Museveni Concludes 3-month OWC Tour with Rally in Bundibugyo

By Kampala Post Reporter

President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday concluded a three-month countrywide sensitization campaign on wealth and job creation with a public rally in Bundibugyo District, Rwenzori Sub-Region in Western Uganda.

He called upon all Ugandans during his concluding rally held at Kasubba Sub-County Headquarters to wake up and kick out poverty from their homes by embracing a money economy that suits modern-day lifestyles. The President urged communities throughout his tour that his aim is to fight for the poor who for long have lived in economic darkness because of lack of leaders to mobilize them to wake up and work to banish poverty.

“The NRM struggled to usher peace in the country. Peace ignited infrastructure development. The remaining task is wealth creation mobilization at the household level. A person with a reasonable piece of land is able to handle any agricultural practice. I am now struggling to see that a person with a 4-acre or less piece of land utilizes it to realize high productivity to accumulate wealth,” he said.

The President told the rally in Bundibugyo that he was impressed by the people of the area for being focused on development. “You have greatly advanced in agricultural development; growing coffee, cocoa, palm oil trees to sustain the economic development of your families,” he said. He used the occasion to advise residents in the district to construct residential housing structures out of bricks, not mud and wattle, though the houses are roofed with corrugated iron sheets.

Museveni also thanked the people for the tremendous support for the NRM government by their overwhelming vote in the 2016 general elections. “I have come here to thank you for voting well. I commend you people of Bundibungyo for you are focused politically. Your mature and responsible voting has made the area peaceful contrary to the neighboring DRC.” he observed.  The president encouraged the people that in addition to growing highly productive crops along with the four-acre plan, they should also expand to Vanilla cultivation. He noted that Vanilla has gained global market demand.

Museveni revealed that the government has created an annual fund allocation of Shs.400 billion for wananchi to utilize to boost individual household income. He explained that the money is embedded in the youth livelihood fund, women fund, OWC, and microfinance fund. “Other extra source of funds the government has identified, he added are under skilling program, specialized enterprises fund and elected leaders’ fund,” he revealed.

He warned those people (rats) that will be tempted to squander the funds that they would be apprehended. He, on the other hand, warned locals gainst consumption of apes’ flesh saying it is the root cause of the Ebola outbreak in the area. “To curb further spread of Ebola, he added, people should avoid handshake till the disease is eradicated”, he said.

Presidency Minister, Hon. Esther Mbayo reminded Bundibugyo District electorate to continue voting for NRM overwhelmingly as they have always done since the coming to power of the Movement in 1986. Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Minister, Vincent Sempijja sensitized coffee growers in the area about coffee trees’ spacing and how they can contain soil erosion in hilly areas adding that for zero-grazing animals, a farmer is able to keep eight cows in one acre of land.

Bundibugyo District LC 5 Chairman, Mr. Mutegeki Ronald, said that the district has been peaceful and stable. He thanked the Movement Government for supporting the district in terms of development programs. Greater Rwenzori locals and youth leaders forwarded their resolution requesting President Museveni to accept to be the sole candidate of NRM come 2021 elections as Bundibugyo District Councillors handed over symbols of authority to the President.