Bunyoro premier calls for co-operative societies revival

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Bunyoro Kitara Prime Minister Andrew Byakutaga has called for the revival of co-operative societies in the kingdom. Byakutaga says Bunyoro previously had strong co-operative societies, but many have collapsed.

He describes co-operative societies as key in driving he development and socioeconomic transformation of society since they inspire society to save for future investment.

He notes that co-operative societies help members to have a unifying voice in terms of accessing better markets, resources, providing training and fostering collective bargaining power for members, hence saving the members from middlemen.

However, he says growing co-operatives in Bunyoro has been ignored and that there are no cooperatives in the Kingdom that can serve as an example.

According to Byakutaga, years ago, the kingdom had strong co-operatives such as the Bunyoro Growers’ Co-operative Union and Kakumiro Growers’ Co-operative Union, but these are no longer vibrant.

“We know co-operatives can be a vehicle of development of the society, but it is not an agenda that has been prioritised by both the Government and the local community. I know we have some small SACCOs helping member to save their small money. So, there is a lot that needs to be done to revive co-operatives like the ones we used to have in the past years.”

Speaking in an interview with New Vision Online on the role of the Kingdom in the development of its subjects, Byakutanga said they are implementing a campaign for subjects to embrace growing cash crops such as coffee and cocoa to move the residents out of poverty.

Embrace government programmes

He noted that most Bunyoro residents have low incomes and, as a kingdom, they are encouraging them to embrace government programmes, including the Parish Development Model and Emyooga, to get capital and invest in coffee and cocoa growing.

"If many people can embrace coffee growing, they will form a co-operative society for coffee farmers”, he said.

Rugaju Baganda, a co-operator and former chairperson of Bunyoro Growers’ Co-operative Union, said that a kingdom is an influential institution that can help in growing cooperative societies, especially through mobilisation.

He noted that in the past, the Kingdom used to partner with the co-operative to pursue the development agenda, but this is no more.

Kikuube town council commercial officer John Ariguma said partnerships between co-operatives and cultural institutions are crucial for driving the development.