The Busoga Consortium for Development, a non-partisan platform established to steer socio-economic development in the Busoga region has launched a 10-year Busoga Development Agenda to run until 2030.
The development agenda is premised on 10 pillars which include; commercialising agriculture; tourism culture and heritage; education and skills development; development of road and water infrastructure; environmental stability; industrialisation and private sector development; health improvement; land and mineral resources development; urban and human settlement and Obwa Kyabazinga Bwa Busoga.
The Saturday, 19 September 2020 launch in Jinja Town was presided over by the Vice President, H.E. Edward Ssekandi flanked by the consortium’s patron, the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga and in the presence of the Kyabazinga, His Royal Highness, William Wilberforce Gabula IV.
The Vice President, who was representing H.E. President Yoweri Museveni, said that the 10-year development agenda is a manifestation of the determination and commitment of the Busoga leadership working together to develop the region.
“Regional blocs should work together like this and endeavour to fit into the Presidential initiatives and government programmes aimed at transforming the economy of the country,” he added.
Ssekandi said that the President has promised to engage in dialogue with the leadership of Busoga sub-region to sort out prevailing impasses affecting the economic development of Busoga like the sugar zoning for sugarcane growing and processing.
Kadaga said that the leadership from Busoga region has worked hard towards this achievement and reiterated the urgency for government support.
“We would like to request the government through the President to support all the development initiatives in Busoga that will uplift the region socially and economically,” she added.
She further requested President Yoweri Museveni to support the Shs6 billion budget that is required by the Busoga Consortium Secretariat to enforce the development agenda.
The Chairperson of Busoga Consortium, Titus Kisambira said that the consortium is a consolidation of the leadership within Busoga region united towards the development and advancement of the region.
“Wealth creation and economic transformation within the region is something that the people of Busoga realise will only happen when there is unity driven towards growth within the region,” he added.
Hon. Esther Mbayo, the Minister for the Presidency, also in attendance, said that as leaders, they are dedicating their efforts to mobilise their people to work towards economic transformation through the various government programmes.
Mbayo requested the people of Busoga to stop bickering and fighting amongst each other so that they can work together to transform the region.
“We need to look back at the glory that Busoga was and revive it by co-existing harmoniously and working towards the economic transformation of the region,” she added.