Politicians urged to capitalize on Museveni’s development initiatives to get votes

Politicians who want to amass lots of votes in the upcoming elections have been urged to support and capitalize on programs that have been initiated by President Yoweri Museveni.

The advice was voiced by the State House Comptroller, Jane Barekye, yesterday during the graduation ceremony of 201 youth at Tooro Zonal Industrial Hub in Kijigwa village, Kijigwa Parish, Katooke Sub-County, in Kyenjojo District.

Barekye believes that if politicians become part and parcel of the Presidential initiatives they come out successful politically. She explained that this will make it easy for them to convince their voters that they indeed did something to develop their areas. This will make it easy to be voted again back to their political offices, she said.

“Political leaders, there’s a slogan that I always hear called “Political Mileage”. Now the President of Uganda has already given you enough political mileage by instituting this program of skilling the youth in the country,” she said.

She advised politicians who attended the graduation to hold onto the grandands, guide them into the constituencies, offer them capital to start small businesses or get them contracts from local government.

“Next time you are not going to look for votes because the President has already played a big role for you in your communities through such initiatives,” Barekye assured politicians.

At the Tooro Zonal Industrial Hub graduation, successful beneficiaries received Level I Certificates after training in different vocational disciplines such carpentry, welding, tailoring and hairdressing.

“To the graduates, do not sit on your skills, please look for opportunities to improve your livelihoods. Parents if you have capacity, please give them that startup capital as government also comes on,” Barekye counseled.

Barekye revealed that State House was going to set up a well-equipped Common User Facility at the Hub which the beneficiaries will use to produce goods free of charge, sell them and earn a living.

Dr. Faith Kunihira, the Woman Member of Parliament for Kyenjojo District, commended President Museveni for initiating the project of skilling the youth, saying that the program will greatly help to curb the challenge of unemployment in the country.

Kabahenda Flavia, the Kyegegwa District Woman MP, also Chairperson of Committee on Gender, Labour and Social Development, tasked stakeholders to work hand in hand to ensure that beneficiaries are always given working tool kits upon completion of their training to make it easy for them to put their skills into good use.

Asaba Paul, the Kyaka North MP said that there is need to support this program. “If any matter comes to Parliament, we the Members of Parliament we are going to support skilling and if it comes to budgeting, we shall do the same because these young people need to be given serious support,” he said.

Eng. Raymond Kamugisha, the Director of Presidential Projects and Industrial Hubs at State House also advised the graduates to look for more opportunities by upgrading to Level II (Senior 6).

“Now you have level I (Senior 4) make sure you upgrade so that you can be able to enjoy other privileges like contesting for Parliamentary seats,” Eng. Kamugisha said.

Cynthia Kamasaka, the Manager of Tooro Zonal Industrial Hub said they admitted 203 students from six administrative districts namely; Kyenjojo district, Kamwenge district, Kabarole district, Kyegegwa district, Kitagwenda district and Bunyangabu district.

However, two students dropped out because they had registered for courses which they didn’t have at the hub, thus leaving the number to 201.

She said the students were trained in mindset and vocational skills for five months starting from 3rd August 2022 up to 23rd December 2022.