Govt to distribute free hoes in Busoga

The Office of the Prime Minister will kick off distribution of 52,746 pieces of hand hoes it procured for Busoga Sub-region in the 2022/2023 financial year.

In an April 30 letter, the State Minister for Luwero Triangle, Ms Alice Kaboyo, told the Chairperson of Busoga Parliamentary Caucus, Mr Idi Isabirye, that the hand hoes will equally be distributed across the 12 districts in Busoga sub-region.

“Not only the civilians that will benefit but also a section of civilian veterans in Busoga will be prioritised in receiving these hand hoes,” Minister Kaboyo said.

“I will be launching the distribution of these procured hand hoes for onward distribution to selected beneficiaries on Wednesday May 8 at 11am at the Jinja District Headquarters."

Busoga comprises the district of Jinja, Kamuli, Buyende, Luuka, Kaliro, Bugweri, Mayuge, Iganga, Namutumba, Bugiri and Namayingo.

The distribution of the hand hoes to Busoga comes after the same minister launched the distribution of 9,468 iron sheets to the same sub-region last year.

“The Office of the Prime Minister, through the Ministry of Luwero Triangle, is committed to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure that Busoga sub-region attains middle income status by 2026,” Minister Kaboyo said.

Busoga, once the food basket of the country, has been wallowing in poverty over the last few decades.

Most of the peasants turned to the allure of sugarcane growing because it is not labour intensive as one only plants once and harvest every 18 months for up to six years.

But cane prices and the politics of delivery to millers where the main player in Kakira Sugar Ltd allows only those with permits to engage in the trade has often left many farmers short-changed counting losses.

Several reports have ranked Busoga as the second most impoverished region of the country after Karamoja.