Stop excuses and fight poverty, Museveni tells Ugandans

President Museveni has lashed out at political leaders at all levels for failing to educate their electorates how to get out of poverty.
Mr Museveni, who was addressing the public at the national celebrations of the International Women’s Day at Sanga Playground in Kiruhura District yesterday, said the past leaders were able to look far and guided their people on how to join the money economy but that their efforts have been derailed by leaders who do not see far.
“I want to accuse you people of the cattle corridor whom the National Resistance Movement (NRM) had got out of poverty but are now determined to go back to poverty,” he said.

Mr Museveni also said Ugandans have embraced the backward way of dividing wealth after the head of a family who made it (wealth) has died, which is posing a big danger to the development of the country.
“Splitting the wealth that NRM has enabled families to create in the last 30 years, with the myopic inheritance of sharing by physical division of properties rather than dividing by shares (emigabo), is a big danger now,” he said.
He added: “But now they are in danger of going back to poverty because of the problem of lack of education. When the heads of the family, who have made that wealth die, the children, like ants, descend on the wealth and divide it up.”

New direction
Mr Museveni said he is now concentrating on saving the generations to come on how to uniformly utilise family wealth. 
“The new war now is to educate these ignorant people not to divide by physical division but you can have shares. Why don’t you keep the property together and use the modern way of shares whereby you share the profit that comes from the business? This is the new danger now,” he said. 

“So if you are not careful, these people are going back to their poverty. This achievement we had made is in danger because you the leaders, you do not see for these people because for us, we saw for them,” he added. 
Mr Museveni further said there are some elites who are still uneducated by way of undermining the modern ways of development and believe in self-enfranchisement which does not work.
“Even some people who are a bit educated, there are some people whom I don’t want to mention. Recently, somebody died and then I rang to find out and asked, how did you share things? Hoo… the children divided the property. Really! This is a crime,” he said.

Do more
He also asked people to use nature and do more. 
“Secondly, grow pasture and other foods like maize, sorghum for the cattle do not just depend on what nature prepares. Use nature to do better for your family and Uganda,” he said. 
Mr Museveni also believes that the Parish Development Model (PDM) will deliver small holder farmers to money economy under the four acre model. He also said the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) will support extensive agriculture while fighting poverty.
“To remind you, the four acres model would get you to put coffee in one acre, fruits in one acre, pasture for zero grazing in one acre, and food crops in one acre. In the backyard, those interested would put in poultry, piggery and those near water would do fish farming. These are activities that have put a huge global market that we have long ago confirmed and now we have a good return per acre per annum,” he said.

Four acres model
He added: “With these, we cannot go wrong, new ideas are coming up. We shall analyse each of them and judge if we should put them in the four acres model. The four acre model is what we call intensive agriculture. It is designed to benefit the country, particularly the small holder farmer.”
Mr Museveni said there are products that are being analysed that cannot fit in the intensive agriculture but can fit in the extensive agriculture.
“…getting small income per acre but doing it on a big scale. This is where maize, sugarcane, cotton, ranching and tobacco come in while the PDM deals with a four acre model. The UDB will handle the extensive agriculture,” he said.
Mr Museveni said for families to get out of poverty, there needs to be a holistic approach. 

“You may say how does all this help the women, we came here for women and Museveni is talking about commercial farming. The woman is part and partial of the family and society. When the families get out the poverty through commercial farming, manufacturing, services and ICT, the four sectors, it is easier to address all the marginalised groups including the women,” he said. 
At the same function, 63 Ugandan women were awarded medals. They were led by Presidential Adviser of Public Relations, Ms Mary Karoro Okrut, who received the distinguished order of the Nile first class grand commander.

Full list of the medalists

The Distinguished Order of the Nile First Class Grand Commander
Hon Mary Kalolo Okruti

The Distinguished Order of the Crested Crane Second Class Grander Officer
Eng Dr Dorothy Okello

Nalubare Medal
Ms Wilzayo Dianah
Ms Juliet Nabanja Mukwaya

Award Of The National Independence Medal Diamond Jubilee
Dr Sarah Ssali
Ms Assumpta Namuli Kasamba
Ms Caroline Taliba
Dr Betty Kenanyonga
Ms Tindimwebwa Nsasira Inid
Ms Joy Karamuzi
Ms Nakayiiza Lwanga Lukwago
Canon Joyce Banisi SoyiGi
Ms Ketty Lamunu Girigiri
Ms Brenda Akiya
Hon Awuma Linda
Ms Binadete Nanyonga
Ms Apio Ogwera
Ms Nakanwagi Yudaya Mwesigye
Ms Lujoki Verina
Ms Lwabwana Nikingeri
Ms Mary Muhirwoha
Ms Mable Kirabo
Ms Inid Mwesigye
Ms Rosemary Nazimbe
Ms Immaculate Namatta
Ms Jesica Kirabo
Ms Ikor Martha
Ms Sarah Asiimwe
Ms Fausta Florence
Ms Binca Zaina
Mama Jida Nakankya
Ms Rose Kirabira
Ms Hadija Nakakande Ssenyondo
Mr Criscent Tumushabe
Sergent Naiga Asimimu
Sergent Namara Hadija
Ms Nakalanzi BAbra
Sergent Zelfa Masika
Ms Grace Kyomuhendo
Dr Magret Gritl
Ms Halima Nakayi
Ms Winnie Nanyondo
Ms Eunice Nyiramahoro
Ms Annet Tuheisomwe
Ms Magret Kasumba
Ms Imelda Imeturu
Ms Nora Mbubi
SP Kyobutungi Ruth
ASP Mbabazi Mary
AIP Akiya Janet
Ms Nalumansi Aisha Kitimbo
ASP Aloko Janet Salume
Ms Chandiru Jane
Ms Naguta Betty
Ms Ayar Judith, Birungi Constant
Ms Irehuti Beatrice
Ms Munduwa
Ms Juliet Nambozo
Ms Katama Winfred
Ms Namuganza Merab

Award Of The Honorary Police Medal
Late OmuTaka Bruce Kiribata
Mr Niwagira Nicholas Rubahirwa