By Naboth Isaac Niwagaba
The Rubanda West Member of Parliament Moses Kamuntu Mwongyera has donated food items worth Ugx 20 million and offered 30 job slots in his Iron Ore Mining Project to the Batwa Community as one way of relieving them from the COVID-19 lockdown effects.
Hon. Kamuntu handed over the food items to the local authorities in a scientific function held yesterday, at Rwamahano Primary school in Muko sub-county.
Each of the 160 Batwa households was allocated at least 5kgs of Maize flour and beans according to the size of the families. Beneficiaries were mostly residents of Rwamahano, Karengyere, and Lubindi Batwa resettlement camps.
While speaking on behalf of the Batwa, Gad Semmajeri said they were angry with the government after they found out that despite their plight, the office of the prime minister and the Ministry of Gender did not consider the Batwa as one of the vulnerable communities due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Mr. Semmajeri explained that the Batwa are one of the marginalized minority communities and their livelihood largely depends on casual labor and aid from charity organizations that reduced support after President Museveni announced a 42 days COVID-19 lockdown in June.
In response, Kamuntu pledged to advocate for long-term solutions to problems that have affected the Batwa since they were evicted by the government from their original dwellings in the Ecuya Forests.
He also tasked Semajjeri and other Batwa leaders to select 30 men who will be employed in his Iron Ore Mining sites in Rubanda District so that they can earn a living for their families during and the lockdown.
Meanwhile, the Muko Subcounty LC.3 Chairperson Patrick Abenitwe lauded Hon. Kamuntu for showing kindness to the Batwa Community. He said it was the first time a Member of Parliament donated such amount of Food and offered job opportunities to the Batwa living in Rubanda West Constituency.
