President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni recently conducted a fact-finding tour of Teso sub-region to assess the implementation of the Parish Development Model and other wealth creation activities.

Throughout his tour that started from Serere District with the visit to Teso Integrated Farm owned by Joseph Ijala, the president received massive reception from ordinary Ugandans who are itching to join the money economy through wealth creation supported by the PDM.

Ijala, a former taxi conductor who lost his job, then after escaping from work to go and listen to Museveni’s message in Soroti town in 2011, named President Museveni his wealth creation professor, branding him an international expert on poverty eradication.

At Ijala’s farm: “President Museveni said, ‘I’m glad there are serious Ugandans like Ijala who have religiously taken my wealth creation messages aggressively and implemented them successfully to become rich.”

Emphasizing value addition as the only immediate solution to effectively spur wealth, President Museveni said the government intends to directly support serious farmers engaging in massive production of various enterprises to add more valuation to their products.

After touring Ijala’s farm, President Museveni cautioned those who have been undermining and ignoring his wealth creation messages to Ugandans, yet a person like Ijala and others have been able to build wealth from it.

WHAT MUSEVENI EMPHASIZED?

“I have told you many times that leadership is like medicine; a medical doctor looks at a patient and makes a diagnosis; if the diagnosis is correct, then he makes a prescription, and if the prescription is correct, then the patient will heal. This is exactly what NRM has been doing. This idea of prosperity for all was never clear to people. They thought it was impossible,” Museveni said.

According to President Museveni, whereas many thought it was impossible for everyone to be prosperous, anybody who listens to the NRM message on wealth creation will surely be rich.

“For me to be a leader of Uganda, and I don’t talk about poverty, God will not like me, so when I get a chance, I talk about how to make wealth,” Museveni said.

“My work is like the story of the sower in the Bible; I talk and talk about how to build wealth, but some people ignore it, but other people, like Joseph Ijala here, listened to my messages,” President said.

The president noted that it is achievable for every household in Uganda, regardless of the region, to get out of poverty only if they accept to implement his four-acre model farming strategy.

“one acre for coffee, one acre for fruits, a third acre pasture for dairy, and a fourth acre should have a food crop for the family, then in the backyard, poultry for eggs, piggery, fish farming, and dairy; with these, I’m sure anybody who owns a four-acre land can get out of poverty,” President Museveni said.

“I’m very happy that ‘mot mot’…slowly, slowly I’m getting good disciples who are successfully implementing messages. I didn’t know him, but now my seed fell on a taxi driver. Imagine he is here earning over Shs600 million. If two acres can employ 38 people, then we can create massive jobs, and we will not have workers to do it,” Museveni said.

In summary, President Museveni commended Ijala for implementing his messages; he also agreed to offer him a yogurt processing machine to improve his value addition.

“I will support you with the Shs150 million to buy the processing machine since it will support the whole village,” Museveni said.

Ijala produces over 360 trays of eggs from his 10,000 layers and over 300 liters of milk, and he intends to produce at least 1,000 liters of milk daily by 2025.

President Museveni later met local leaders of Teso sub region in Kumi district to discuss strategies on wealth Creation among the residents.

Museveni rallied residents living near wetlands to adopt fish farming as the only way to build wealth and also preserve swamps, which can be used for massive irrigation.

GOV’T PLANS TO INCREASE VALUE ADDITION

The president, while touring the model farm of the vice president, Major (Rtd) Jessica Alupo, in the Katakwi district, noted that the government intends to establish a cassava factory with the help of investors, adding that the government also plans to re-establish the meat packer factory on condition that the raw materials are available.

The government will also establish animal feed manufacturing plants in the region to support farmers engaged in both dairy and piggery farming.

To boost massive productions, the government will support local residents engaging in farming to acquire irrigation systems at no cost.

President Museveni will, by the end of November, take a PDM assessment tour and monitor wealth creation activities in the Karamojong sub region, where he will visit successful model farmers, address local leaders, and later conduct a public rally.