Preparations are in high gear among senior government officials, NRM leaders, and local leadership in West Nile ahead of a three-day visit by President Yoweri Museveni to the sub-region on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday this week. The purpose of the visit is to discuss investment, wealth creation, and deliberate strategies to reduce unemployment and poverty among the population.
During his visit, President Museveni will be visiting model farmers, factories, and making presentations on investments. He will also engage with locals in two big town rallies - the first one in Arua City and the second one in Obongi town. The president will talk to the population about how they can properly utilize the money for the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Emyooga to increase their household incomes. Recently, the government sent Shs.20 million to all registered and verified PDM SACCOs.
Rt. Hon. Richard Todwong, the NRM Secretary-General, while interacting with Arua city dwellers after a procession, said that meetings with the President are expected to be very interactive, and therefore, people are encouraged to attend and freely talk to the Head of State on issues affecting their daily lives.
On Thursday, President Museveni will interact with the people of Madi-Okollo, Moyo, and Obongi districts at a major meeting organized in Obongi town. Rt. Hon. Todwong emphasized that the President also NRM National Chairman is coming not only to meet with area leaders but also to engage with the population on issues affecting them.
He said, "When he comes, be very open because the love that NRM and President Museveni have for you (people of West Nile) is incomparable. The President is coming to ensure that issues affecting your income and derailing your progress are wiped out. Mobilize everybody to attend and interface with your president."
Rt. Hon. Todwong will also present a topic on the "highlights of the NRM performance and manifesto implementation in the West Nile Sub-region." The current manifesto promises to focus on the socio-economic empowerment of all Ugandans through commercial agriculture, industrialization, ICT, and the service sectors.
The State Minister of Finance (Privatization and Investment), Hon. Evelyn Anite, told locals that President Museveni will be "preaching the gospel of investment and wealth creation to the people of West Nile." She added, "West Nile has a lot of investment and business opportunities in commercial agriculture, agro-processing, tourism and hospitality, manufacturing, fishing, forest resources, mining, real estate, and services due to its strategic location and proximity to both DR Congo and South Sudan."
West Nile sub-region is the second area for President Museveni to tour, having begun his regional visits in Acholi in February this year.