The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Masindi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has criticized leaders in the Bunyoro sub-region for failing to mobilize residents to embrace development and improve household incomes. Speaking to leaders from different parts of Bunyoro at the Five-star Hotel in Masindi Municipality, Museveni expressed disappointment over the slow progress in the region, despite the government’s efforts in constructing vital infrastructure such as roads and electricity.
Museveni pointed out that even with the development of critical oil roads in the region, local leaders have not effectively mobilized residents to economically benefit from these projects. He remarked that many people in areas traversed by these roads remain poor, simply observing the infrastructure without exploring ways to leverage it for their economic advantage.
The president urged the people of Bunyoro to take advantage of various government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program (UWEP) to spur development and improve household income. He also tasked regional leaders to accelerate the implementation of the PDM to ensure its goals are achieved and promised to personally monitor its progress.
Museveni further encouraged the people of Bunyoro to fight poverty through commercial agriculture, such as fruit farming, animal husbandry, fish farming, and poultry, both for home consumption and income generation. He emphasized that the fight against poverty is a collective responsibility and called on leaders across the country to actively promote poverty eradication.
He recounted how, after acquiring land in Kisozi in the 1990s, he worked to uplift the impoverished residents through the 4-acre model, which focuses on the productive use of small landholdings for commercial agriculture. Museveni encouraged leaders to adopt this approach to help Ugandans out of poverty.
The president also highlighted the importance of the National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) four principles—Patriotism, Pan-Africanism, Socio-economic Transformation, and Democracy—as vital for the prosperity of the people in Bunyoro and Uganda at large.
In a move to boost local agriculture, Museveni promised to distribute 14 tractors to various farmer groups in the region. He also pledged to extend electricity to Kimengo and Kijunjubwa sub-counties in Masindi District, which are primarily cattle farming areas, to support milk production.
State Minister for Gender, Labour, and Social Development Balaam Barugahara, also present at the event, urged the government to revamp the dilapidated Masindi General Hospital, which serves a large number of patients. Barugahara further called for an expedited process in constructing Masindi Central Market.
Finance Minister Matia Kasaija reassured the audience that funds for the construction of Masindi Hospital have been allocated and all the necessary paperwork has been completed.
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