By Micheal Atwakiire
Bushenyi:Minister for General Duties in the office of prime minister Mary Karooro Okurut’s home district Bushenyi, which she also represents in the Parliament has been invaded by jiggers .
Although Bushenyi district used to be a model district in a positive way , that has since changed to another story; it is alleged that more than 57 families from Keijengye, Rutooma, Numba , Kawaga and other areas in Bumbaire Sub-county in Bushenyi district , are affected by jiggers, whereby some people can’t walk properly because their feet are full of wounds.
Gloria Natukunda, 32, one of the affected people said “There is nothing I can do on my own because of these jiggers; even my two young children are also affected by the jiggers. Our toes are about to break off. Every morning I wake up and sit under sunshine to warm the affected parts. The jiggers are so deadly and easy to spread because they attacked us last month but now the whole family is affected.”
The Numba parish Village Health Team coordinator John Bosco Tumuhaise said that “So far we have more than 60 families with jiggers. Some people have tried to control the pests but others have not. I suspect these jiggers are a result of poor sanitation in people’s homes because some spend a month without sweeping their houses.”
Some government schools in Bushenyi district have also been affected by jiggers although they are working tirelessly to fight them.
The Head teacher Katonya primary School Harriet Mbeera admitted that it’s true some pupils in the school have jiggers but she blamed the parents for being the root causers of this problem.
We tried to reach minister Karoro, who is also the woman Member of Parliament for Bushenyi district on phone to ask if she is aware of the jigger invasion but she couldn’t be reached .
It should be noted that there are so many powerful who hail from Bushenyi district. Some of them include; Eng. Dr Silver Mugisha director National Water And Sewerage Corporation, Hon. Micheal Maranga Mawanda, Hon. Rafael Magyezi of the age limit bill, MP Cowboy Arinda Gordon, Hassan Bassajjabalaba director KIU Hospital and University and many others.
