President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday emphasized the importance of calculated wealth creation during a joint thanksgiving ceremony for Gen. Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, Minister of State for Trade Godfrey Baluku Kabyanga, and Minister of ICT and National Guidance Dr. Chris Baryomunsi at Kaguta Grounds in Nyakatonzi, Kasese District.
The event celebrated the achievements and appointments of these leaders and focused on strategies for uplifting the socio-economic status of the people of Kasese.
Museveni urged the locals to adopt ekibaro (calculation) in their wealth creation efforts to maximize profits. He outlined the four key economic sectors commercial agriculture, manufacturing, services, and ICT as pathways to prosperity.
For smallholder farmers, he recommended the four-acre model of farming, where one acre is allocated to coffee farming, another to fruit cultivation, a third to dairy farming with pasture, and the last to food crops. Additionally, he advised engaging in backyard activities such as poultry and piggery, and fish farming for those near swamps. He cautioned against growing crops like maize and cotton, which require large tracts of land to be profitable.
“As you create wealth, do it with ekibaro. Some people don’t have ekibaro, and this contributes to poverty in homes,” Museveni said, emphasizing that those who have adhered to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) message of wealth creation have thrived.
The President differentiated between wealth creation and development, noting that while development projects such as roads and electricity benefit everyone, wealth creation is a personal endeavor essential for socio-economic transformation. “Development is for all, but wealth is personal. The NRM analyzed this and prioritized empowering individuals to thrive,” he said.
Museveni also warned against identity-based politics rooted in tribe and religion, describing such ideologies as selfish and divisive. “A person who preaches politics of identity based on religion and tribe is your enemy. A person who is not selfish works with everyone irrespective of their tribe and religion to support prosperity,” he cautioned, urging the locals to maintain peace in their area.
The President thanked God for Gen. Mbadi and Minister Kabyanga, praising them as diligent public servants. Dr. Chris Baryomunsi also commended Museveni for appointing the two ministers, noting their dedication to addressing the concerns of the people of Kasese.
Minister Kabyanga expressed gratitude for his appointment, pledging to mobilize the community to embrace government programs such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and to lead by example through demonstration farms. “We are mobilizing people to embrace government programs. Gen. Mbadi and I have started demonstration farms to tell people what to do,” he said, appealing for additional affirmative action to transform Kasese.
Gen. Mbadi extended his gratitude to God and President Museveni for recognizing his potential and giving him opportunities to serve. He thanked the President for maintaining peace and security, describing it as the foundation for development. On behalf of Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere, he acknowledged the importance of stability for the region’s socio-economic progress.
The thanksgiving event underscored the government’s commitment to empowering Ugandans through practical strategies for wealth creation while fostering peace, unity, and socio-economic transformation in the region.
