President Museveni on Thursday reminisced his hey days of fighting the government of Idi Amin and the work he did in Busoga sub -region during that time.
Speaking during a campaign rally at Luuka district headquarters, Museveni narrated a 1972 incident in which he smuggled guns right from Tanzania, through Kenya, then Busoga and then to Kampala.
“I have been coming to Busoga for a long time, working here and fighting here. In 1972, I remember bringing guns from Tanzania through Kenya up to Kampala but I had to stop at Iganga to wait for the night to take them to Kampala,” Museveni said.
“I had 12 machine guns and I came with them in the train until the railway station at Iganga. I didn’t want to enter Kampala in the morning and got them out. At that time Iganga was still a small trading centre. There was a new road at end of the small-town centre. I put my guns there, had breakfast, bathed and locked my room because didn’t want to be suspected of being idle.”
Peppering his speech with words in Lusoga, Museveni said in order to pass time, he went to the bus park where he heard the touts asking for those going to various places along the road.
“I waited for the last place which was near River Nile and that was Namasagali and I said was going there. I travelled and went up to Namasagali, came back in the evening in my room, got guns and went to Kampala.”
He said the next time he was in Busoga was in 1980 in Kiyunga, a township in current day Luuka district , adding that by that time he was a minister for regional cooperation.
“When I come here in peace and openly and in happiness to talk about our future, I feel very happy.I thank God for that.”
He however said Busoga sub-region and Luuka in particular have changed for the better with several infrastructure put in place as part of its development.
He mentioned that the district currently has 89 government primary schools and seven secondary schools in 64 parishes and 12 sub counties respectively.
In terms of health, Museveni said Luuka’s 12 sub counties have one health centre IV and eight health centre IIIs, with three sub counties not having any health facility.
He however assured them of government’s plan for them
“We are going to upgrade Busalamu health centre II in Busalamu town council, Bulaga health centre II in Bulaga town council and Kalyowa health centre II in Kyantuma town council to health centre IIIs,”Museveni said.
On roads he said government is now working on the Iganga to Bulopa to Kamuli road which is to be tarmacked but noted that the one from Buwenge through Luzinga to Kaliro will be handled in future.
Museveni however reminded the population of the need to create wealth for themselves, noting that availability of development doesn’t necessarily mean wealth
He said whereas development benefits a group, wealth is for an individual, company or family.
Museveni urged locals to make use of funds like Emyooga and Parish Development Model to create wealth for themselves, noting that those doing agriculture should do it with a calculation.
“Those growing crops like sugarcanes, maize, tobacco, cotton should know that they require a big size of land. However, there are crops which can be grown on a small piece of land and reap big. This has been our message and those who listened to it are doing well,” he said.
He said that Luuka’s 64 parishes have so far received shs19.6 billion which has been disbursed to 19,687 beneficiary households out of the 58,660 households in the district.
In terms of Emyooga, 36 saccos with 14,481 members have received shs1.9 billion