Bunyoro demands affirmative action
President Museveni during his visit to the Omukama of Bunyoro Solomon Gafabusa Iguru II, at his palace in Hoima Municipality on May 14, 2019. The president says they discussed issues related to the development of Bunyoro sub-region, including establishment of a university. PPU PHOTO
Hoima. Bunyoro leaders have asked President Museveni to implement an affirmative action for their sub-region.
The President was in Hoima District on Tuesday where he met National Resistance Movement party officials, district leaders, departmental heads and opinion leaders as part of his countrywide NRM mid-term review.
The closed-door meeting attracted more than 1,000 leaders from the districts of Hoima, Buliisa, Kiryandongo, Masindi, Kikuube, Kagadi and Kakumiro.
The Hoima District chairperson, Mr Kadiri Kirungi, requested government to enhance agricultural production through improving storage and marketing facilities of farmers.
“We petitioned the President to implement affirmative action for Bunyoro. We requested him to ensure that each district has a district hospital. We requested the elevation of Kagadi Hospital to a referral status because of the overwhelming number of patients it handles from Kagadi, Kibaale, Kakumiro and Kyenjojo districts,” he said.
Mr Kirungi said Bunyoro leaders requested the President to put in place avenues of addressing historical land challenges in Bunyoro, where most people lack land titles and are at a risk of being evicted by unscrupulous individuals.
“We request for affirmative action on getting special loan for systematic land demarcation to help people obtain land titles because land grabbing and related deaths are escalating in the region,” a May 14 petition to the President reads in part.
The petition states that industrialisation is a vehicle of employment opportunities.
“We pray that special economic zones should be demarcated with some of the industries be directed to Bunyoro region through the investment sector,” the petition adds.
The President also met the Omukama of Bunyoro Kitara at Karuziika palace in Hoima Town where they discussed a range of social-economic issues.
The Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom Prime Minister, Mr Andrew Byakutaga, said the kingdom requested the President to return all the kingdom’s reinstituted properties.
“The President accepted our request and he promised to come on June 10 to sign a memorandum of understanding with the king and also be the chief guest on June 11 at the Omukama’s coronation silver jubilee celebrations,” Mr Byakutaga said.
The kingdom further requested government to operationalise the proposed Bunyoro University with its main campus in Hoima District.
While addressing a rally at Kyatiri playground in Masindi District yesterday, the President announced that starting next financial year, he will initiate a fund for each zone to benefit organised groups doing skilling activities such as food processing, cooking stoves, hair dressing, and saloons.
He said other funds would support Saccos.
