By Anne Mugisa, Abdulkarim
Ssengendo annd John Thawite

THE Government is to buy food processing and farm equipment from local artisans for distribution to farmers, President Yoweri Museveni has said.

He specifically promised coffee hullers to Kasese farmers, whom he said were still using rudimentary tools to remove coffee husks.

Museveni made the pledges while presiding over the national celebrations of the International Labour Day at Nyakasanga in Kasese town on Saturday.

He called on defence minister Crispus Kiyonga and other leaders to write a proposal for the provision of coffee processors.

“A huller would be used by several homes, so organize yourselves,” he said.

Museveni also inspected farm produce, processed foods and herbal medicine and locally-made agricultural machinery during the celebrations. He hailed Kilembe Mines for making maize mills and assured it of market. He also urged the company to make animal feeds, which he said are on high demand in Uganda.

Turning to the need for skills, the President said more technical schools would be built in the districts to supplement the current 156 such institutions, whose capacity is only 33,987 students.

“We have already given instructions on this. Tertiary and technical institutions are going to be increased and better equipped,” Museveni said.

A huge crowd braved a downpour to attend the function, which started with a parade mounted by the UPDF, the Police, Prisons, school children and other organisations.

Vice-President Gilbert Bukenya, deputy Chief Justice Justice Laeticia Kikonyogo, Cabinet ministers, King Iremangoma Wesley Mumbere and his wife Ithungo were present.

The President said the former technical institutes of Kyambogo and Busitema, which the Government turned into universities, would be replaced to help train Ugandans to be inventive.

He hailed local artisans in Katwe, a suburb of Kampala, for fabricating coffee hullers, maize mills and food processors. Museveni also called for the promotion of the free business, technical and vocational training programme, which he said the media had not highlighted.

Earlier, Dr. William Muhairwe, the vice-chairman of the Federation of Uganda Employers, had cited lack of skills as one of the 10 constraints of doing business in Uganda.

This, Muhairwe explained, was partly caused by lack of vocational training. Muhairwe also said Ugandan universities are not equipped for research, making their teaching theoretical. He called on the President to reinstate the technical institutions which were turned into universities.

In his address, Museveni also promised to revamp the Mubuku Irrigation Scheme, meet labour leaders and employers and compensate people whose vehicles were destroyed by ADF rebels.

He would also follow up the issue of compensation of people who lost property in the 2001 rebel attack in Kasese.

He also promised gravity irrigation schemes for districts such as Kasese which have many rivers. He further promised higher pay for teachers of Kasese district. Museveni said Kasese had not been included on the list of hard-to-reach districts which are earmarked for hardship allowance.

Gender minister Gabriel Opio appealed to employers to work together with the trade unions and urged employees to be reasonable in their demands. Uganda’s labour force stands at about 11 million people and is projected to grow to 16 million by 2017, he said.

Opio also emphasized the need for skilled labour and promised to work with the education ministry to build a vocational institute in every district.

King Mumbere pledged to promote morals to help people stem the spread of HIV/AIDS. He also promised to maintain good relations with the Central Government for the sake of development.