General Tumukunde roots for the youth

UGDecides2021|CAMPAIGNS| YOUTH

KOBOKO - Independent presidential candidate Gen. Henry Tumukunde has said 70% of Uganda's population are youth, who need more support, the reason he wants to be president.

"I want to be president because of you. Vote me, I will know who has made me a president," Tumukunde said.

Addressing supporters, mainly bodaboda riders at Koboko Municipal Boma grounds on Thursday (November 26, 2020), Tumukunde vowed to carry out interventions, such as financing youth groups by creating special financial institutions with no interest rates, to enable them run their own businesses, better their education and also promote international trade relations in the district, which is strategically located along two international borders.

Tumukunde, however, advised the bodaboda riders to embrace a saving culture, value their votes, and also vote out those who are tired in order to live a happy lifestyle.

"I know you are very hardworking people. Vote on January 14, 2021, and protect your vote. We want to change your lives. You do not want to be harbouring in bodabodas, where you make sh10,000, give more money to the boss and you keep nothing in your pocket."

He was received by a flock of bodabodas, who made several turns at Koboko main round in an attempt to mobilise more supporters before he was escorted by the Police to Boma Grounds, where he spent about 10 minutes. He arrived at around 1:30 pm.

Francis Mawa, a resident of Koboko Municipality, hailed Tumukunde for being one of the generals who helped to restore peace in this country.

"These are generals who fought for our freedom. I remember coming from Oraba to this side was a problem. It used to be insecure," Mawa said.

Bakole Kasias Anyufi, a resident of Milango village in Abuku subcounty, Koboko district, wants the government that will take over power in May 2021 to inject more funds into the agricultural sector to improve people's livelihoods, boost commercial agriculture and also address the food crisis.

"Agriculture is the engine of the nation and here in Koboko North, people depend on subsistence farming. The food produced is not always enough, especially from April to June," Anyufi said.

He further called for the setting up of demonstration farms to act as training and seed multiplication centres, encourage farmers to adopt new technologies and to intensify supervision of extension workers to revive agriculture.

"I was told to dig 1,000 holes for coffee under the Operation Wealth Creation programme. I used my little money and dug all the holes, but it is now three years without getting the seedlings."

Peter Mansur, another resident of Koboko North, said many children have not had access to education since their parents died during insurgencies that rocked the West Nile in the past.