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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on leaders of Gomba and Sembabule to commit to creating wealth for families in the two areas.
“What you should be emphasizing is creating family wealth because all these other things are just a waste of your time and even the leaders who bring you into politics are just going to keep you in poverty,” he said.
President Museveni stated this during a meeting with political leaders and elders from the Sembabule and Gomba regions on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, at the Presidential Palace in Entebbe.
The President told the leaders that in the 1960s, he was forced to disagree with some leaders of the Democratic Party (DP) who suggested that they should denounce the government’s development programmes after the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) rigged elections in 1962.
“I was a member of the Democratic Party (DP) in the 1960s and the United Patriotic Coalition (UPC) stole the 1962 elections and some leaders at the time told us that we should denounce all government development programmes because the UPC had hijacked the government,” he said.
“I disagree with Mzee Baianyima. I say it is a great loss. We had elections in 1962 and the next elections will be in 1967. Now I have spent a long time telling my DP followers to denounce development because the UPC has hijacked the government. I told Mzee Baianyima that the UPC has hijacked the government but it has not hijacked agriculture, so let us do our agriculture. When you see this awakening in Niu Lang, we started in the 1960s.”
President Museveni also explained to the leaders that with a stable income, the people they lead will be able to improve their lives and move towards prosperity.
“Now, once you have income, you can collect water at home because you have money. Even before the government supplies water, you have the ability to collect water on your own. Even if there is no electricity, you can use solar energy, cow dung biogas, so seek household income first and the rest will be added to you,” the President urged.
“So help me implement this idea of emphasizing family wealth creation. Once we solve this problem, everything else will be easy.”
President Museveni further urged leaders to sensitize locals on government’s plans to eradicate poverty such as the Parish Development Model (PDM).
“Through the parish development model, each parish will get Sh100 million and we want everyone to get a Sh1 million loan. Sh1 million can help you grow coffee on one acre of land or buy three goats and start from there. When 100 people complete the project well, they become good examples for the parish and others will follow them the following year. So, start well so that others will follow your example,” he said.
“When it comes to health, we usually emphasize on preventive health and health centers III are the core foundation of health prevention as each such center has immunization, midwifery, health inspectors and treatment. But I think we must build a big hospital there and it should deal with serious problems like accidents, complications during childbirth among young girls and other serious diseases.”
The president also accused some leaders of failing to take advantage of the NRM governance structure which is designed to hold authorities accountable for effective service delivery.
On the other hand, he reiterated his stance against unfair landlords who frustrate tenants.
“Land grabbing should not exist. All those involved should go to jail, we have enough space for them,” he warned.
Minister of State for Health (General Duties) Anifah Kawooya thanked the President for the meeting and commended his wealth creation philosophy that has boosted the development of the Gomba and Sembabule regions.
“Your Excellency, we thank you for your initiative of the parish development model. It has worked wonders in Sembabulle. Thanks to the PDM programme, our people are able to grow coffee, buy bodabodas and cars,” she said.
Sembabule District Woman MP Mary Begumisa commended the President for his efforts towards achieving sustainable peace and development in Uganda at this time.
She pledged on behalf of the delegation that they would continue to support the National Resistance Movement (NRM) manifesto which aims to transform the country’s society and economy.
“Your Excellency, these people love you very much and they are the key people in sensitizing the locals to government projects,” His Excellency Begumisa said.
She also thanked President Museveni for supporting coffee production in Sembabule, saying the cash crop fetched high prices and more markets, thus improving the livelihoods of farmers in the area.
“So, we need a coffee processing plant to add value,” the lawmaker noted.
Gombasi County MP Robina Rwakoojo highly appreciated the poverty alleviation programme implemented by President Museveni in nine selected villages in Gomba and Sembabule which has helped the people of the two regions achieve prosperity.
The Gomba District LCV Chairman, Mr KiviiriGeofrey, requested the President to purchase land through the Land Fund for tenants in the area who are troubled by some landlords to help them resolve the problem.
An elderly man and war veteran from Nyabitanga sub-county in Sembabule District, Ssalongo Ben Mukiibi, reminded President Museveni of his contribution to the liberation struggle from 1981 to 1986 that brought the National Resistance Movement government to power.
“I thank Councillor Begumisa for bringing me to you and for agreeing to meet with us,” he said.
Also present at the meeting were Lwemiyaga County MP His Excellency Theodore Ssekikubo, Mawogola North MP His Excellency ShartsiMusherure, District Chairpersons, RDCs, religious leaders, LC3 Chairperson, NRM leaders and others.
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