In 2023, ONC gave a bloody nose to household poverty

By Ben Ssebuguzi

The erstwhile Office of the National Chairman (ONC) history was majorly tied to Political mobilization. Over some time, things have changed. While a number of interventions have been put in place to fight against corruption, improved health care, UPE, YLP and a host of other things, rural poverty has still taken centre stage.

That’s why this year, the National Chairman was on a nationwide campaign tour to alleviate poverty. His passion for people was always seen in spending days in trenches, for example during the Masaka tour he spent most of the day visiting farmers even in the far-to-reach areas like Kalangala and trying to listen and support everyone. I felt kind to him when he stood for almost 7 hours educating people on wealth creation at the Masaka Liberation Square.

For this reason and others is what informed the ONC to take up the directive, first as employees of the NRM National Chairman headed by Hajjat Hadijah Uzeiye Namyalo, in respect to his mandate in the party Constitution as our National Chairman of NRM and secondly as President of the Nation to mobilise people into wealth creation

Besides monitoring government stimulus Covid measures like Parish Development Model (PDM)and Emyooga, this year, the ONC through H.E Yoweri Kaguta Museveni undertook many wealth creation and poverty alleviation programs to also empower NRM mobilizers, supporters and the whole spectrum of Bazukkulu to join the money economy. The recipients of these anti-poverty programs included Kampala youth vendors, women groups, BODABODA groups, District youth groups, and ghetto groups among others.

For example, in April 2023, the management of ONC under the pragmatic Namyalo donated over 8000 chicks and hybrid goats to farmers in Luwero District in a poverty alleviation initiative, in August we again donated relief items to Excel Vocational Training Centre in Kalule, Luwero District, weeks after the institution was gutted by fire. On Sunday 24th September while in Bukomansimbi District at the late Khasim Mukiibi’s home, Namyalo also used the opportunity to spread her country wide self-empowerment message by providing equipment worth millions of Shillings to the congregation.

In November once again, President Yoweri Museveni through his Kyambogo office boosted thousands of youths in Mpigi during the belated Youth Day with a number of self-empowerment tools.

In contrast with the PDM and Emyooga where the President gives seed capital (Entandikwa), ONC is interested in empowering future successful entrepreneurs, that is why we empower those with the urge to work, those that have a good state of mind of hard work by donating to their equipment which includes among others like Sewing machines, brick laying machines, grinding machines, hairdressers, popcorn machines, farm sprayers, maize seeds, fertilizers, pesticide etc.

The reason why ONC is pushing for entrepreneurs to join Agriculture value chains, and services, among others is because, in today’s global economy, entrepreneurship is more important than ever before given the technological advancement and increasing competition in traditional industries hence making starting a business a viable alternative to traditional employment.

By taking a Leap into entrepreneurship, individuals can gain greater control over their lives which also creates Opportunities for wealth creation and the country’s impact is realised hence creating greater wealth Equity.

In summary, when households have greater wealth Equity, this drives consumption and investment even higher thus boosting economic growth.

In conclusion, wealth is very instrumental in advancing the stability of households and communities that’s why the President is always eager whenever time avails itself to preach about the 4-acre model, for viable sectors of the economy like commercial Agriculture through Enterprise selection, industry, services and IT.

When people have wealth, it serves as a form of self-insurance against life’s unexpected setbacks, it also makes people important investments such as paying for college, purchasing a home and starting up a small business. All these can fuel economic growth. In a nutshell, the Office of the National Chairman has directly impacted the lives of the people. Even the ordinary man has experienced the magic hand of the President unlike before when the President’s good gestures would be curtailed and obstructed by corrupt people hence leading to disappointing results in Kampala in the last National elections. Come 2026, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni will sweep poverty

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

The writer is the Head of the Research Office of the National Chairman of NRM-Kyambogo.