Busoga dons urge business community to develop skills

Two professors — Waswa Balunywa and Muhamadi Lubega — from Busoga sub-region have asked Muslim professionals and entrepreneurs in the district to desist from the begging syndrome and, instead focus on developing skills and training people on how to start and operate businesses.

Balunywa, the Principal of Makerere University Business School (MUBS) and Lubega, the Busoga Kingdom's first deputy prime minister, made the remarks at a networking luncheon organised at the Source of the Nile Hotel in Jinja.

Professionals and entrepreneurs in Busoga met with the Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Ramadhan Mubajje.

While at the luncheon, Balunywa and Lubega urged the professionals and entrepreneurs to focus on skilling the Basoga, who will in turn engage into development projects that will enable them improve on their household income.

They urged Muslims to focus on mobilising funds among themselves as entrepreneurs, to establish projects of developing different skills.

"Let us transform the religion through establishing skills in development. Let us establish a training skills centre," Balunywa said.

He added that as long as there are no electricians, mechanics, plumbers and carpenters, Busoga will not develop.

He urged Muslims to develop a network and work together, instead of dividing themselves on baseless reasons.

"There is no way we can develop if we do not make money and there is no way we can make money if we do not have business," Balunywa said.

Busoga Kingdom's second deputy prime minister, Hajji Osman Noor Ahmed, urged Muslims to engage in running for various political posts in the region and country at large, saying this will enable Muslims to cause socio-economic change in Busoga.

"Understand where your interests are best kept, when you engage in politics," he said. Osman added that once Muslims engage in politics, it will promote education, health and economic development.

He requested Muslim professionals and entrepreneurs to mobilise themselves and raise funds for construction of a public university, where youth will be trained in skills development, be given start-up capital and work, hence reducing levels of unemployment in Busoga.

The Busoga region kadhi, Sheikh Hussein Bowa, also cautioned Muslims against begging from the Gulf States, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and from other foreign countries.

He said Muslims can establish several developmental projects with the different experience they have got so far.

Bowa called for a steady link between children and businessmen or entrepreneurs,to ensure that they do not lag behind in developing their skills and abilities.

Mubajje on UMSC

The Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Ramadhan Mubajje, said the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) secured all its properties that fetch revenue and that the earnings are used in the running and funding programmes of the council.

"We have never received funding from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, because we made ourselves selfautonomous.

"We strive hard to use the funds that we have at the moment and we are not beggars," Mubajje said.

He added that UMSC works with other colleagues in the InterReligious Council of Uganda, who are selfautonomous.

Mubajje later launched a five-year Busoga Muslim Region Strategic Plan, which will focus on unity and development.