President Yoweri Museveni has reminded leaders in the country, particularly those who attended the Zonal Conferences on Poverty Eradication and Enterprise Selection held in State House Entebbe in March this year to sensitize the people in their respective areas on the selected enterprises for their zones in order to enable wananchi chase poverty out of their homesteads.
The President was yesterday speaking at the fundraising ceremony held at Kachango Primary School in Gogonyo Sub-County of Agule County, Pallisa district. The fundraising is aimed at the construction of Kachango Catholic church in the area. The fundraising was preceded by Mass led by Tororo Diocesan Vicar General, Monsignor Paul Buyeera.
Over Shs.150 million was raised in cash and pledges out of the projected Shs.400 million that is required for the construction of the state of the art church that is slated to have a sitting capacity of more than 800,000 worshippers as well as residence of the Parish Priest.
The fundraising function that was organized by the area MPs, David Ochwa and Amoit Judith Omagor, attracted several Cabinet Ministers, MPs, District and Religious leaders as well as traditional leaders, among others.
President Museveni, who contributed Shs.80 million, auctioned a light brown bull at Shs.20 million while his portrait fetched over Shs.40 million. The portrait of the President was bought by the Minister of Disaster Preparedness and Refugees, Dr. Stephen Malinga.
President Museveni stressed that leaders should guide their people according to what was agreed during the Zonal Conferences and in order to help them eradicate household poverty. He observed that most of the contributors at the fund raising function were from Kampala with the indigenous merely being onlookers and silent. He pointed out that if the 4,000 parishioners in Kachango had been economically empowered and each family contributed Shs.1 million, they would have been able to realize Shs.4 billion, 10 times more than is needed for the construction of the church.
Mr. Museveni, however, commended Kachango Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Michael Omongot, for having a holistic approach of not only evangelization but also the wellbeing of the people of the area.
The President thanked the people of Palisa district for sending to Parliament good MPs unlike in the past when they were electing opposition legislators who always opposed government’s development programmes.
“There is no point sending opposition MPs to Parliament and yet I need people who can help me develop the country. They go to Parliament and start wrestling. Thank you for your choice. Eyalama noi,” he told the cheering congregation.
President Museveni who unveiled a plaque for the construction of the church, pledged to assist various organized groups in Pallisa district with a view to empowering them to brace up with their domestic chores.
At Agu Primary School where his helicopter landed, the President was swarmed by a huge crowd who braved the scorching sun to welcome him to Pallisa district. He commended them for prioritizing education.
Later at a public rally held at Gogonyo Primary School, President Museveni, who is also the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Party, received the entire leadership of the Forum for democratic Change (FDC) in Pallisa district and their supporters who crossed over to NRM. The former FDC leadership in the district included the Chairman, Mr. Adome Anthony, his Vice, Mr. Isa Opule, the Treasurer Fred Madaretu, General Secretary, Mr. Kasali Christopher and his Assistant Mrs. Akol Grace along with other prominent personalities in the FDC Party. President Museveni welcomed the entire team back home.
“We welcome you. You have been wasting time with people who are not serious whose specialty is only esabet (lies),” he told the cheering crowd.
The President told the huge crowd of government’s’ priority programmes citing peace, electricity, roads and railway lines that he described as the bone-marrow of the economy. He advised the people to also take seriously the improvement of homestead income and pledged to camp in Kasodo to make the parish a role model in modern farming for Pallisa district.
President Museveni donated Shs.50 million to Pallisa Mothers’ SACCO, pledged to provide Pallisa Hospital with an ambulance and the women of the district with the required kits.
