President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni met with National Resistance Movement (NRM) young leaders from the Buganda sub-region on Tuesday 9th May 2023 as part of their Buganda For Museveni (BM7) movement, led by Ms. Hellen Seku.
The discussions at State House Entebbe focused on opportunities for the NRM party in Buganda as well as difficulties that need to be addressed immediately in order to boost the party’s support in the sub-region.
Multiple taxes on low-income traders, substandard roads, and poor implementation of the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, and other government poverty alleviation programs for youth and women were among the obstacles.
The coffee issue, in which 2,500 farmers in Masaka lost their coffee seedlings, was also addressed.
It should be noted that last month, coffee nursery operators and the Uganda Coffee Development Authority (UCDA) were at odds over UCDA operations in Masaka City, where coffee seedlings worth millions of dollars were destroyed after being sprayed with chemicals, an operation ostensibly aimed at weeding out wrong seedlings that harmed farmers, according to UCDA.
The youth leaders told President Museveni that the impacted coffee nursery owners are suing for compensation, claiming that the operation was not carried out in good faith and that the act disheartened people working to popularize the cash crop in the region.
President Museveni asked the youth to get involved in the Parish Development Model, which he claims will eliminate the need for middlemen in the purchase of agricultural goods.
“We had been purchasing coffee seedlings through NAADS, but I recently learned that my army personnel working on Operation Wealth Creation were being unfair in their distribution.” There were also complaints concerning supply overpricing and the distribution of low-quality agricultural commodities. “We decided to put the money in the PDM, where farmers could buy directly for themselves, eliminating middlemen,” added the President.
He threatened to deal with anyone who messed up the PDM in the same manner he dealt with those who messed up the Acholi sub-region, and tasked Resident District Commissioners and security personnel at all levels to increase oversight of government initiatives.
Concerning various taxes levied on the poor, the President instructed the youngsters to give evidence in the form of a report so that individuals responsible for overcharging the poor might be dealt with. He stated that the government eliminated the discriminatory numerous taxes in order to allow low-income earners to boost their household earnings, which will enhance their purchasing power and pay through consumer tax.
“This is a plan to develop our country by attracting more taxes.” By interfering with this, they are keeping many individuals outside the money economy who would have received some income, purchased more from manufacturers, and paid taxes more effectively,” H.E Museveni stated.
Concerning infrastructure, the President underlined the government’s commitment to improving the road network and disclosed that work on the Masaka-Mutukula route will begin soon.
At the same event, President Museveni announced the formation of the Buganda For Museveni (BM7) Movement, which has endorsed him as the NRM’s presidential candidate for the 2026 elections.
Ms. Aminah Lukanga, the Kampala Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Ms. Justine Nameere, the Presidential Advisor on Greater Masaka Region Affairs, and other youth leaders from districts in the Buganda sub-region also attended the gathering.
