President Museveni has allayed fears of the people of Kyenjojo about their roads which are in a bad shape.
Addressing a rally at Katoosa Primary School Playgrounds in Kyenjojo on Tuesday, Museveni said most of the roads that have been requested for are known to him and that plans are underway to have them tarmacked.
“When we came, tarmac had stopped in Mityana and found ways of working with Yugoslavians and extend it to Mubende. Then we extended it to Fort Portal and later to Bundibugyo. The we moved tarmac from Karuma to Kigumba to Masindi, to Hoima to Kagadi and Kyenjojo,” Museveni said.
“The Mubende-Fort Portal Road had worn out and we have started tarmacking it. We are going to work on the Kyenjojo to Kahunge and the Mpara to Bwizi Road. The Fort Portal- Kijura Road that you mentioned we know it and we shall have it tarmacked.”
Museveni who was accompanied by his daughter, Natasha Karugire, however explained the delay in implementing some of these projects, noting that it is due to the various competing priorities for government.
The NRM presidential candidate said most MPs don’t know the NRM guerrilla way of doing things one at a time, as opposed to handling everything at one.
“They want us to handle this and that at the same time. God spent six days to create the world. On Monday did some work, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the same. On Saturday God created man. If God spent six days to create the us, who are we to do all the things at the same time!”
He said that despite this state of affairs, the NRM government is committed to have everything worked up, noting that with the discovery of oil, things will be very easy.
“God loves NRM and Uganda. This is because God hid Uganda’s oil from whites. They spent 40 years here looking for it but failed to get the oil and when NRM came, it discovered it. We will be getting it starting next year and funds will be used to do some of these things.”
“On the issue of roads, vote for NRM and we shall ensure all tarmac roads will be fine and murram roads will be maintained.”
Health
In terms of the health sector, Museveni said since NRM came to power, a lot has been achieved, mentioning that Kyenjojo’s 31 sub counties currently have one general hospital, a health centre IV and 16 health centre IIIs while 13 sub counties don’t have any health facility.
“We are going to construct a new health centre III in Nyantungo sub county while new health centre IIIs will be constructed in Kifuka town council, Kyakatwire town council, Batalia, Butunduzi, Nyabiringo, Kitega , Nyankwanzi, Kyamutunzi, Kyarusozi, Kyembogo, Nyakisi, Kanyegaramiire and Butiiti sub counties.”
Wealth
Museveni told the rally that despite the need for development, it is crucial the population focuses more on creating wealth for themselves.
He reminded the people of the four-acre model where one can plant coffee, rear chicken for eggs, pigs, dairy cows, food crops and fruits.
“Those with small pieces of land can go into high-value ventures like dairy cattle. Don’t go for tea because it requires a large piece of land. Crops like maize and sugarcanes require big pieces of land.”
“When people get wealthy, Uganda also benefits. For example, when NRM came to power, Uganda was producing 3million bags of coffee but the number has gone up to 9 million bags. As a country we also benefit from the increase in the produce.”
According to Museveni, when NRM came to power, it introduced several poverty eradication programs, the latest being the Parish Development Model.
“We are sending shs100 million to every parish that households can use to get out of poverty.”
Kyenjojo district’s 167 parishes have cumulatively received shs51.5 billion PDM funds, with shs51.6 billion disbursed to 51,799 households, representing 39.5% of the total households.
He promised to intervene in the issue of mismanagement and biased allocation of Parish Development Model funds in the district.
“This is your country and those PDM funds are yours. Don’t allow anyone touch them.”
Museveni said he would send the Minister for Local Government, Raphael Magyezi to listen to the issues regarding PDM in the district.
“The general assembly of all adults in the parish who are 18 years and above is the one that elects the committee of the PDM Sacco. If they are performing poorly call a meeting and remove them. It seems you don’t know your people. Minister Magyezi will come here, call a public meeting and we shall solve this problem.”
He also warned against those deducting PDM funds,
“Those who say give us something to give you PDM cash are criminals. Those who engage in this will be arrested. It is not just mistake but a crime.”
Museveni promised to do everything within his means to ensure Kyenjojo gets an industrial park, noting that whereas the district had offered him land in one of the natural forests, the idea would be buying land elsewhere to set up the park.
Earlier, the NRM district chairperson for Kyenjojo, Edward Nkonge Rwamwaro told the president that Parish Development Model funds have changed so many lives in the area.
He also asked that due to its vast size, Kyenjojo needs to have another road unit since the current one is not enough, adding that the ssh1 billion road funds to the district are also not enough.
Rwamwaro also requested for the expansion of Kyenjojo general hospital, upgrading of Rufunjo Health Centre III and an industrial park to help create jobs for youths in the district.