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Bunyangabu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Presidential candidate Henry Tumukunde has pledged to ensure value addition for farmers in Bunyangabu district when elected.
While addressing a campaign rally at Rubona Playground in Bunyangabu district on Monday, farmers told him that they are not benefiting from agriculture because they sell their products without any value added to them.
Godwin Kabayo, one of the farmers in the district, said that the price of bananas, which is among the major agricultural products in the district, keeps fluctuating and they do not earn much from it.
He said they would need factories to produce banana juice and manufacture other products instead of selling them in their raw form and earn very little money.
Joseph Mukumba, a resident of Kabonero Sub County, said that most of the roads in the district are in a very bad state with potholes, gullies and become very muddy and slippery during the rainy seasons.
Mukumba explained that using these roads to transport agricultural produce to major markets in the district is also very hard.
The about 200 residents that attended the rally promised to vote the former security minister, saying that he should look into these issues that have hindered their economic development once he gets into the country’s top office.
In response, Tumukunde said that he is well aware of the challenges that farmers in Bunyangabu district are facing and he promised to build factories for them and use other strategies to ensure they benefit from agriculture – the main economic activity in the district.
Beatrice Kiraso, the former Kabarole District Woman Member of Parliament, who is now the Chief of Staff in the Tumukunde camp, told Bunyangabu people that she is convinced Tumukunde is the best choice for them.
“I cannot mislead you, people of Tooro. I have represented you in Parliament for two terms and I can assure you that he is the best candidate for you. I have worked for the government for a long time, but I did not get much from it. We are coming with the change,” Kiraso said.
Tumukunde’s coordination team in Bunyangabu gave him a pet name, Araali, and also gifted him a small basket as a sign of love. The team that was led by Harriet Kabarokole said they had mobilized hundreds of supporters but police asked them to ensure only 200 turns up for the event.
The Rubona rally has been Tumukunde’s first rally in Tooro Sub-region. On Tuesday, he will be in Fort Portal Tourism City before heading to Ntoroko district.
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