President Yoweri Museveni has expressed gratification with the magnitude and zeal that the people of Uganda have placed in manufacturing local products that had been stifled in the past by importation syndrome of goods that could be made locally.

“What I have witnessed on display today (Wednesday December 11th) from Kyambogo University’s technology skills, Victory School of Beauty and Hospitality Management at Wankulukuku and Muduuma Centre for Community Development and Innovations Initiative (CCDII-Uganda) Small Scale industries, in addition to the manufacture of Kiira and Kayoola motor vehicles by Makerere University since I started the campaign of awakening people to embark on the four sectors of wealth and job creation for national development, many Ugandans are no longer sleeping. They are becoming innovative and industrious by doing tremendous work in the manufacturing sector,” he said.

“This effort has indicated that Uganda will no longer import items like furniture, footwear from abroad, which has been wasteful in terms of foreign exchange. It also marks the end of offering free employment opportunities to countries like China and United Arab Emirates where traders have been commonly importing goods from,” he added.

The President was yesterday speaking at a graduation ceremony of 485 women and youth from the community in Muduuma Sub-County of Mawokota County in Mpigi District who have completed their skilling training programmes. As part of the graduation ceremony, the President inspected stalls where various products they made were displayed. The products included value-added products like juice, soap, shoes, clothes, sanitary products and fashion designs, among others. 

The Executive Director CCII- Uganda, Mr. Urban Uwayezu, says that a combined total of 5,750 youth, women, veterans, elderly and PWDs groups have been mobilised and trained by officials from Nakawa-based Management Training and Advisory Centre (MTAC) in savings and credit operations, business and trade, processing and manufacturing.

President Museveni expressed happiness with the government’s role of guiding and funding groups in all communities with a view to supporting the people of Uganda steer into national economic development and transformation.

“Government will continue to offer more support to provide improved and more modern machineries for the growth of both small and large industries established by local people,” he pledged.

He re-emphasized the avenues for wealth and job creation in Uganda as being modern and commercial agriculture, processing and manufacturing, services sector and Information Communication Technology (ICT). He said the 480,000 government jobs cannot sustain all Ugandans.

Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Minister, Hon. Amelia Kyambadde and Mawokota North MP who is the brainchild behind Twezimbe Development Foundation, revealed that about 55% of the 30,000 families in the area who have been engaged in modern agricultural practices have been uplifted. She added that health issues involving expectant mothers, people living with HIV/AIDS and sanitation have also been addressed on a large scale while piped water and electricity supply in the constituencies of Mawokota North and Mawokota South will be covered by next financial year.

She disclosed that the youth livelihood programme has benefited most from government support. She commended the Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) programme for enabling farmers to access coffee seedlings, extensive delivery of poultry requirements and for empowering matooke farmers to gain from their farming activities.

The Minister, however, decried the high rate of girl-child school drop-outs and escalating cases of land-related disputes in the area. ENDS