SOCIO-ECONOMY

President Yoweri Museveni has rallied Ugandans to work hard instead of sitting back and praying for "miracle wealth".

"Work so that you represent God better," he said Saturday in a series of tweets, some textured with biblical references.

"Let your light shine before men so that they see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven."

The President has repeatedly urged his fellow countrymen and women to work hard, and he has previously said while many households work hard, others are outright lazy.

In efforts to steer Uganda to middle-income status, Museveni has encouraged a shift from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture as a wealth creation strategy for Ugandan households.

Earlier this year (in February), the President launched the Parish Development Model, which aims at helping people from the parish level to increase their household incomes and joining the money economy. 

The model looks to advance the four key sectors for wealth and job creation:  commercial agriculture, industry, services and ICT.

'I have come in peace'

Meanwhile, on Saturday, President Museveni told his 2.6 million Twitter followers how he had graced the Light Up Luwero for Jesus Mission Crusade, organised by his daughter, Pastor Patience Rwabwogo, and the Covenant Nations Church in Luwero district, central Uganda.

Pastor Patience Rwabwogo and Bishop Joshua Lwere in Luwero on Saturday

He thanked Rwabwogo for going to Luwero to pray for the people there, which she did alongside Bishop Joshua Lwere, the General Overseer of the National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches of Uganda.

"I thank my daughter Patience for bringing me here where I had to put landmines for Obote people but this time, I have come in peace," said Museveni.

He was accompanied by the First Lady and education minister, Janet Museveni.

President Yoweri Museveni and the First Lady, Janet Museveni in Luwero on Saturday

By praying for the people of Luwero, the President said that his daughter "set them free of the spiritual bondages they had".

'We are starting afresh'

Luwero was the centrestage for the civil war fought by the government at the time against rebel groups, most notably the National Resistence Army (NRA) led by Museveni in the 1980s.

Museveni initially based his guerrilla campaign in the Luwero Triangle.

Decades since taking power following the Luwero War, the people of Luwero have felt left out by Museveni's government, having been scarred by the protracted conflict. The President said theirs is a relationship that can begin "afresh".

"It is not true that the government forgot the people of Greater Luwero," he tweeted.

"Let us start our relationship between the government and the people of Luwero afresh. We sent some leaders to you who didn't help much while you also elected leaders who were not helpful," added the President.

"But today, we are starting afresh."