Yumbe community offer Museveni land for model farm

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The local community in Yumbe district have offered free land for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) presidential candidate, also the incumbent president, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, for the establishment of a model farm.

Presenting the district-specific issues, during Museveni's campaign rally at Geya primary school playgrounds in Yumbe district on Thursday, the district leaders said, one of the pressing issues of the district is unemployment and high levels of poverty.

The Commissioner for NRM Electoral Commission, also the former Woman member of parliament for Yumbe district, Zaitun Driwaru, said that there are 10 acres available for the president to establish a demonstration farm.

Similarly, the District chairman Abdulmutalib Asiku said, they also required 20 acres of land, donated freely by the councillor of older persons in the district, Yassin Arii.

Museveni pledges to develop the land

While addressing the voters in the district, Museveni pledged to make use of the land and develop a model farm to empower the residents in commercial agriculture.

He said, wealth creation through commercial farming is one of the core pillars of the NRM government.

Other pillars he pointed out include sustaining the peace and stability in the country, Development through social services such as education, health, Transport and Electricity and job creation.

Museveni said he will establish a model farm where seedlings of Cocoa, Coffee and fruits will be produced and distributed to the farmers for free in order to fight household poverty.

"I am glad that you have given me land here, I use that land and develop it to make a model farm where I will be producing seedlings of Cocoa, Coffee and fruits for free", he said.

Museveni also assured the Yumbe people of the establishment of industries in the district and the West Nile region.

Asking Evelyn Anite, the minister of state investment, to explain to the voters in Yumbe how factories are creating jobs in the country, Anite said in Namamve alone, there are now 278 factories offering 44,000 jobs to citizens.

Museveni said the objective of the NRM government now is to have individuals and institutions that create jobs for citizens rather than relying on public service jobs.

"No one should come here to confuse you about government jobs. Government jobs are very few, soldiers, police, civilian servants, judges, teachers and health workers. The total is only 480,000. But the factories, which are all newly constructed under the NRM government, create over 1.3million jobs," he said.

Museveni further encouraged the voters in Yumbe district to embrace the government programs, such as the Parish Development Model, introduced to fight household poverty.

"We have developments such as roads, health, schools, among others. All these are for the public, but what is yours as an individual? " Museveni questioned the voters, urging them to embrace wealth creation.

"Do we sleep on the tarmack roads? If not, then we have to work for ourselves as individuals but not as a public. The poverty you left at home will be waiting for you, and when you reach home, you will find it there," the president echoed.

He rallied the beneficiaries of the PDM to make proper use of the money and refund it to their SACCOs to increase the funds in the parishes.

NRM supporters cheering during the campaigns in Yumbe on Thursday. (PHOTO BY ADAM GULE)

(Photo by Adam Gule)

Army secondary school

Following another request for a secondary school at the already existing Army boarding primary school in the district, constructed by the government as an appropriation to the Uganda National Rescue Front II (UNRF II ) ex-combats who embraced peace in 2002, Museveni pledged to construct a secondary school if elected in the next government.

He also directed the state house staff to work on the houses for the former rebel leader of the UNRF II, late Maj. Gen. Ali Bamuze and two other officers who served the government as UPDF officers.

Other district issues were presented to Museveni.

Majid Haruna Aniku said, in the four decades, NRM achievements in the district are visible.

He mentioned the ongoing construction of the Koboko-Yumbe-Moyo road, the establishment and upgrading of Yumbe hospital as a regional referral hospital, the restoration of peace and security in the district and the payment of the ex-combats as some of the key achievements of the party in the district.

He, however, urged the president to consider the creation of three new districts out of Yumbe district, namely Midigo district, Bidibidi district and Dacha district.

He also said the president needs to consider upgrading the Yumbe town council to a Municipality, given the current district population of over 1175,000 refugees and nationals.

He added that the president needs to establish factories in the district, as 1200 acres of land are already available for an industrial park.

Yumbe district woman member of parliament Avako Melisha Naima Gule asked the president to establish an industrial hub specifically for Yumbe district, given the large population.

She said, following the rebel activities that caused unrest in the district for over two decades, the majority of the parents have remained uneducated, hence, sitting in poverty.

She said, with the Universal Primary Education in place, many children have completed the primary cycle but can't join secondary school due to a lack of school fees.

The Minister of State for Defence in charge of veteran affairs, also the NRM flag bearer for Aringa East constituency, Huda Oleru Abason, praised Museveni for bringing peace in Yumbe district.

She said the government needs to support the farmers in the district with tractors at least one per sub-county so that farmers embrace commercial farming.

Museveni, who started his campaign trail in Terego district at Leju, arrived at Geya primary school playgrounds at exactly 3:55pm, receiving an overwhelming welcome.

Other notable government leaders and NRM leaders who were in attendance in Yumbe district include the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. Robina Nabanjja, the minister of state in charge of children and youth affairs, Balaam Barugahara, minister of state for investment, Evelyn Anite, the Government Chief Whip, also the Vice Chairperson NRM in Northern Uganda, Denis Hampson Obua, the secretary general for NRM, Richard Tuwodong and the Ambassador of Uganda to Turkey, Nusura Tiperu.