Jeema launches “Fund my Dream” campaign

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Justice Forum-Jeema party has unveiled “Fund my Dreams” campaign to influence and redirect government funding priorities through advocacy and political mobilisation. The campaign is intended to push government to increase funding to the Agriculture, Health and Education sectors.

Addressing journalists at their party headquarters on Tuesday, the Jeema party spokesperson, Abdu-Noor Ssentongo Kyamundu, said there is need for government to increase funding to the three sectors. He said for instance government should allocate at least 10% of the budget to Agriculture because it employs more than 80% of Ugandans.

The 10% proposal is in line with the Maputo Declaration on Agriculture and Food Security passed at the Second Ordinary Assembly of the African Union in July 2003. Ssentongo says prioritizing the three sectors will create jobs and increase Uganda’s export earnings.

Siraje Kifampa Nsambu, the Assistant Jeema spokesperson, says they intend to sensitize the public to rally behind the campaign. The plan also involves reaching out to different political aspirants who will be required to commit to prioritise key sectors in Uganda.

Jeema also plans to make countrywide campaign to sensitize people and make sure they hold their leaders accountable when they vote them into power. Nsambu says they will start with petitioning the Speaker of parliament and among others ask that the Number of Member of Parliament is reduced to between 150 and 200 legislators.

The 10th Parliament comprises of over 450 members including Constituency, District Woman, Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces, Youth, Persons with Disabilities, Workers representatives and 17 Ex-officio Members. According to Jeema, this number is too large and unnecessarily adds a burden to the budget of the country.

The launch comes on a day when the world is commemorating the World Human trafficking Day. Asmat Nabalamba, the Jeema National Treasurer, says if government invests more in Agriculture, Health and Education, there shall be no need for Ugandans to go abroad in search for jobs.

She decried the rampant cases of human trafficking manifesting inform of labor export. She says that a number of them opt for jobs abroad after failing to secure a job in Uganda despite having academic documents.

World Day against Trafficking in Persons marked every July 30 is meant to raise awareness on the plight of human trafficking victims, promote and protect their rights.

According to the latest Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, nearly three quarters of all detected trafficking victims worldwide are female. Thirty percent are children.

According to the 2018 Police Crime Report, a total number of 286 incidents related to trafficking in persons were registered compared to 177 in 2017. Majority of the registered incidents, were of transnational nature; and most of these involved adults.

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