Museveni: I’m Very Happy to See Basoga Getting Out of Poverty

President Museveni commended the people of Busoga Sub-region for their growing efforts in wealth creation and transitioning out of poverty.

The President made the remarks at the home of Michael Kazibwe, a model farmer in Namazala Village, Busede Sub-county, Jinja District.

This visit is part of President Museveni’s 4-day wealth creation and PDM performance assessment tour in the Busoga sub-region which commenced today.

The President expressed optimism about the region’s potential and highlighted the importance of resource utilisation and strategic planning.

“I’m very happy to be here. I can see Basoga getting out of poverty,” he said.

“At the time of independence in 1962, only 19% of Ugandans were in the money economy, leaving 81% outside it. The challenge then was underdevelopment and underutilisation of resources.”

He noted that while the Basoga are hardworking and have historically participated in the money economy through crops like cotton and sugarcane, they often lacked “ekibalo” (proper planning and calculation) to maximise profits.

“For example, if you grow sugarcane on a small piece of land, you won’t earn much. But when you use your resources well, like Kazibwe and his children who are applying their knowledge and degrees on the farm, you can achieve a lot,” he noted.

On the other hand, the President also urged farmers to align their agricultural activities with global market demands.

“You need to check the demand for crops like cocoa and vanilla on the global market. That’s why coffee remains powerful—it has a stable international demand of 118 million bags annually.”

He also encouraged diversification into activities like fruit farming, dairy production, and poultry, which were part of the government’s 1986 advice on wealth creation.

The President pledged additional government support to farmers like Kazibwe, who have embraced modern farming methods.

“I am happy to see Kazibwe and his family progressing. To support their efforts, we will provide a Fuso truck, a silage cutter, and other resources,” he announced.

President Museveni highlighted the innovative use of cow dung on Kazibwe’s farm, which is used for fertiliser and other by-products.

He noted that such practices not only improve productivity but also contribute to sustainable farming.

The event was also attended by Rt. Hon. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Hon. Rukia Nakadama, the 3rd Deputy Prime Minister, the Government Chief Whip, Hon. Denis Hamson Obua, the Minister for the Presidency, Hon Babirye Milly Babalanda, the State Minister for Investment and Privatization, Hon. Evelyn Anite, Ms. Jane Barekye, the State House Comptroller, among other dignitaries.