President Museveni has lauded the First Lady, Janet Museveni, for stepping forward to lead the Karamoja Ministry after another minister turned down the position.
“I want to thank Mama for volunteering to come to Karamoja. She is the one who volunteered . Another minister I had appointed declined and said appointing them to Karamoja was a demotion,” Museveni said.
The president was speaking at Matany Grounds, Matany Town Council in Napak district on Thursday.
In February 2009, President Museveni appointed Janet, as State Minister for Karamoja Affairs and in 2011, she was elevated to Minister for Karamoja Affairs.
She left the ministry in 2016 after being appointed minister for education and sports.
Speaking on Thursday, President Museveni, who was canvassing votes in Karamoja, hailed the First Lady for her contribution to the development of the sub-region .
“ Mama volunteered to come and she made a big contribution, especially in the area of water including the dams and food security,” he said.
“When she was here Karamoja was able to send food to Mbale. When she was here some of dams finished are Arechek dam with a capacity of 1.2 billion litres and Natumama valley tank.”
Museveni said government is planning to construct Lopei Valley tank in the Lopei valley, between the Moroto and Kotido districts with a planned capacity of 135 billion liters.
It will provide water for irrigation, rural industry and livestock among others in Karamoja.
He said that whereas valley dams are good, going forward, government will shift focus toward individual household dams.
“The dams are good but where we are going, we shall see how to have individualised water.”
The First Lady, Janet Museveni, who accompanied the president in Karamoja told the population that God has used President Museveni and NRM to bring peace and development in Karamoja and the whole of Uganda.
“All Ugandans have responsibility to protect this peace and unity to ensure continued development of Uganda. That’s why our manifesto says we are to protect the gains and take a qualitative leap into upper middle-income status as a country. You have a responsibility to vote this president and all NRM flag bearers so that God can build on what we have done to truly transform Uganda for the good of all of us,” she urged voters.
