Mwese has the status of a division (tarafa), and also ward (kata). Mwese includes three villages; Mwese, Lugonesi and Lwega. Each village has its primary school. Mwese area is numbered from No.1 to No.10. Lugonesi is called Mwese No.4, and Lwega is called Mwese No.7. Into Lugonesi many Chagga people had arrived for agriculture in 1968, and Chagga people are still dominant in this village. In 2002 year, a mining company, the Anglo-American has built its private airport in Lugonesi. In Lwega Bende people are dominant.
A meeting with a Politic, Gembe. Sep.2002
Mwese used to be a traditional Bende village until 1964, when waves of Rwanda refugees (Tutsi) had arrived here. Mwese was the first Rwandan refugee camp with international aids around this area (Rukwa Region) previous to Mishamo and Katumba. The camp had brought many changes into the traditional Bende village. After 1994 year (after Tutsi have regained political powers in Rwanda) many Tutsi people have come back to their mother country.
Administrative institutions of Mwese village are; a division office, a ward office, village office, a primary school, a health centre, a police station and an agricultural center.
The population of the village (without Lugonesi and Lwega) is following (in 2000 year)
Number of households: 179
| Males | Females | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working people | 225 | 243 | 468 |
| Disenable to work | 14 | 16 | 30 |
| Children (under 18 year) | 323 | 301 | 624 |
| TOTAL | 562 | 560 | 1122 |
In 1964 a hospital was built when Rwandan refugee camp was founded with international aids. After the camp, the hospital has been taken over to Mwese village as a Health Centre.Facilities of the centre are wells and solar power equipments. But the centre stands on a hill, and they had difficulty to get Kerosene to pump up water. Solar power is used for a refrigerator to keep medicines and for other gynecological equipments.
The number of beds is 25, 2 medical doctors and 8 nurses. The average number of visitors per day is almost 100.
3.1. Primary School - Mwese : Interview with a teacher, Mr. Juvenali Logasiano
The number of teachers: 7
The number of children registered
| Standard | Boys | Girls | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 67 | 53 | 120 |
| II | 41 | 42 | 83 |
| III | 29 | 25 | 54 |
| IV | 28 | 33 | 61 |
| V | 19 | 16 | 35 |
| VI | 25 | 26 | 51 |
| VII | 23 | 22 | 45 |
| TOTAL | 232 | 217 | 449 |
The average number of attendance: 86%
3.2. Primary School - Lugonesi
No data is available on this school.
3.3. Primary School - Lwega: Interview with the head teacher of school, Mr. Christopher Ndala
The number of teachers: 5
The number of children registered
| Standard | Boys | Girls | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | 35 | 35 | 70 |
| II | 21 | 14 | 35 |
| III | 33 | 24 | 57 |
| IV | 39 | 30 | 69 |
| V | 5 | 2 | 7 |
| VI | 20 | 6 | 26 |
| VII | 12 | 9 | 21 |
| TOTAL | 165 | 120 | 285 |
The average number of attendance: 75%
Mwese has cool and brisk climate throughout of year. There is no mosquito in Mwese although sand fleas sometimes bother people. When Rwandan refugees had arrived, many natural coppices were cut down. Today Mwese is on the steep range of hills with very few woods. At the same time of the refugee camp, new woods were brought about; blue gums (Eucalyptus globulus Labill. L.), Scotch pines (Pinus sylvestris L.), common spruces (Pinus abies L. Karst), and today these woods are commonly used as timbers.
Lyapinda Family who accepted me so warmly, special thanks. Sep.2002.
Mwese is well suited to agriculture and cattle breeding. Main products of Mwese are; banana, beans, maize and potatoes. Recently people have tried to cultivate coffee. These products are bought by Mpanda merchants and brought to Mpanda by cargo trucks. An agricultural counselor advices people in farms.
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