The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Independent presidential candidates, Joseph Kabuleta and Nancy Kalembe have pledged to revive Cooperatives once elected into power. The duo was campaigning at different venues in Kabale district on Tuesday.
Kabuleta spoke to his mobilizers from Kabale, Rukiga and Rubanda districts at Victoria Inn in Kabale Municipality while Nancy Kalembe addressed journalists and travelers along Bwankosya Street in Central Division of Kabale Municipality.
The cooperative Movement in Uganda began in 1930 to shield farmers from exploitation by
European and Asian companies. Cooperatives become famous in the 1960 forgiving Ugandan traders a common voice, purpose and strong bargaining power.
However, the cooperatives started collapsing in 1972 and by 1999 they had become week because of political influence and corruption scandals.
Kabuleta says the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM Government has done nothing practical to revive the cooperatives despite the continuous cries from Ugandan farmers.
He promised to revive the cooperatives once elected into office come the 2021 general elections.
Nancy Kalembe on the other hand said the collapse of cooperatives was a deliberate political move by selfish individuals in government to silence the voice of small scale business operators.
In June 2019, the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Amelia Kyambadde disclosed that the cabinet had approved the re-establishment of the Uganda Cooperative Bank, saying it would resume in 2021.
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