State House Comptroller Jane Barekye has asked NRM regional Office of the National Chairman (ONC) coordinators to mobilize their communities to embrace commercial agriculture.
She says whereas some people do not have enough land to practice the 4-acre model as championed by the president, such individuals can still be helped to utilize their small pieces of land to improve on their income.
“The president has talked about commercial agriculture which can either be intensive or extensive. But majority Ugandans fall under intensive agriculture because of the size of land and tools they use. Coordinators, you’re living among Ugandans who are poor and you have knowledge. Why don’t you help them?” She wondered.
Barekye made the remarks while officiating at the opening of the 3-day sensitization seminar for ONC regional coordinators on Socio-economic transformation at ONC offices at Kyambogo.
She said people still love president Museveni but they only need to be guided on how to improve on their incomes. She said even when most Ugandans own small pieces of land, they can still benefit from it if they are sensitized to engage in alternative sources of income that require small space like poultry.
“How are people utilizing that small piece of land? If someone has a small piece of land, can’t he rear chicken? Those in fertile land areas, can’t they grow bananas? Can’t he do zero grazing? People love the president so much except that they want a small addition of improving on their incomes. They need to be sensitized. Help them and even those who have big land but do not know how to use it” she said.
She asked the coordinators to select model farmers in their areas and take people for practical skills so that they can also replicate the same idea in their homes.
She commended the ONC led by Hajat Uzeiye Namyalo Hadijah for organizing the training.
“This office is helping us a lot. It’s doing a great job and we should continue supporting it” she said.
Barekye lectured to the coordinators about cadreship and told them that their main task now is to pass on the message of the president about Socioeconomic transformation of all Ugandans.
“Before you harvest, you plant, plough and then harvest. So, as cadres how are you going to plant? You’re going to pass on the message of the president about commercial agriculture. When everyone is earning through his farm, tourism etc, we shall just go and harvest at the right time” she said.
Barekye however, cautioned the coordinators against misusing their offices as this would tarnish the image of the president.
“We’re going to monitor you region by region. Don’t be a coordinator who’s going to cause trouble in society. A leader who’s not a peacemaker is not a good leader. Work beyond duty, work with love, work with cadreship, make Uganda a better country to live in” she counseled.
She advised the coordinators who fail to identify model farmers in their localities to make use of the State House hubs spread across the country so that people can learn from there.
“If your region isn’t doing well, benchmark with others. How are they doing it?” She said.
Meanwhile, ONC head also National Cordinator of the Bazzukulu movement Hajat Uzeiye Namyalo Hadijah cautioned the coordinators against corruption.
“Avoid being bribed. You’re on probation here. If you accept bribes, we shall disqualify you. So, guard against corruption” Uzeiye warned.
She asked the coordinators to fight exploitation of the Bazzukulu who are seeking jobs at district level. She said the president has already issued a directive for the Bazzukulu to net all those officials in the district service commissions who are extorting bribes from Bazzukulu looking for jobs with some even sexually exploiting them.
“Our youths are exploited sexually and at times they don’t get these jobs. The male youths are asked to pay Shs5-10m to get jobs. Some even don’t get them. The president says this is a disease that has failed service delivery. He wants us the Bazzukulu to go and trap these officials, record them and bring evidence. This is task for us” she said.
The retreat brought together 150 coordinators including regional, sub regional and 3 Bazzukulus per region. A line of bigname facilitators including Senior Presidential Advisor on political affairs David Mafabi, Proffessors, Security officers, OWC officers among others attended and gave lectures to the participants.
Mafabi described all those claiming that president Museveni is too old to continue leading this country as functionally backward.
“Those who say president Museveni is old don’t know what they are talking about. He has lived in all generations be it nuclear, digital and space age. Those who masquerade around are functionally backward, incapable and illiterate to lead Uganda and Africa. Mzee is experienced” he said.
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