President Museveni Calls for Wealth Creation to Achieve Socio-Economic Transformation in Bukedi

Summary:

• President Museveni, currently on a performance assessment tour for the Parish Development Model (PDM) and wealth creation in Bukedi, delivered his remarks on November 9, 2024, at Butaleja District Headquarters, addressing leaders from across the subregion.

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BUKEDI: President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has told leaders in the Bukedi subregion that Uganda’s path to socio-economic transformation lies in wealth creation.

“These things must be clear in our heads. Yes, health, education, roads that’s service delivery and development. But for socio-economic transformation, we need to create wealth. This is a conceptual issue; it’s not about lacking resources, it’s about lacking the right concept,” he said.

President Museveni, currently on a performance assessment tour for the Parish Development Model (PDM) and wealth creation in Bukedi, delivered his remarks on November 9, 2024, at Butaleja District Headquarters, addressing leaders from across the subregion.

According to the President, the NRM government has introduced several interventions, such as the four-acre model, to help Ugandans fight poverty and build wealth.

“In our 1996 Manifesto, we proposed the four-acre model after research in the cattle corridor. The people who embraced it have seen success. Masaka is thriving with coffee; the cattle corridor is prosperous. Places like Kalangala have transformed with palm oil, and Bundibugyo is flourishing with palm oil, coffee, and upland rice,” he said.

“We advised smallholder farmers to allocate one acre to coffee, one to fruits, one to pasture for dairy cows, and one for food crops like cassava. Poultry and piggery can be kept in the backyard, and fish farming at the wetland edges. In Bukedi, you can also grow cocoa,” he added, advising against crops like cotton, sugarcane, and maize, which require large-scale farming for profitability.

Museveni further urged the people of Bukedi to shift from rice farming in wetlands to fish farming along wetland edges.

“If you are a leader and you don’t guide the people well, it’s a sin. I tell you what God has shown me,” he noted.

“Bukedi, Busoga, Teso, and Lango are among the world’s richest regions. You have land and water, but you’re underutilizing and misusing these resources.”

Citing Limoto Wetland as an example, Museveni explained that farmers there could earn up to Shs 60 million per acre from fishponds due to proper fishing practices.

“I want Bukedi to use wetlands better to generate income and preserve them. That’s why fishponds should be at the wetland edges, not the center,” he emphasized, also advocating for increased irrigation to boost productivity.

He noted that the PDM and Emyooga programs are progressing well in the subregion.

“I’ve visited farmers who are very pleased. We’ll keep investing in PDM and Emyooga every year,” he said.

Vice President H.E. Jessica Alupo praised Museveni’s practical approach to securing Uganda’s future through wealth creation and shared prosperity.

“Your Excellency, this zonal tour has significantly mobilized the population to engage in wealth creation, as demonstrated by the farmers we visited yesterday,” the Vice President said.

“Securing Uganda’s future is a great task requiring tried, tested, and trusted leadership, which you have consistently provided,” she added.

Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja thanked President Museveni and the NRM government for empowering Ugandans through initiatives like the PDM.

“The NRM was given a mandate for 2021-2026. So far, 35 percent of our commitments have been fulfilled, and 49 percent are ongoing. By 2026, we aim to achieve 84 percent of our Manifesto commitments,” Rt. Hon. Nabbanja stated.

NRM Secretary General Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong commended Museveni for his leadership and guidance on addressing the needs of ordinary citizens.

“We appreciate your stewardship and for upholding the NRM Manifesto,” he said.

Hon. Richard Oseku, MP for Kibale County-Pallisa, presented a joint Memorandum of Bukedi Subregion, acknowledging the government’s efforts in poverty alleviation and wealth creation.

However, he raised concerns that some parishes in the subregion have yet to be gazetted, leaving residents unable to benefit from the PDM initiative.