President Museveni Addresses Bududa's Road Concerns and Development Needs
In a recent rally at Bukigai Primary School in Bumatanda Parish, Bududa District, President Museveni addressed the people's concerns about the Bubulo-Bududa Circular Road, assuring them that the government has secured funds to tarmac the road soon. The road, currently in a poor state, is a major economic infrastructure project that the National Resistance Movement (NRM) has been working on.
The request for the road's improvement came from the Bududa district NRM chairman, Mukwana Wekhola Kuloto, who highlighted the road's poor condition, with potholes, dust during dry seasons, and mud during rainy seasons. President Museveni acknowledged the delay, attributing it to a lack of funds, but assured the people that the necessary funds have now been secured.
However, he also emphasized the government's prioritization of critical issues and the need for voters to guide their elected Members of Parliament (MPs). He mentioned the recent teachers' strike over salary demands, stating that the government is dealing with multiple issues and that immediate solutions are not always feasible.
President Museveni reminisced about a 2005 decision to prioritize electricity and roads, which has since paid off. He cited the development of the Industrial Park in Mbale, a new town of factories employing many people, as a result of that prioritization. He assured the people of Bududa that the tarmac for their circular road is on the way, emphasizing the importance of one thing at a time in their development approach.
Additionally, President Museveni reaffirmed the government's commitment to ensuring every parish and sub-county has at least one primary and secondary school, respectively. He noted the progress made in Bududa, with 89 government primary schools and 8 government secondary schools across 28 sub-counties. However, he also called for the people's involvement in wealth creation to escape poverty, stating that development is meaningless if people remain poor.
The government has introduced programs like Entandikwa, Bonna Baggaggawale, Operation Wealth Creation, and PDM to address poverty. According to Museveni, Bududa's 160 parishes have received 48.8 billion shillings in PDM funds, with 47.6 billion shillings disbursed to 47,647 beneficiary households. The district has also received 2.1 billion shillings in Emyooga funds, with 53 Saccos and 12,340 members.
Leaders React
Bududa Woman MP, Agnes Nandutu, praised the president for addressing the road issue and highlighted the economic importance of the road for transporting produce to markets. She also called for priority in healthcare and education facilities in Bududa, citing the challenges of long distances and potential loss of lives.
Nandutu emphasized the need for Bududa to be considered a hard-to-reach area, similar to schools, where teachers and students face long distances. She urged the government to prioritize Bududa in these aspects to improve the overall well-being of the community.
