The First Lady Janet Museveni has stressed the need for parents to use the rod of discipline with love to build strong families and develop Uganda as a country.

Speaking to locals in Busoga who gathered for a family convocation in Jinja, the First Lady reminded Ugandans that parents need to be responsible and model good families. 

Dorothy Kisaka KCCA Executive Director having a chat with officials from Busoga as Aggrey Kibenge (L) looks on. Photos Geoffrey Mutegeki

Her message to the nation was delivered by the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director, Dorothy Kisaka during the event organized by Family Life Network.

“Divorce, premarital sex, teenage pregnancies, domestic abuse have increased in the families. So, the need to model good family life and to instruct the ‘bazukulu’ intentionally is essential,” Mrs Museveni said.

She revealed that the government is committed to supporting Ugandans through various institutional programs because family is the foundation of all development.

“I charge you to parent the next generation, don't abandon them, we have a generation mandate to play. Let’s play our part,” Mrs Museveni said.

Kisaka with some of the youth and leaders who attended the family convocation in Jinja.

A family is the first line of protection for children. Parents or other caregivers are responsible for building a protective and loving home environment.

“Show them the way by being pace-setters, prune them, use the rod of discipline and let there be productivity from these strengthened families,” Mrs Museveni said.

The First Lady applauded the work of the Family Life Network for championing the restoration of family values and morals in the nation.

“Thank you for being guiding lights in our Busoga region especially in the family life. This region is strong because of its families,” Mrs Museveni said.

As a take-home message, the First Lady highlighted four pillars of family leadership for the times we live in today. 

“These pillars must be put in place in every family and in every community so that families are strengthened. These pillars point to the true North of family life. They have guided families since time immemorial. When they are removed, society gets scattered, disorderly and chaotic,” Mrs Museveni said.

 The first one is Parenting: This means bringing present, providing, nurturing, teaching, providing a home base, taking care of the needs of the child in your care.

“Unfortunately, the presence of parents has become less and less in the home. I urge your parents to be present,” she said.

The second is Pacesetting: A pacesetter shows the way things are done, they are the role models of the family, they live as an example to others. 

“Every child and every community need its pace setters, its role models.

So as a region, let us identify the role models and shine a light on the good example they provide so that others can follow," Mrs Museveni said.

The third is Pruning or discipline. She revealed that for a family to grow well, it needs discipline practised in love.

“Pruning takes away the bad habits so the child grows healthy. Pruning brings strength to the child,” she said.

The fourth is Productivity: The ultimate goal of the family pillars is that the family maybe be fruitful and multiply. That is our cultural mandate to bring productivity, fruitfulness in the Busoga region. 

According to First Lady, the next generation of strong families will emerge as we parent, we prune, we pace set and productivity will emerge.

The convocation was held under the 'Let us return to our families'.

Bishop Daniel Muwanga, the chief organizer of the convocation said among others the convocation was to dedicate the families of Busoga to God that his ways will be exalted in the family lives.

“Teenage pregnancy is rampant here, divorce, child sacrifice and other abuses are high. We want families to turn to God so that these problems are history,” Muwanga said

He noted that God can help communities in Busoga re-institute values and morals and families shine again.

“The future of Busoga is in the families. We need stable and productive families that are developmental,” Muwanga says.

He said there is a need to collaborate with state and non-state actors in the ongoing program of strengthening the family.