By; Anzoo Evaline.

Residents of Eloku Village in Fuda Parish, Pakele Sub County, Zoka Zone have petitioned the Adjumani Resident District Commissioner (RDC) over alleged brutal arrests, destruction of property, land grabbing and bias by security officers, which they say has left many members of the Madi community homeless and in pain.

Presenting their grievances at the RDC’s office on 19^th December 2025, residents accused security agencies of siding with the Acholi community in the area, a situation they say has resulted in widespread loss of property and displacement.

Droma Richard, a resident of Eloku village, said the community has suffered massive destruction.

“All our properties have been destroyed, houses burnt, pieces of land forcibly grabbed and our brothers have been innocently detained by police,” Droma said.

He added that security officers have taken sides, saying, “Security officers have sided the Acholi community whom he said is the reason for their loss.”

Baako Jane, a widower, also narrated her ordeal, saying her house and crops were destroyed.

“Our worst enemies are the law enforcement officers like the UPDF, police and the Acholi communities who are residing in Eloku village,” Baako said.

Another resident, Izama James, also questioned the neutrality of the security forces operating in the area.

“The army is not neutral. So, there is no fairness in that area. The UPDF are siding with the Acholi. They are not siding with the Ma’di. So, we have lost our properties. Our houses have got burnt. So, right now people are not there. Very few people are there, but UPDF are not helping us,” Izama said.

Responding to the petition, the Deputy RDC of Adjumani, Emmanuel Okware, acknowledged receipt of the complaint and assured residents that the matter would be addressed.

“We feel the pain and frustration you are going through, but we want you to know that we have received this petition. It’s a long petition. We need to sit together as a team and we discuss it. We shall give you feedback through your leaders. We shall address this and come back to you via your leaders. If necessary, we shall call for a meeting around that area,” Okware said.

Residents said they are hopeful that the intervention by the RDC’s office will restore peace, ensure fairness by security agencies, and allow displaced families to return to their homes.

END.

By; Anzoo Evaline.

A total of 844 election police constables have been passed out in Adjumani District to provide security during the 2026 general elections across the Madi sub-region.

The pass-out ceremony brought together recruits drawn from three districts, including: 118 from Obongi District, 254 from Moyo District, and 472 from Adjumani District. The officers successfully completed a 10-day intensive training course aimed at preparing them for election-related duties.

Speaking during the ceremony on 18^th December 2025, the District Police Commander (DPC) Adjumani, ASP Masembe Herbert, said the recruits had undergone a complete transformation during the training period.

“We received raw materials. We have turned them into a product. They are just raw materials in the form of human beings, but we’ve turned them into a product that is required on the 15th of January and other elections that will follow,” ASP Masembe said.

The Regional Training Officer for North West Nile Region, SP Kalanzi Abed, explained that the course covered both theory and practical sessions. He noted that the key topics included: patriotism, professionalism, discipline, and the protection of democratic gains.

“The course has been delivered in both theory and practical. As you have already seen in the demonstrations, patriotism, professionalism and discipline were emphasized throughout the training,” SP Kalanzi said.

The Regional Police Commander (RPC) North West Nile Region, SSP Mwesigye Joseph, reminded the newly passed-out officers of their responsibilities under the law. He cited Article 211 of the Constitution of Uganda, which establishes the Uganda Police Force and binds all officers to the police code of conduct.

“As you join the police force, you are already part of it and under the police code of conduct. When you mess up, you will not be handled like a civilian. You must be nationalist and have the country at heart,” SSP Mwesigye cautioned.

Adjumani Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Toko Swaib, urged the officers to maintain professionalism and independence while on duty. He warned them against political influence and reminded them that their recruitment was based on a standardized system.

“No politician should tell you that you were recruited because of his or her effort. You must exhibit the true character of a professional police officer, even though you have trained for only 10 days,” the RDC said.

Meanwhile, the officers were also cautioned to remain disciplined, neutral and nationalistic as they are deployed to various duty posts across the Madi sub-region to safeguard the electoral process ahead of the 2026 general elections.

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By Anzoo Evaline.

Adjumani District has embarked on a comprehensive review of its Environment and Natural Resources Protection Ordinance, ten years after it was first developed in 2015.

The review follows increasing environmental challenges that have emerged over the years, prompting the district leadership and partners under the URRI project to update the law to better protect natural resources and respond to climate change.

According to Giyaya Charles, the District Natural Resources Officer (DNRO), the past decade has seen new pressures on the environment that were not adequately addressed in the old ordinance.

“Our previous environment protection ordinance has now taken 10 years. Meaning there are changes that have come in that we needed to address in this ordinance and that is the reason why we are doing this review,” he said.

He noted that wetland encroachment has become a major concern, driven by population growth and limited land especially in refugee-hosting areas.
Refugees, whose designated land is no longer sufficient, have increasingly moved into wetland areas. The district has also witnessed a sharp rise in sand mining, brick making, and other destructive activities, all contributing to environmental degradation.

Giyaya added that with support from partners, the district will popularize the ordinance up to the village level, ensuring that communities are aware of the regulations and their responsibilities.

“We now have local environment committees. We’re going to activate them. They’ll be the ones to support our limited staff to implement some of the provisions, monitor what is going on and report to us and then we act,” he said.

He further encouraged lower local governments to use the ordinance as a basis for creating their own bylaws, and for communities to make local rules aligned to the district ordinance.

Simon Opio, the URRI Project Officer based in Adjumani, explained that the review is being done in close partnership with the district, the Office of the Prime Minister, cultural institutions, and other stakeholders.

 “We collaborated with the district, OPM and other stakeholders including the cultural leader to review the district environment and natural resource ordinance to ensure we conserve our environment and also protect the existing ones and we plant more tree so that we guide and respond to climate change impact,” Opio said.

The initiative is funded by Danida under the URRI project and implemented in collaboration with World Vision, the lead partner, alongside Save the Children and YSAT.

Adjumani’s Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Wambi Richard, commended the partners and district heads of department for supporting the review process. He appealed to all stakeholders to ensure that the reviewed ordinance is implemented effectively to save the environment.

Similarly, Kaijuka Richard Arthur, District Vice Chairperson, emphasized the urgency of acting on environmental degradation, stressing that climate change has already caused severe impacts on livelihoods and health. He reflected on drastic changes in the local ecosystem:

“This environment that has affected us is now taken to even us to grow. Do we see these animals that we are now seeing? Those days we have bulls. My father used to have bulls which we cannot even see that side when we are here. But the bulls have reduced here,” he said.

Kaijuka warned that environmental pollution is affecting not only livestock but human health, including children.

“We are giving birth to children who are affected by the environment. And that is why even if forcing them to school is a problem. Because the mind is affected by the chemical,” he said.

He also appreciated the presentations from the technical and partner teams, reaffirming that the council is ready to adopt the revised ordinance.

The review of the 10-year district environment ordinance marks a renewed commitment by Adjumani District to combat climate change, protect wetlands, regulate natural resource use, and empower communities to safeguard their environment.

With strengthened partnerships and activated local environment committees, the district aims to ensure that environmental conservation becomes a shared responsibility from the district leadership down to the village level.

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By Esther Gune.

About 85 health workers across 43 health facilities in Adjumani District have been empowered by WaterAid to integrate Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) services.

The revelation was made during a visit by a delegation including officials from Ghana, Mozambique, South Africa and Canada to Adjumani District Leadership hosted by WaterAid on Tuesday 2nd December 2025. The delegation also interacted with health workers, and patients while visiting Maaji B Health Centre II, where the organization constructed a VIP drainable pit latrine and rehabilitated other WASH facilities.

WaterAid is part of a consortium of organizations implementing the 5 year Sexual Health and Reproductive Education (SHARE) project in Uganda which ends in March 2026, with support from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.

Water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) plays a critical role in achieving Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) for women and girls, especially as it relates to personal health.

Through SHARE, WaterAid has been partnering with the district to rehabilitate WASH systems in healthcare facilities including: installing hand washing units to prevent the spread of disease; restructuring sanitation facilities to ensure that toilets are inclusive and gender sensitive; training healthcare workers in healthcare facilities and in the community on WASH infection prevention and control; installing safe waste disposal systems; and training healthcare workers on proper waste management. 

While making a presentation on the impact of the SHARE project in Adjumani, Lulu Henry Leku, the Assistant District Health Officer in charge of Maternal Child Health, said that the Project has strengthened medical waste management systems, increased family planning uptake, improved private safe water access points for adolescent girls and young women, and enhanced menstrual hygiene management.

“The project has significantly increased family planning uptake from 27.1% in Financial Year 2020/2021 to 48.8% in Financial Year 2024/2025, while teenage pregnancy has dropped to 15.7% in Adjumani compared to the national average of 24%,” Lulu said.

Lulu also observed that the project has addressed long-standing gaps in adolescent sexual and reproductive health, enabling health workers through WaterAid’s training to confidently provide counselling or guidance and engage girls who previously feared seeking family planning services.

In affirmation, Ovizio Rose, an enrolled nurse at Maaji B Health Centre II, appreciated WaterAid saying that the trainings had equipped health workers with knowledge on waste management, handling adolescent girls, and improving sanitation and hygiene, which has also boosted their confidence.

 “I appreciate WaterAid for the SHARE Project. This project has really impacted us with a lot of knowledge, especially through the training.  They have taught us how to manage waste, how to handle adolescent girls, and how to improve sanitation and hygiene. All this has built our confidence,” said Ovizio Rose.

According to Amaunzi Alex, the in-charge of Maaji Health Centre II, the facility provides a range of services, including general OPD consultations with a daily attendance of about 150 patients and an average of 65 deliveries per month.

Amaunzi explained that they work closely with community health workers, mainly VHTs, who monitor hygiene and sanitation in the community, assess how households use WASH facilities, and check whether they have latrines.

“After the Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) training conducted by WaterAid, our ability to manage infections and medical waste improved giving us the confidence needed to deliver services to a population of 17,288 people, including 14,288 refugees,” Amaunzi said.

Despite these achievements, Lulu however said, several challenges still hinder health service delivery, including limited local budgets for major repairs, high pressure on services due to the refugee population, and inadequate water flow in some facilities during peak hours.

The water coverage rate in Adjumani currently stands at 75%. As of May 30th 2025, according to the Uganda Water Supply Atlas, Adjumani has 1,113 domestic water points. 46 of them have been non-functional for the last 5 years and are considered abandoned.

According to records at the District Health Office as of June 2025, out of 50,373 households, 9,829 have no latrines, only 18,590 have improved latrines, 27,010 haven’t attained Open Defecation Free Status (ODF), and 4,665 still lack access to safe drinking water.

END.

By Anzoo Evaline.

Adjumani District has today 1^st December 2025 marked the World AIDs Day 2025, with 3,300 people currently living with HIV/AIDS across both the refugee and host communities.

This is worrying as the district’s HIV prevalence rate now stands at 2.4%, slightly higher than the 2.3% average for the West Nile sub-region.

The day was celebrated under the theme: “Building a sustainable HIV response to end Aids as a public health threat.”

According to District Health Officer Adjumani, Dr. Drametu Dominic, HIV remains one of the diseases targeted for eradication by 2030 alongside teenage pregnancy and violence against women.

He noted that between July 2024 and June 2025, the district registered 110 new HIV infections, adding that the actual number may be higher due to people who have not tested or those unaware of their status.

“Nationally, the HIV prevalence of 2022 UDH stands at 5.1%. The one of West Nile is at 2.3%. The one of Adjumani is 2.4%. You can see our prevalence is higher than the average of West Nile,” Dr. Drametu stated, urging communities to take testing, treatment, and prevention seriously.

Health officials and stakeholders attributed the rising numbers to several factors including: drug abuse, gender-based violence, poverty, alcoholism, poor parental guidance, insecurity, and increased inter marriage between different tribes especially in areas like Zoka and Apaa. Leaders also noted that many young people no longer fear HIV because they rarely see people dying due to HIV-related illnesses.

Sabina Vukoni, the Vice Chairperson of persons living with HIV/AIDS in Adjumani, said that non-adherence to treatment among the youth, drug abuse, and child marriage continue to fuel new infections.

“There are many issues that are leading to the rise… most of the youths don’t want to take this medicine daily as instructed,” she said.

Emuch David, TB/HIV officer with IDI, reported that “out of the district’s 3,300 individuals in care, about 2,700 are adhering well to treatment, translating to an 84% viral suppression rate. The district aims to reach the global target of 95% suppression as part of the 2030 HIV epidemic control goals. He emphasized that most treatment challenges are among children and adolescents, highlighting the need for more tailored interventions”.

Leaders also linked HIV infections to rising teenage pregnancies and the influence of social media. FAWE Uganda Head of Program, Joseph Adiama, noted that

 “Platforms like TikTok have contributed to intimate relationships among adolescents, leading to both teenage pregnancy and increased HIV risk. I therefore want to appeal for stronger collaboration with political and community leaders in the fight against HIV and gender-based violence during the 16 Days of Activism,” Joseph said.

Mariko Otake, UNHCR Associate Protection Officer, reminded the public that HIV and gender-based violence are closely connected, noting that abuse and rape significantly contribute to HIV transmission. She also reaffirmed UNHCR’s commitment to awareness creation and prosecution of perpetrators of GBV.

Hon. Anyama Ben, the District Chairperson, expressed concern over the population influx in locations like Zoka C and Apaa, estimating that the areas host over 30,000 people, many of whom are untested.

 “These people are marrying our daughters of Madi and us also marrying them. So, that could be one of the biggest challenges,” he said, calling for strengthened security and testing efforts.

The CAO Adjumani, Ochen Andrew James, emphasized the district’s commitment to achieving the 95-95-95 strategy, praising national leadership for progress.

“I would request that the war is still on and until we achieve 100%. That is the target. That’s when we’ll be celebrating that yes, we have made it. Although we are in the journey towards it,” CAO commended.

Meanwhile, the story of Komaa Christine, a teenage mother from Maaji III Refugee settlement, highlighted the importance of continued support for adolescent girls. After facing early pregnancy and abandonment, she received counselling and encouragement from FAWE, enabling her to return to school. Christine recently sat for her PLE and now awaits results to join secondary school in 2026, saying she is grateful for the support that helped her rebuild her future.

As Adjumani joins the rest of the world in commemorating World AIDS Day during the 16 Days of Activism, district leaders and health partners called on communities to prioritize prevention, testing, and treatment, and to address the social drivers that continue fuelling new infections. They reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring that by 2030, HIV becomes “history” in Adjumani and Uganda at large.

The celebration was supported by the different implementing partners in the district, Adjumani district local government, FAWE Uganda the lead partner, Media for All Uganda, Reach a Hand Uganda, OPM, UNHCR, IDI, Naguru teenage center, Medical Team International, Global Aim, Right to play, and Peace Hospice.

END.