Women are the biggest beneficiaries of peace in Uganda, says VP Alupo

The Vice President Jessica Alupo has applauded President Museveni for the prevailing peace and security he ushered in the country that she said has enabled development, growth and social economic transformation throughout Uganda.

The provision of peace, she said, is a deliberate effort of the NRM government.

Alupo said that because of involvement in different spheres of the economy as mothers, leaders, entrepreneurs and farmers, managers and administrators among others, women are the biggest beneficiaries of peace and are achieving remarkable milestones.

The Vice President was speaking on Saturday at the celebrations to commemorate women's day in Kiruhura.

She said that because of his commitment to the development of Uganda, President Museveni as a person and NRM government in general have gained and sustained support across the country, especially as a result of the nationwide programs the president has implemented, from which women and girls have benefited enormously.

In her remarks, Alupo stressed the importance of keeping girls in school, saying education is a very strong tool which society can use to liberate itself at all levels.

She urged them to keep taking stock of the achievements and work together with the communities to strengthen and benefit from Government programs like the Universal Primary Education, Universal Secondary Education and tertiary education.

She urged leaders to continue working towards empowering women and girl children while helping them to explore their full potential.

"This is the right partnership between communities and the Government", she said, adding that through different programs of economic empowerment, there are specific packages for women.

The Vice President thanked women for taking advantage of those programs and encouraged them to support the Parish Development Model,  a key flagship program which she said is going to cause a paradigm shift of our country into a middle income status, especially since all  enabling laws, policies, guidelines and regulations to implement it are in place.

Alupo   instructed the leaders to disseminate the necessary information so that citizens can sufficiently acclamatise themselves with the program.

Responding to the earlier remarks  made by leaders on social services delivery,  the Vice President said government had made it a policy that  accessibility to health services is a must, noting that every subcounty must have a  health centre 3, every county a health centre 4, a hospital in every district and a referral hospital  in every region.

In addition, she said government will continue with rural electrification so that all schools and health facilities are connected to the national grid.

She also  appealed to women in positions of responsibility to continue to mentor girls, saying President Museveni has already made strategic placements, like ambassadors,  ministers, commissioners, and said she too was a product of affirmative action, meaning that the policy and strategic intervention by the President has already produced results at all levels.

Alupo implored women at all levels to continue making decisions that take care of the concerns of women and, be an inspiration to girl children as good role models.

Alupo thanked the MPs from Ankole for working together and for showing that unity is strength, adding that the whole of Uganda today is united because of the four principles of NRM ; nationalism, pan Africanism, socio economic transformation and democracy.

She also rallied leaders to join her in a campaign launched by the First Lady Hon Janet Museveni to fight against defilement, early unplanned for pregnancies, early marriages, child labour, child sacrifice, child trafficking and domestic violence because they distort the education cycle and healthy development of the girl child.

Vice President Alupo handed over shs40million support  from the president to the various women groups who are engaged in different enterprises and had uniquely displayed some of their products in the exhibition which the Vice President inspected.

Vice President Alupo was gifted with a heifer,  a gesture that is held in high regard in the Ankole tradition whereas Esteeri Kokundeka, mother to President Museveni  was recognized for supporting women and girls through education, against so many odds.

A moment of silence was observed in her honour.