Eugine  || Happening Now

I joined Hon. Prof. Ephraim Kamuntu and his family, colleagues, and the people of Sheema South for his thanksgiving ceremony at Bugongi Town Council Playground, where H.E. @KagutaMuseveni was the Chief Guest. President Museveni and Prof. Kamuntu have known each other since 1959, when they were students at Mbarara High School and later at Ntare School. The President was one class ahead of Prof. Kamuntu. They both recounted their long-standing friendship. Prof. Kamuntu served as the President's campaign manager when he contested for the position of President of the Debating Union, which he won. They were also members of the Scripture Union and played football together at Ntare School. The President used his speech to explain how a visit to a stock farm while he was still a student at Ntare School, where he observed better farming methods, inspired him to begin promoting transformed agriculture. This involved moving from growing food for the household to producing for income and saving for the family, first in Nyabushozi and later across the country, from 1995 to date. He explained, using examples, how families that start small can multiply their goats, cows, and piggery projects, among others, by sustaining their efforts. This is how they can increase their household incomes. Furthermore, he advised families to focus on irrigation, practise zero grazing for cattle and goats, and take full advantage of government programmes such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), which is already helping people get out of poverty. He challenged us, as leaders, to be at the forefront of sensitising people in the fight against poverty. For me, I celebrate Prof. Kamuntu for many reasons. One of them is that in 1986 he donated iron sheets to some of the schools I attended in my constituency.