Ssekyewa from Ssekyewa and Matovu Advocates, stated that the prosecution’s evidence clearly showed that Hon. Nanungi did not attend the council meetings in question—those held on May 26 and August 24, 2023—proving that the charges brought against her was baseless. Meanwhile, Hon. Alice Nanungi claimed that the charges against her were politically motivated. She stated that her involvement in supporting certain members of the Mayor’s council, particularly those from the National Unity Platform (NUP), led to political retaliation and false accusations intended to tarnish her reputation and fail her to contest in the general coming elections.