Speaking during a regional stakeholders' meeting for the Bukedi sub-region at the Bukedi Zonal Industrial Hub, Agele said the initiative has empowered vulnerable young people through skills development and wealth creation.
"We should give credit where it is due. Though I am an FDC strongman, this programme is good. As opposition, we should not oppose everything," Agele said.
The mayor, who is also a grandson of former Ugandan president Idi Amin, urged fellow opposition leaders to adopt a pragmatic approach and support programmes that benefit citizens.
"It is already a done deal. President Museveni was sworn in, so he will be President for the next five years. Let us work with him during this term," he said.
Agele, who has served as Busia Municipality mayor for more than a decade, pledged to support the expansion of the initiative by facilitating the acquisition of land for a Common User Facility (CUF) in Busia.
"As Busia leaders, we always work together. I will engage our Chief Administrative Officer, and I am confident we shall provide land for the construction of a Common User Facility as requested by State House," he said.
The Common User Facility is one of four key components of the Presidential Industrial Hubs programme and is intended to serve as a production, processing, marketing and exhibition centre for locally manufactured products.
Representing State House Comptroller Jane Barekye, the Director of Presidential Projects and Industrial Hubs, Eng. Raymond Kamugisha, said government plans to expand the programme in the Bukedi sub-region by establishing a second zonal industrial hub in Tororo District alongside the Common User Facility in Busia Municipality.
"For the Common User Facility, we require land located along a tarmac road because it will serve as a business centre. We also request Tororo District to provide land for the construction of the second industrial hub for Bukedi," Kamugisha said.
The proposal, however, sparked disagreement among local leaders, with Butaleja District officials arguing that their district is equally prepared to host the second industrial hub.
District Speaker Bashir Mugoya said Butaleja has adequate land available for immediate handover.
"When a woman gives birth, it is her responsibility to nurture that child. We request our 'mother' Tororo to allow us to grow by hosting the second zonal industrial hub," Mugoya said.
Tororo District LCV Chairperson John Okea defended his district's suitability, citing its central location and accessibility for trainees from across the region.
"If you place the hub in Butaleja, it will make it difficult for trainees from Busia to access it. Tororo is centrally located and is also expanding into additional administrative units, making it the most viable location," Okea said.
He also praised the Presidential Industrial Hubs programme as a practical model for poverty alleviation, while criticising the colonial education system for placing greater emphasis on theoretical learning than practical skills.
Kamugisha later clarified that the second zonal industrial hub will be established in Tororo District, while the Common User Facility will be constructed in Busia Municipality. He added that the programme will eventually be rolled out to all districts.
"The United States was transformed by the industrial revolution, China developed through 'Made in China', and these industrial hubs will transform Uganda," he said.
During the meeting, State House also warned district leaders against exploiting prospective trainees by charging illegal fees for admission into the programme.
The warning followed complaints from former trainees who alleged that some local officials, particularly in Kibuku District, demand money in exchange for placing applicants on admission lists.
"This is a term of no sleep and no corruption. Whoever is involved in such acts must stop immediately or face arrest," Kamugisha warned, stressing that enrolment into the Presidential Industrial Hubs programme is free of charge.
"How shall we fight poverty if we become an impediment to a programme that is transforming the lives of the most underprivileged?" he added.
The meeting brought together chief administrative officers, resident district commissioners, district internal security officers, LCV chairpersons, political leaders, community development officers, and representatives of youth, women and persons with disabilities.
The Presidential Industrial Hubs initiative remains a key government programme aimed at equipping young people with practical skills, promoting local production and supporting inclusive economic transformation.