Residents of Minziro Parish in Kyebe Sub-county, Kyotera District, have expressed frustration over what they describe as years of neglect by their leaders, saying they have little to show for the past five years of leadership.
The residents cite numerous challenges affecting their communities, including poor education services, inadequate healthcare, limited access to clean water, lack of electricity, and poor road infrastructure. They say these challenges have significantly hindered socio-economic development in the area.
The concerns were raised during a meeting with Kakuuto County Member of Parliament, Ismael Lubega Kaka, who visited Minziro Village in Kyebe Sub-county to engage with residents and discuss issues affecting the community.
Speaking on behalf of residents, John Muddu Kamya and Mariam Nakaseeta said the state of education in the area remains worrying due to the absence of a government-aided secondary school in Minziro Parish.
According to residents, students are forced to travel long distances to access secondary education, a situation that has contributed to high dropout rates and poor academic performance.
“Our children walk very long distances to attend secondary school because there is no government secondary school in Minziro. Some eventually drop out because their families cannot afford transport costs or private school fees,” Muddu said.
Nakaseeta added that many parents are struggling to keep their children in school and called on the government to prioritize education infrastructure in the parish.
Residents also expressed concern over the poor state of healthcare services in the area, saying health facilities are under-equipped and unable to adequately serve the growing population.
The shortage of safe and clean water was highlighted as another major challenge, with some residents reporting that they share water sources with animals, exposing them to waterborne diseases.
“Access to clean water remains a serious challenge. Many families depend on unsafe water sources that are also used by livestock. This poses a major health risk to our communities,” residents said during the meeting.
The residents appealed to the government and development partners to invest in water infrastructure to improve public health and living standards.
Community members further complained about the lack of electricity in most parts of Minziro Parish, saying the absence of power has limited business growth and investment opportunities.
They also raised concerns about the poor condition of the Kyapa–Kasensero Road, which they said has become nearly impassable, affecting transportation, trade, and access to essential services.
“Without electricity and reliable roads, development becomes difficult. Businesses cannot thrive, and farmers struggle to transport their produce to markets,” residents noted.
Some residents also called for Minziro Parish to be elevated to sub-county status, arguing that the current administrative structure has left them underserved and excluded from important government services.
Kyebe Sub-county Chairperson Robert Kayovu appealed to the government to upgrade the parish health facility to a Health Centre III.
He said the current facility lacks the capacity to adequately meet the healthcare needs of residents.
“An upgrade to Health Centre III status would greatly improve access to maternal health services and treatment for common illnesses, reducing the burden on residents who currently travel long distances for medical care,” Kayovu said.
Addressing the gathering, MP Ismael Lubega Kaka pledged to lobby for the establishment of a government secondary school and the extension of clean water services to Minziro Parish.
“Education and access to clean water are fundamental services. I will continue engaging the relevant government ministries to ensure Minziro gets a government secondary school and improved water coverage,” Lubega said.
The legislator also sought to reassure residents about the long-awaited Kyapa–Kasensero Road project, saying President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is aware of the road's condition and the concerns raised by residents.
“The President is fully aware of the Kyapa–Kasensero Road challenge. We remain hopeful that funding for the project will be considered in the upcoming national budget so that construction works can commence,” he said.
The meeting ended with renewed calls from residents for government intervention to address longstanding service delivery gaps in Minziro Parish. Community members expressed hope that the commitments made by their leaders would translate into tangible improvements in education, healthcare, water access, electricity, and road infrastructure.
For many residents, the visit by their area MP provided a rare opportunity to voice concerns that they say have gone unanswered for years. However, they stressed that what matters most now is action rather than promises as the community continues to grapple with challenges that have slowed development and affected livelihoods.