Presidential candidate Rtd Gen. Henry Tumukunde has promised to avail alternative sources of income and resolve the fluctuating prices of sugar cane.
Sugar cane growing is the main source of income for many households in the Busoga sub-region. The farmers have however over time been hit hard by the fluctuating prices for sugar cane at the available sugar processing plants.
“Sugarcane growing is laborious yet it pays less to the farmers in terms of return on investment save for the sugar factory owners. sugarcane growing alone has failed to get the people of Busoga out of poverty and there is a need for an alternative to foster speed household income generation on top of food growing for feeding families.” Tumukunde said
The farmers in the region are cutting down their plantations to grow coffee after Kenyan government closed its borders for all Ugandan sugar cane and sugar. The farmers have resorted to transporting their sugar cane to Atiak Sugar factory in northern Uganda for processing.
“Busoga has got the seven rare minerals in the world. I have never understood why government has not found it useful to explore these minerals to empower and elevate people in poverty stricken areas in the region,” he said
“Busoga has influential people Like the speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga, Secretary General of National Resistance Movement (NRM) I don’t see them benefiting from the leadership. The regions has over 2Million voters, use that vote to negotiate by voting for me for thriving of the region,” he said
