By Patrick Bitature.
These past three days have been a profound reminder of the power of vision, community, and decisive action. It’s been a journey from the grassroots of Ibanda to the broader narrative of our nation’s economic transformation, all converging on a single goal: shared prosperity for our people.
Our engagement began on Wednesday, where I met with various peer groups across our vibrant district of Ibanda, home to over 309,000 people. We discussed tangible ways to improve livelihoods and create a lasting impact on our community.
To foster a sense of unity and visibility, we distributed over 20,000 shirts and 10,000 reflector jackets to all these groups, a gesture of support that would extend to our Boda Boda riders the following day.
On Thursday, my focus turned to the Boda Boda riders, the true lifeblood of our local economy. It was more than just a discussion; it was a commitment to action. I shared my vision for their future through formalised SACCOs, promising expert accounting support and a 100% match on their initial investment to ensure a strong start, just as we did successfully in Kololo.
This is the blueprint for our teachers, taxi operators, mechanics, and other groups to formalise, grow, and thrive. We are building on the government’s existing frameworks like the Parish Development Model, which has already seen over Shs. 21 billion disbursed to more than 18,000 households in Ibanda, and Emyooga, which has empowered thousands more. The ultimate dream is a world-class mechanical engineering academy right here in Ibanda, a hub that will not only equip our youth with invaluable skills but also attract learners from across the region, cementing our district as a centre of excellence.
Later that evening, on Eiraka Radio and TAYARI WEST TV, the conversation expanded to the national stage. I reflected on our country’s remarkable economic journey, from a fledgling economy to the 50 billion dollar powerhouse we are today, with our sights set on 500 billion. This progress, born from resilience, is something I understand personally. I shared my own story of survival, a stark reminder of the peace and stability we must never take for granted. The core message was a call for a fundamental mindset shift.
We must move beyond just paper qualifications and champion practical, market-driven skills like plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry that truly solve problems and create employment. With 125 government primary schools and 14 government secondary schools in Ibanda, we have a strong foundation, but we must ensure our youth are equipped for the workforce. The government’s role is to create an enabling environment for the private sector to flourish, invest, and, most importantly, create jobs for our people.
Saturday was a day of immense pride. It was humbling to be recognised by the people of Ibanda, alongside the Rt. Hon. Speaker Anita Among and Hon. Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, for the work we are doing to uplift our district. This acknowledgment fuels my commitment. We have made incredible strides, with all 16 of our sub-counties now connected to the national grid and 91% of our villages having access to safe water. We have the infrastructure to take off, and with planned upgrades to health facilities like Ruhoko HCIV, we are not stopping here.
As I always say, longevity is not the metric; performance is. What we need are safe pairs of hands to guide this progress. The foundation is being laid, the vision is clear, and the people of Ibanda are ready. The work continues, onwards and upwards, together.