Local government Will Not Handover Schools to Farmers

The government in Kagera Region has insisted it will not give back secondary schools to coffee farmers’ cooperation unions.The schools were previously owned by Kagera Cooperative Union 1990 Limited.

Kagera regional commissioner, Mr John Mongella told the Regional Consultative Committee (RCC) that apart from applications from KCU the government was not ready to hand over school to farmers.

Among the schools, which belonged to KCU 1990 Ltd include Kishoju in Muleba District, Kashozi in Bukoba Rular District and Mugeza in Bukoba Municipal Council. Earlier, the schools belonged to coffee farmers, they were handed to government after the farmers failed to run them.

According to the RC, the government has already invested on the school and that evaluation would be needed to determine how much the government has invested on those schools before handing them back to farmers.

“ We should not accept to give back these schools to KCU 1990 Ltd, the government has already invested a lot on them, if they real need them, there should be an evaluation exercise or else, let farmers go and build new schools somewhere else,” he said.

According to KCU 1990 Ltd Director General, Mr Vedasto Ngaiza said farmers want their schools back.

“Farmers used Sh1.5 billion to build Kishoju secondary school, they want to own their assets,” he said.

Farmers have already filed a case in court against Muleba District Council seeking the clarification on who legal owner of Kishoju Secondary school. The case is ongoing.