The Vice President Jesscia Alupo has called upon the church leadership to mobilise Christians to engage in income generating activiries including the Parish Development Model to fight poverty in the country side .
Vice President Jessica Alupo in a speech read for her by the Minister of Lands , housing and Urban Development Ms. Judith Nabakooba , rallied the masses to emvbrace government development projects being implemented in the various sectors noting that the church was a strong mobilizing center for economic empowerment while propagating God’s word to the fullest.
Minister Judith Nabakooba represented the Vice President Alupo at the consecration and opening of St Luke Muhanga Catholic Parish Church in Rukiga District . The VP said that that churches and their followers will only survive if they put up money generating projects to support and sustain their growth.
She revealed that offerings by the faithful alone cannot be relied on to propagate God’s Ministry and called upon the congregation to support the current parish priest Rev. Fr. Rugambwa to urgently set up income generating projects for the young parish to flourish.
“I appeal to the people of this area to take advantage of the proximity to the local, regional urban centers and the good infrastructure put in place by the government to engage in income generating activities such as dairy farming, poultry , piggery and high value vegetable growing that sell easily within urban centers.”
“I am sure there may be good planners among the parishioners, who can identify viable projects which suit your location given its proximity to Muhanga and Kabale towns,” she said.
The mass presided over by Rt Rev Callist Rubaramira, the bishop of Kabale diocese also had over 150 children receive the sacrament of confirmation. The bishop urged them to live a prayerful life now that they had fully been confirmed in the catholic faith.
Area leaders that were led by legislators Roland Ndyomugyenyi and Caroline Kamusiime told the minister Nabakooba some of the issues affecting the area.
They outlined the electricity challenge which they say has caused the district to lag behind in terms of development.
“When it comes to budgeting, infrastructure, we are left behind. We are always in load shedding with poverty levels at 20 percent which has increased crime rate in the area. The government should make a deliberate effort to empower our people,” MP Ndyomugyenyi said.
In her remarks, Minister Nabakooba told the congregation that the problem of access to steady supply of electricity in the area has been tabled before parliament and pledged to remind the energy minister to take action.
Nabakooba said that under her lands docket -she had tasked the RDC to get on ground and investigate the Akamwezi land wrangles for immediate action from her ministry.
