LUUKA, UGANDA: As a measure of fighting unemployment amongst the youths in Luuka district, Luuka Patriots Association (LUPA) has donated welding machines to youths in Luuka Town Council and Kyanvuma Town Council.
LUPA an association that started as a WhatsApp group has since attracted a number of people from Luuka district and those working outside the district but with passion for the Association.
The association was founded to embrace patriotism in the district and stir up development in various groups of people in the district.
At the function which was held on Monday, March 7, at Hawaii International Hotel in Luuka, the chief guest and RDC Luuka district Ms. Rosemary Byabashaija commended the youths for being organized and urged them to continue with Unity.
Ms. Byabashaija said the government has enough programs where youths can benefit from which prompted the association to task the RDC and his leadership to always consider them in such programs.
“We have many government programs and as you have requested to involve the youths, I don’t have any problem with that. I observed that they have good leadership,” she added.
While officially handing over the machines worth 4.5 million shillings on behalf of LUPA, the Association Patron who doubles as the First Deputy Premier Busoga Kingdom, Prof Dr. Muhammed Lubega Kisambira urged all leaders to join hands to see that the youths become productive in future to the society.
“Let us work together and see that these children become useful to this country because agree with me or not in ten years from now, we shall be aside and they will be where we’re now. If we don’t train them to be self-reliant or with ability, knowledge, and understanding to do what’s right, we shall be losing direction,” Prof Lubega emphasized.
Dr Lubega further requested the RDC to always consider the beneficiaries in various government programmes which comes, which she (RDC) embraced.
“Madam RDC, many government programs are coming but when they come please consider these children. Either you go through LUPA or approaching them directly, there is no problem because they are now Patriots,” Dr Lubega calmly said.
He also confirmed that LUPA was given a go ahead to construct eight houses for health workers in Kiyunga Health Center IV as the association proposed earlier. Lubega urged the contractors of this work to support people in Luuka district other than buying from outside.
“They gave us the plans to start construction, now let us give those children the contract of windows and doors for the buildings and let us not buy them from Iganga,”
“We also need bricks and please buy them from Luuka such that our people benefit. If someone gets 100,000= from bricks in Luuka, he will buy milk from someone and he or she gets like 5,000=, the milk seller buys tomatoes and leaves 2,000=, like that and that is how the society moves,” Dr Lubega pleaded.
However, the chairperson LUPA ASP Isanga Richard Kawowo Mukose who is also the Production Officer at Police Directorate of Production and Welfare in Nateete-Kampala metropolitan appealed to youths to use the machines as their capital to start by themselves.
“These machines lobbied by LUPA Patron Prof Dr Lubega are being given to you are like hooks to scoop fish from the sea by yourselves, I call upon you to be trustworthy, transparent, patient and please don’t sell them because they are intended to develop you,” ASP Isanga said.
He also urged youth leaders in the district and other stakeholders to help in Monitoring and evaluation of the youths projects of welding.
“I call upon youths Leaders and other leaders concerned to help us in doing monitoring and evaluation to see how things are moving, we want to take Luuka ahead from where our forefathers left it,” ASP Isanga added.
He called on the patron to lobby more people in order to benefit people through LUPA. Mr Isanga as well urged the beneficiaries to make proper accountability, have integrity and always be patient.
Meanwhile, Kiiza Yusuf on behalf of other beneficiaries commended Dr Lubega and the Association for supporting them and pleaded for more support in renting a structure where they will be operating from. He also said that they have a challenge with electricity and they need initial support to pay for bills.
“We want to appreciate Dr Lubega and LUPA for giving us these machines but we’re also seeking for support in terms of rent and paying initial bills for electricity,” Kiiza said.
Kiiza further said that they were dangerous until they realised that they were earning nothing.
“We were dangerous and reached a time to notice that being dangerous was taking us nowhere and we decided to quit. Chairman industrial area told us one statement which changed almost everyone here. Chairman said that ‘Baana imwe, ekyaalo kitaka idhembe’, literally meaning that the village/ community needs peace.
The function was attended by many officials who included the Deputy RDC Luuka Mr Bwire Ogalo, district politicians, district technical staff, security staff, among others.
Do you have a story or an opinion to share? Email us on: [email protected] Or join the Daily Express WhatsApp channel for all the latest news and trends or join the Telegram Channel for the latest updates.
