President Museveni on Tuesday brought smiles to the faces of the people of Rukiga District after promising to tarmac the Muhanga–Kisiizi–Kebisoni road.
Speaking during a campaign rally at Rushebeya Grounds in Rwamucucu Subcounty in Rukiga District, Museveni said that in the forthcoming term, government has a bold plan for the roads in the district.
He said the Muhanga–Rwamucucu road up to Kisiizi to Rubaare to Rukungiri will be tarmacked.
The Muhanga–Kisiizi–Rubaare road is the main link between Kabale, Rukungiri, and Ntungamo districts.
Previously, local leaders had asked government to declare the district, curved out of Kabale in 2017, as “hard to reach” due to the poor road network.
Speaking on Tuesday, President Museveni assured the public that government has the money to work on the road network in the area but explained the delay.
He explained that the problem has been with civilians in government, whom he blamed for not knowing how “we fighters operate.”
“The civilians don’t know how to do things one by one. They do many things at a time. For example, on the issue of salary enhancement, we said let us first pay scientists. The roads, electricity, agriculture are all done by scientists whom we want right now, or else they will go abroad where they are paid highly,” Museveni said.
He explained that whereas government has money, it can’t do all things at once but rather proceed by prioritization.
Museveni also took a swipe at arts teachers for their recent strike over salary enhancement.
“We don’t have money to pay all teachers now, but we do it in phases. But the teachers said if we didn’t give them money now, they were to strike. If you want money now, how will we be able to tarmac the Muhanga–Rwamucucu road and provide safe water to the people of Rukiga? Not listening to our advice is a mistake.”
Speaking of using the little resources effectively through prioritization, Museveni gave an example of the UPDF, saying that soldiers sleep in poor houses but government is able to provide better weapons to defend the country.
“As soldiers we don’t sleep in good houses but manyattas. However, we buy good weapons to defend the country. Because of this, we are able to protect the country. In other countries there is no peace and they have to call the UN to protect them, but for us, since we know how to do things one at a time, we have total peace here.”
Wealth Creation
Museveni also reminded the local population of the need to engage in wealth-creation activities.
He said that whereas development is good, it doesn’t necessarily translate into wealth.
“From the 1960s we have been telling people to differentiate between development and wealth. Wealth for homes is very crucial. There could be development but people in poverty,” he said.
Giving an example of one of the wealthy farmers in Ngoma, Museveni said some people listened to his message and have changed their lives.
“The man is not educated and lives deep in Ngoma, 70 miles away from the nearest tarmac road, but sells about 900 litres of milk per day and collects about shs21 million per month. He has built a good house, takes children to school, and earns good money. He does all this where there is no tarmac. Development is not much where he stays, but he is wealthy. That is the message I want you to take.”
He urged locals to take advantage of the Parish Development Model and Emyooga to create wealth for themselves.
Rukiga District’s 30 PDM SACCOs have cumulatively received shs9.2 billion, benefiting 9,163 households.
In terms of Emyooga, the district has 18 SACCOs with 11,615 members, and government has so far disbursed shs800 million.