The Minister for the Presidency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, has urged residents of Bugweri County to embrace Government wealth creation programmes as part of efforts to move households from subsistence farming into the money economy.
Babalanda made the call on Saturday while attending a thanksgiving service for Hon. Hajji Wandera Sadara, who was elected Member of Parliament for Bugweri County in the 12th Parliament.
The ceremony, attended by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Jacob Oboth Oboth, religious leaders, local government officials, NRM leaders and hundreds of residents, was held to celebrate Wandera’s election victory.
In her address, Babalanda conveyed greetings from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Kataha Museveni, and staff of the Office of the President.
She thanked the people of Bugweri for electing Wandera and for supporting NRM candidates during the recent General Elections, saying the decision reflected confidence in the Government’s development agenda.
“The trust you have placed in Hon. Wandera Sadara and your decision to stand with the NRM shows your commitment to stability, development and the vision of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni,” Babalanda said.
She said political support should be matched with active participation in Government programmes designed to improve household incomes and livelihoods.
Babalanda particularly cited the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) and the 4-Acre Model as key interventions that households can use to increase production, generate income and transition from subsistence to commercial activities.
“As a country, our target is to join upper middle-income status. This cannot happen if households remain in subsistence,” she said.
The Minister urged residents to make better use of parish-level structures to access and benefit from Government programmes, stressing that development targets can only be achieved when individual households improve their economic wellbeing.
She also called on residents to work closely with their elected leaders and local authorities to strengthen service delivery and ensure Government resources are used for their intended purposes.
“The NRM Government is committed to ensuring that no one is left behind. Let us support our leaders so that together we can deliver development to every home in Bugweri,” she said.
Babalanda also commended the electorate for choosing leadership she said was aligned with the NRM’s broader agenda of transforming livelihoods at the grassroots.
The thanksgiving service provided an opportunity for residents, religious leaders and political leaders to celebrate Wandera’s election while highlighting the need for the new leadership to translate the political mandate into tangible development for the people of Bugweri.
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