Jinja town can rise and shine again
THE recent Agricultural Trade Show in Jinja which ended on July 26 aroused memories of the past glory of Jinja town. The annual exhibition which had many exhibiters from all over East Africa provided hope to most people who thought Jinja town and Busoga r
By Henry Kaula
THE recent Agricultural Trade Show in Jinja which ended on July 26 aroused memories of the past glory of Jinja town. The annual exhibition which had many exhibiters from all over East Africa provided hope to most people who thought Jinja town and Busoga region had lost it all.
Over 24 years ago, if you asked what Uganda’s busiest town was, Jinja would be the automatic answer.
The situation is alarming now. People from Jinja and Busoga have become a laughing stoke because their historical town, looks abandoned and dormant, despite it being Uganda’s best planned town.
Jinja was Uganda’s industrial hub and a magnificent town since the times of the colonial government till the early times of the National Resistance Movement.
Most of Uganda’s industries like the popular Nyanza Textiles were in Jinja. This attracted movement of people from all other parts of Uganda to Busoga region. These industries provided employment opportunities to people all over Uganda and the region highly benefited from this demographic gift.
The town was always busy and businesses were booming which attracted investments in the area. Currently, instead of fighting for the future, the residents and all the businessmen in Jinja are wishing for the past. For the seven days of the agricultural trade show, many people in Jinja enjoyed some short-lived happiness.
Jinja town looked like it did in the 1970s. The streets were busy, vehicles and motorcycles were many in the town as opposed to the usual sluggish trend in the town.
The leaders of Jinja town should not dwell on what might have been, but work together with the Government for what can still be. The Government also has an obligation of putting back the eastern and northern Uganda back on the path of prosperity and progress.
The Government should develop policies and programmes sensitive to the interests of the people. Such policies should be intended to enhance balanced regional development to avert the blossoming regional inequality. I also believe that leaders have to be transformational rather than transactional.
Efforts should be made to create an economy that ensures that prosperity is broadly distributed and shared. The Government needs to support the industries in the regions that lag behind and support investors who want to take business to such regions.
I believe this will be a solution to poverty and insecurity. With support from the Government, the towns of Jinja and Gulu in northern Uganda shall not only bid farewell to their ghost appearances, but there will be equality in the distribution of resources amongst the people and the regions.
The writer works with REEV Consults International
THE recent Agricultural Trade Show in Jinja which ended on July 26 aroused memories of the past glory of Jinja town. The annual exhibition which had many exhibiters from all over East Africa provided hope to most people who thought Jinja town and Busoga region had lost it all.
Over 24 years ago, if you asked what Uganda’s busiest town was, Jinja would be the automatic answer.
The situation is alarming now. People from Jinja and Busoga have become a laughing stoke because their historical town, looks abandoned and dormant, despite it being Uganda’s best planned town.
Jinja was Uganda’s industrial hub and a magnificent town since the times of the colonial government till the early times of the National Resistance Movement.
Most of Uganda’s industries like the popular Nyanza Textiles were in Jinja. This attracted movement of people from all other parts of Uganda to Busoga region. These industries provided employment opportunities to people all over Uganda and the region highly benefited from this demographic gift.
The town was always busy and businesses were booming which attracted investments in the area. Currently, instead of fighting for the future, the residents and all the businessmen in Jinja are wishing for the past. For the seven days of the agricultural trade show, many people in Jinja enjoyed some short-lived happiness.
Jinja town looked like it did in the 1970s. The streets were busy, vehicles and motorcycles were many in the town as opposed to the usual sluggish trend in the town.
The leaders of Jinja town should not dwell on what might have been, but work together with the Government for what can still be. The Government also has an obligation of putting back the eastern and northern Uganda back on the path of prosperity and progress.
The Government should develop policies and programmes sensitive to the interests of the people. Such policies should be intended to enhance balanced regional development to avert the blossoming regional inequality. I also believe that leaders have to be transformational rather than transactional.
Efforts should be made to create an economy that ensures that prosperity is broadly distributed and shared. The Government needs to support the industries in the regions that lag behind and support investors who want to take business to such regions.
I believe this will be a solution to poverty and insecurity. With support from the Government, the towns of Jinja and Gulu in northern Uganda shall not only bid farewell to their ghost appearances, but there will be equality in the distribution of resources amongst the people and the regions.
The writer works with REEV Consults International