Katikkiro roots for more efforts in agriculture

Charles Peter Mayiga said they have embarked on a kingdom wide sensitisation campaign aimed at encouraging Kabaka's subjects to engage in active farming.

"Accounting for 24% of gross domestic product, the sector has potential for vibrant and diversified growth. But 70% of the population in rural areas have been sidelined," he noted.

During the Lukiiko at Bulange, Mengo yesterday, Mayiga revealed that rural poverty is best addressed through promotion of agriculture and provision of support services and public goods in rural areas.

The Katikiiro recently, while in Bugerere county encouraged people in Buganda to engage in coffee farming to get rid of poverty and also launched a coffee planting campaign.

Mayiga, during the Lukiiko, urged the youth to start venturing intp coffee farming activities as a way of fighting poverty.

"Starting up chapatti, saloon and bodaboda businesses will not improve on youth livelihood. The real money is in agriculture," he advised.

Mayiga appealed to all leaders and stakeholders to mobilise people in rural areas to abandon subsistence farming for commercial profit-oriented agriculture if the population is to be guaranteed food and income security, as well as getting rid of poverty.

"Leaders, especially the political class, need to sensitise the population about profit-oriented agriculture to guarantee food and income security. Otherwise, you are committing political suicide by keeping around you a hungry and poor population," he warned.

Mayiga said the challenge is a leadership problem because the leaders are not with the population to educate them about good and modern agricultural practices.

The Lukiiko also discussed the Kabaka's communication to the youth at the recently concluded Buganda youth day in Mukono.

In his communication the Kabaka reignited the long-standing quest for a federal system of government, saying it is the only vehicle for transformation in the kingdom.

As Africa's goodwill ambassador in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the Kabaka said the issue of HIV/AIDS should be handled with at most seriousness and openly to eliminate it from the country.

He also urged the youth to always test for HIV/AIDS before marriage.

The Lukiiko also mourned the passing of veteran lawyer Joseph Balikuddembe on Thursday. He was a long serving member of the Lukiiko and a legal advisor to the kingdom.

He was deputy speaker of Mengo's Lukiiko and legal advisor to the Bataka Committee that recommended on election of Lukiiko based on masaza.

Mayiga said Buganda lost a brilliant and knowledgeable elder who stood by his word.

"He has been playing an advisory role to the kingdom and championed the case where the Kabaka was blocked from accessing parts of his kingdom," he said.

Gomba county representative, Amina Namale, said Balikuddembe's death is a big loss to the Kingdom.