Patson Baraire
10 September 2008
Kanungu — For many farmers in Kanungu District, hosting the head of state was something they could only dream about, but this dream turned into reality last week when the President spent four days in the district marketing the Prosperity for All programme.
The tour also turned into a gift bonanza of sorts as Mr Yoweri Museveni dished out cars and other goodies to the farmers.
On arrival on September 1, Mr Museveni visited the farm of Mr Johnson Kazigaba of Nyarutojo village, Kambuga Sub-county. Mr Kazigaba has over 10,000 coffee trees which fetch him more than Shs20 million per year.
Besides giving Mr Kazigaba a pick-up truck worth Shs10 million to transport his products, the President also turned him into his reference point, urging other farmers to emulate him.
In Nyamirama Sub-county, Mr Museveni visited Mr Garubanda, an upcoming agro-forestry farmer, who abandoned tobacco farming to embrace coffee and temperate fruit cultivation.
Addressing a rally at Nyamirama trading centre later, Mr Museveni said, "We need to encourage each household to plant at least 1,000 coffee trees but also have other income-generating farm products like poultry, goats and fruits."
The second day of the tour saw the President visit Ms Annet Kinanga's farm on the Uganda-Congo border. A widow, Ms Kinanga owns about 20 acres of tea, giving her an annual profit of Shs27 million. Impressed by her toil, the President gave her a pick-up truck.
In Rugyeyo Sub-county, Mr Museveni visited Mr Eldard Bahemwire, a banana farmer. Although it was already past 7pm, the President took his time inspecting the vast farm, spending over an hour. For his effort, Mr Bahemwire also got a truck from the President.
Mr Museveni also visited other farms in Kanungu town, Rutenga, Kanyantorogo and Kihiihi sub-counties where he donated cash to farmers and encouraged them to expand their farms. Undone, Mr Museveni also visited Mpungu Sub-county close to Bwindi National Park, where he met Mr Vincent Butamanya, a local farmer with over 70,000 coffee trees.
The moment Mr Butamanya told the President that his major challenge was how to get his produce to the market, the President gave him a pick-up truck.
Former FDC strongman Garuga Musinguzi also cashed in on the President's visit, who promised tea seedlings to boost his farm and factory at Rugyeyo. Hotels and lodges in Kihiihi town also did brisk business courtesy of the Presidential Guard Brigade, who occupied all space.
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