Kakumiro
By: Ismael Kasooha
President Yoweri Museveni has warned District Service Commissions against ‘selling Local Government jobs’.
“I have heard the Bazukulu crying about the District Service Commissions selling Local Government jobs. I have heard of girls being exploited sexually as bribes for jobs. Get evidence, please, devoted members of the Public and we expunge and roast those pigs” Museveni said.
The president also asked District Internal Security and Police’s CID to help stamp out corruption else face his wrath.
The Head of State was speaking at Kakeeka playground in Kakumiro District at celebrations to mark the 37th NRM/NRA Victory anniversary.
Museveni asked Ugandans to endeavour to get evidence implicating the Service Commisisons so that they are dealt with decisively.
President Museveni Inspecting the parade during the 37th NRM Liberation day celebrations in Kakumiro District
The president said “Corruption will be stamped out. I congratulate some Government agencies; I have seen people that stole PDM and Emyooga money, being arrested or being forced to refund the money. That is good. However, it is not enough. The DISOs and the CIDs should also be on notice. How does such corruption go on in your area of responsibility and you do not know or, if you know, you do not report?”
He hailed the social-economic transformation in all sectors of Uganda since 1986, but took exception of stagnation in the education sector, saying the dropout rates of 64% at secondary school level is unacceptable.
“All emiziziko (obstacles) that interfere with education, such as school charges, must be removed. Since many families cannot yet afford the paying of money for education, the Government must provide free education in Government Primary, Secondary and Tertiary institutions. The present drop-out rate at the Secondary Schools level of 64%, is not acceptable,” Museveni said.
Flanked by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja and Works Minister General Katumba Wamala, President Museveni earlier commisioned the Buhimba-Nalweyo-Bulamagi and Bulamagi-Igayaza-Kakumiro road (93km) project to ease the exploration and production of Oil and Gas resources in Bunyoro Sub-region.
Ministers pose for a Photo with President Museveni and the First Lady during the 37th NRM anniversary in Kakumiro District
The president Congratulated all Ugandans on this occasion of the 37th Anniversary of the NRM victory in 1986 saying that the victory came about because of the NRM’s four principles that we had distilled out of the chaotic politics and governance that had be-deviled Uganda for almost 556 years, ever since the rule of the last Muchwezi King, Wamala.
He said that the successor dynasties of the Babiito in Bunyoro – Tooro – Congo, the Balangira in Buganda, the Bahiinda in Ankole – Karagwe – Buhaya – Bujiinja, etc., the Bashambo in Mpororo, the Bainginya in Rwanda, the clan Chiefs in Bukyiri (Lango) and Gani (Acholi), had been incapable of uniting our people and were in constant bankrupt wars of greed and ignorance, until the colonialists came on the scene and assigned them to the dustbin of history.
Museveni said that colonialists, added to the bankrupt politics of tribal chauvinism pushed by the Chiefs, the poison of religious sectarianism (Catholics, Protestants, Moslems, Jews, etc.), that had caused so much human haemorrhage in Europe, not to forget the conflict between the Hindus and the Moslems that caused the breakup of the Indian Sub-Continent into the Countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
He said that this bankrupt politics of identity chauvinism (ethnicity and religion), could not allow the young State of Uganda, following Independence, in 1962, or its democratic institutions, to survive.
Museveni said that the crises between Muteesa and Obote in 1966 and between Obote and Amin in 1971, forced the Student revolutionaries to take up arms and lead the masses in the effort to destroy the Colonial Army, the Uganda Army, as well as putting forward the 4 principles of the NRM that, as pointed out above, we had distilled out of watching the chaos between 1960 and 1986. You are familiar with the four: Patriotism, Pan Africanism, Social-economic transformation and democracy.
“It is these principles that enabled Uganda to build institutions such as the patriotic political Parties, the Army, the Judiciary, etc., that have guaranteed peace, all these years. That is why we are celebrating now,” said Museveni.
He said Patriotism (loving Uganda) and Pan-Africanism (loving Africa), re-oriented the Ugandans from following the politics of identity (tribes, religion, gender, etc.), to following the politics of the legitimate needs (interests) of the People (peace, consumer goods, health, development, education, wealth creation, markets for our products, etc., etc.).
“On account of that, our economy has grown from a miserable US$1.5 billion in 1986, to US$48 billion by the end of June 2023. The GDP per capita will be USD 1,067. You remember that to enter the middle income category, you need the GDP per capita of USD 1,039. This is now the second financial year, we have been in that category. You need 3 years, consecutively, to be recognized as a middle-income Country,” said the president.
However, the president added that all those are low targets, which Uganda will easily surpass. Why? You remember my admonitions about losing value through the export of raw-materials. This low middle-income economy we are now talking about, is still, actually, mainly a raw materials producing economy, where for a kilogram of coffee, we get USD 2 for bean coffee while the wiser foreigners who roast the coffee, grind it and pack it for sale in Super-Markets, get USD 50 for the same kilogram.
“I have, finally, woken up some Ugandans from this sleep of ignorance. We are going to add value to more and more of our coffee and the other raw materials – cotton, maize, forest products, minerals, etc. This broad spectrum value addition movement will jumpstart our economy in a fairly short time to a- half-trillion economy (USD 500 billion). We now have the electricity and we are adding more, we have the varied and massive raw materials and, increasingly, we have the entrepreneurs – local and foreign and we have the African market that we have put in place with our Pan-Africanist Comrades,” he emphasized.
The president emphasized 5 points which include development (entunguuka, enkulankulaine, dongolobo, apolu, etc.) and wealth (obugaiga, obuguuda, lonyo, etc.); be clear that Social-economic transformation involves the whole society to move on two axes – money based wealth creation with ekibaro and mass-education; stamping out corruption from all Government agencies in the Central and the Local Governments; stamping out sectarianism; and protecting our environment.
“Those coming to Kakumiro today for the celebrations, have seen how many tarmac roads we have done in Bunyoro and how much we have extended the electricity network,” he said.
He said that the NRM has, however, all this time, been telling you that you do not eat tarmac roads but you eat the food that you have either grown or bought.
The same applies to clothing, housing, mode of locomotion, etc. The latter are all part of wealth (obugaiga) and the former (roads, electricity, etc.) are part of development. Therefore, for wealth, we are telling you that every adult must engage in wealth for money with Ekibaro, either as an entrepreneur or as an employee in the four sectors of: Commercial agriculture, Industry, Services and ICT.
“No excuses for the bakongozi. You may have development, but if People are asleep, you can continue with the poverty. Why? It is because what eradicates poverty (obwooro, obwavu, obunaku, can, etc.), is wealth, development is a mere enabler of wealth creation,” said Museveni.
The Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Nabbanja Robinah thanked the President, Cabinet and the National Organizing Committee (NOC) for a well-organized function but also for accepting Kakumiro to host the 37th NRM/NRA liberation day.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja (right) and the Lands Minister Judith Nabakooba (left) join women in Kakumiro to peel Matooke in preparation (previous day) for the 37th NRM liberation Day
“I thank the President, the National Resistance Movement and the UPDF for total liberation of the country. The people of Kakumiro, Bunyoro sub region and all Ugandans appreciate the fundamental change ushered in by yourself and the NRM and that is why over the years we have overwhelmingly voted for you and the NRM,” said Nabbanja.
She thanked all Ugandans for supporting the NRM and President Museveni from the days of UPM, the NRA struggle and eventually the NRM.
Nabbanja briefed the president on several achievements that included;
Democracy: All leaders from the village to yourself at the national level are freely and regularly elected which is a sign that people are directly involved in their own governance.
Decentralization: Before 1986, greater Kibaale was under Hoima but under the NRM Kibaale was created in 1993 and later Kagadi and Kakumiro were established which has brought services close to the people and many jobs created, we want to thank you.
Infrastructure: Before the NRM, there were no tarmac roads in Bunyoro sub region but today all districts are connected to the national road network. We want to thank you.
Electricity: Your Excellency, all districts in the region are connected to the National Grid and as guided by you we are targeting to have all sub counties connected. Electricity has brought development as many people in townships are engaged in small scale industries, value addition and Jua-Kali which has created employment to our youths.
Health: Before 1986, both infant mortality and maternal mortality rates were high but because of the mass immunization strategy and your wise guidance on primary health care among other health interventions, the quality of life of our people has greatly improved. As a government policy, all sub counties in this sub region have a health center III apart from the few recently created ones.
Education: Your Excellency, the NRM values skilling Ugandans and under Universal education, many of our children have accessed formal education and we are now proud of a seed school established in a big number of sub counties in the region. We want to thank you for granting us a Public University that has its headquarters in Hoima with affiliated colleges in Kigumba and Birembo. The University task force management committee is in place and the recruitment of staff is underway.
Oil and gas: Your Excellence, because of your wise leadership, Uganda has now begun oil drilling that you launched on Tuesday in the Kingfisher field and we are optimistic that we shall have oil by 2025. We thank you for granting Hoima a city status and we appreciate the progress of the Kabaale (Hoima) International Airport which is almost complete.
Land: Your Excellency, we thank you for your relentless efforts towards addressing the land question in Bunyoro like you have done in other regions.
Under the Uganda Land Fund, the government has so far fully paid 55Sq. miles of land in Bugangaizi and 168Sq. miles in Buyaga while 78 Sq. miles of land owned by absentee landlords have been partially paid. Your Excellency, some of the beneficiaries have received their land titles and many will receive later in Bunyoro and other parts of the country.
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