MRS MUSEVENI | NTUNGAMO | WOMEN

NTUGAMO - First Lady and Minister for Education and Sports Mrs Janet Museveni has urged women in Ntungamo district and Uganda as a whole to engage in productive ventures that will earn them income at the household level.

The First Lady, who was on Tuesday afternoon speaking as the chief guest during the belated Women’s Day celebrations for Ntungamo at Rwashamaire playground in Rwashamaire town council, said the move would ensure that the women earn a decent living while supplementing the efforts of their husbands.

“As we celebrate womanhood and the mothers at large, it is now time to take a shift and instead be focused on productive ventures so that you can always celebrate the success stories of women and their associations,” she said, urging them to form groups for common interests.

Mrs Museveni said the declarations by the United Nations on the rights of women are good, but their relevance must be reflected by the ability of women to take on daily challenges such as taking care of their needs, looking after their families and educating their children.

“Engage in coffee production, banana growing and growing avocados among other ventures such as poultry for your emancipation to be a dream come true with the peace and security the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government ushered in since 1986,” she said.

Mrs Museveni added that she has been able to earn additional income from growing avocados and bananas and is now embracing coffee growing, which she said helps in solving personal financial needs.

She asked women to ensure that they are not left out of the Parish Development Model programme, which she revealed is very inclusive and once well utilised, will help them take a step in improving their income.

The First Lady and the Minister for Karamoja Janet Kataaha Museveni, Ntungamo district Woman MP Bata Kamateneti, South Ankole Bishop Rt. Rev Nathan Ahimbisibwe, Rushenyi County MP Naome Kabashaarira and Kajara County MP Micheal Timuzigu after Women's Day celebrations on Tuesday. (All Photos by Anthony Kushaba)

Attend to your responsibilities

The minister also urged parents not to abandon their responsibilities of taking care of their children saying good performance and success are highly dependent on their input and interventions.

“While the Government allocates a lot of money to schools, the locals must monitor the schools in their localities and also support them to deliver to their expectations,” she said.

Ntungamo district Woman Member of Parliament Baata J Kamateneti said the district had received support from the Government in form of schools and health facilities, which shall benefit the locals.

Kamateneti, however, expressed concern over the failure of locals to put to good use the programmes of the Government thus failing them.

“Interventions such as the Youth Livelihood programme, Emyooga and NAADS have seen the same groups of people benefitting while others sit back and complain,” she added.

Rushenyi County Member of Parliament Naome Kabasharira said it is high time for women to start competing for the same posts as men in a bid to embrace inclusion and have their voices heard at all levels.

She revealed that being the first woman to be voted for the directly elected Member of Parliament in the district, it has seen a lot of change as well as being able to deliver effectively since she knows the challenges that women go through.

Justine Mugabirwe, the chairperson of Kajara county women entrepreneurs’ Emyooga SACCO, said women must first come together and take on the challenges facing them with joint efforts.

Mugabirwe added that the SACCO, which started with the support of shillings 30 million from the Government and received an extra shillings 20 million after performing well, is a brainchild of women who came together to fight household poverty.

“Our SACCO now has a total of 700 members in 66 women groups who have managed to save sh22m in addition to shillings 7.5 million in form of shares,” Mugabirwe revealed.

Ntungamo district chairperson Sam Muchunguzi said women are the best champions of development and also called on the leaders in the district to support them to achieve their potential.

Others who graced the occasion were Kajara County MP Michael Timuzigu and South Ankole Diocese Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Nathan Ahimbisibwe.