Professionals from Koyonzo Location in Matungu Subcounty have put in place elaborate measures aimed at improving residents’ lifestyles, especially in education, agriculture and financial security.
Led by the Vice Chancellor of Africa International University and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission select committee Chair Dr Nelson Makanda, the location has various professionals spread across the country who can bring the much-needed change to the community.
Dr Makanda called on the professionals to spearhead the change they want to see in society.
Koyonzo Location comprises two sublocations: Koyonzo and the newly created Ngairwe, which the professionals want to rally behind the people, improve the standards of living and perception that the people have about life.
Makanda said he wants people to compete competitively up there and that will start by equipping children with quality education and supporting them for opportunities that arise.
“Let us advise our neighbours, relatives and the community that quality education is very important and places you in a competitive position if well packaged,” said Dr Makanda.
He added, “The standards of our local schools are going down and no one is talking about it. A few years ago, Koyonzo Mixed was a centre of academic excellence and many families have had their status improved as we have various professionals in the locality courtesy of the former academic giant. It is high time we come together and salvage the standards of our great schools.”
Dr Makanda was hailed for having the interests of the locals at heart as it is very rare to get people of his stature coming down to the level of common mwananchi to reason with them.
He’s a rare species that is worth being celebrated.
Retired teacher Mr Wakhu who is also a respected elder from the community lamented how the community had ditched farming and instead relied on everything from the shops.
“It is absurd that 95% of locals don’t fancy farming and that they get things like eggs, tomatoes and even vegetables from the market centres yet we are blessed with fertile farms that we can use to produce these products,” he lamented.
He added, “How can a mama from Bunanziri village be buying sukuma wiki from the market centres when we have huge farms that are not utilized?”
The professionals resolved that there is a need to enlighten the people to understand that agriculture is the backbone of any society and should embrace it and be attending to farms for better livelihood.
It was also noted that some people prefer going to market centres as early as 7 a.m. to do politics, yet they can spend that time attending to their farms.
“Our people should be taught about saving culture and financial management as anything to do with finance, requires discipline. Many have failed for not being disciplined on matters of finance,” Makanda said.
Mr Kennedy Musumba the chief, Koyonzo Location was tasked to coordinate the professional caucus and bring on board all the professionals from the location to have an outfit that is vibrant.
“We want professionals to join Boards of Managements of our schools so the standards of our schools can be improved. You cannot realize production in a hostile environment and we want people who are well versed with matters education to join the management so that we can get the much-needed change in our community,” the professionals resolved.
The area chief was tasked to enforce the Chiefs Act to protect the interests of the community from politicians who have been taking advantage of the youths to cause mayhems in funerals.
“We are not a political outfit and we are not going to allow politicians to be causing fracas in any functions across the location. We need to protect our location from politicians. We want to set standards of Koyonzo Location very high so that the rest of the country will be coming here for benchmarking as we believe it is very possible,” the professionals vowed.
They noted professionals in education, agriculture and finance from the community will be tasked with talking to the people in local barazas on how best they can improve their lives.
An interim team to spearhead the program will be led by the area chief Mr Kennedy Musumba, Mr George Echesa, Mrs Peninah Oketch and Mr Victor Ngecho.
