The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Treasurer, Ambassador Barbara Nekesa Oundo, has called on leaders to prioritise key areas of development to uplift livelihoods.
Speaking as the chief guest during a fundraising ceremony at St. Kaloli Lwanga Church in Busia District on January 12, 2025, Nekesa highlighted the Church's pivotal role in shaping moral values and fostering societal growth.
She emphasised the importance of encouraging landowners to transition from subsistence to commercial farming, a move she believes will enhance household incomes and improve food security.
Nekesa also urged leaders to discourage land fragmentation caused by inheritance, advocating for the preservation of larger, more productive land holdings to boost economic viability.
The NRM Treasurer stressed the need to promote secure land ownership and resist illegal evictions that displace vulnerable communities.
On education, she underscored the full implementation of free education programs and the importance of monitoring standards to ensure quality learning outcomes.
Nekesa also called for value addition to agricultural products to enhance market competitiveness and profitability for farmers.
In the health sector, she highlighted the need for disease prevention through improved sanitation and better healthcare services.
Religious, political, and cultural leaders were urged to actively promote government programs aimed at fostering social transformation and economic development.
Nekesa commended religious leaders for fostering unity and development through their ministry.
“The Church is a crucial institution in society, shaping people to do good as Christ did. Developing church infrastructure is an integral part of this mission, and I am proud to support this endeavour,” she said.
She thanked worshippers for their support of the NRM government’s efforts toward social and economic transformation and encouraged leaders to mobilize communities around initiatives like the Parish Development Model to combat poverty.
“As leaders religious, political, or cultural we must rally our people around the fundamentals of socio-economic transformation. This includes addressing land issues, ensuring access to education and healthcare, and fighting poverty,” Nekesa noted.
She further called on leaders to lead by example, actively participating in government programs to inspire confidence in their communities.
“As leaders, we must practice what we preach to inspire confidence in our message. Our active involvement in government programs will encourage others to follow suit,” she said.
Nekesa concluded her address by urging the public to participate in the ongoing voter registration exercise ahead of the 2026 general elections.
She announced that the NRM would soon release its roadmap for the elections and called for mass participation in updating the party's membership register.
On behalf of the NRM, Nekesa made a financial contribution to the church, though the amount was not disclosed.