President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called on leaders in the Busoga sub-region to prioritize wealth creation as the key solution to poverty. Speaking at a gathering in Mayuge District Playground on January 23, 2025, the President emphasized that improving household incomes should take precedence over other concerns, including infrastructure challenges.

The meeting was part of his four-day tour to assess the implementation of the wealth creation initiative, among them the Parish Development Model. He urged leaders to sensitize their communities on the importance of earning an income at household levels.

“Leaders must focus on wealth creation because it reaches every home. We, the freedom fighters, have ensured peace. Even if there are infrastructure challenges, peace is already here. Now, let’s concentrate on household incomes, just as I did in the cattle corridor-it worked,” Museveni said.

He warned against shifting the attention to other matters before dealing with poverty. “Let us not divert the attention of our people away from poverty; take care of wealth creation, the rest will follow,” he cautioned.

Drawing from the biblical teachings, he likened this to the scriptural passage, “Seek first the kingdom of heaven, and the rest shall be added unto you.” He varied this analogy to underscore how, when homestead incomes are secure, other developments such as roads and infrastructures would come along automatically.

Museveni enumerated some of the economic programmes that have driven Uganda’s progress, such as Entandikwa, NAADS, and Operation Wealth Creation. Although he said Uganda had increased the inclusion of people in the money economy-from 32% in 2013 to 65%-sustaining this trend has remained a problem.

“This is why I encourage leaders to first talk about wealth and jobs, but after ensuring peace. We have to drive for more families to join the money economy,” he added.

Success Stories from Government Programs

The President shared stories of how people’s lives have been transformed through government programs.

He cited the case of Mukasa from Luuka District, who, with nothing but a government grant of Shs 1 million, rented land and grew passion fruits. His first harvest earned him Shs 600,000, and he now harvests four times a year. With his earnings, Mukasa has bought two boats and expanded into onion and vegetable farming.

Another successful case is Kazibwe, a former science teacher from Jinja who also benefited from NAADS. He developed a thriving farm with just one cow and sells 80 litres of milk a day, besides growing coffee and cocoa; all his children are university graduates. Recently, he bought a 40-acre farm.

Museveni emphasized that Uganda’s future prosperity depends on the household empowerment of income generation. “Leaders must avoid distractions. If you don’t prioritize home-based income generation, progress will be slow. When all homesteads have an income, everything else will follow,” he emphasized.

The Vice President, Jessica Alupo saluted the people of Busoga for giving the President a very warm welcome. She reminded the public that the purpose of the tours under the theme: “Securing Your Future Through Wealth Creation and Shared Prosperity.”
 
“Our people in Busoga have embraced these programs,” she observed and added that the region was doing relatively well as far as major economic programmes are concerned.

Capt. Mike Mukula, NRM Vice Chairperson for the Eastern Region, hailed President Museveni for his leadership and dedication to changing the face of the country. “You have worked hard to make Uganda peaceful from north to south and east to west, and this peace is even extending to neighboring countries,” Mukula said.

Hon. Aggrey Bagiire, MP for Bunya County West, appreciated government efforts in economic development, adding that there were key challenges in the Busoga sub-region.

Our memorandum outlines the aspirations and concerns of the people of Busoga. The visit is well-timed, advancing our development agenda,” said Bagiire.

He identified such programs as the PDM, Four-Acre Model, indicating that they have ensured real benefits economically. He noted that the little skepticism of the PDM has already dissipated when beneficiaries received funding.

Bagiire also thanked the government for reviving Busoga University, saying this was a beacon of hope in transforming the region. He cited other projects that include Jinja Presidential Skilling Industrial Hub and Nkoko Technical Memorial Institute among others that equipped youth with job skills.

He, however, expressed concerns over the road safety along the Kampala-Jinja-Iganga-Malaba highway, suggesting that bulk cargo transport be shifted to Lake Victoria to cut down on the rate of accidents along the highway, and also called for more support for health facilities in Iganga and Bugiri, which are overwhelmed by accident victims.

Other concerns he pointed out included the need to regulate the utilization of wetlands while providing alternative livelihoods for people who would be affected by such a measure and the low prices of sugarcane, which he urged the government to look into.

Bagiire concluded by lauding government’s effort to ensure peace and security, saying stability had restored focus to Busoga’s development agenda.

Among those present were high-profile officials that included First Deputy Prime Minister Rebecca Kadaga, Third Deputy Prime Minister Rukia Nakadama, Government Chief Whip Denis Hamson Obua, and Minister for the Presidency Babirye Milly Babalanda. In attendance too was NRM Secretary General Richard Todwong, MPs, Resident District Commissioners, and religious leaders.