Mabirizi pledges irrigation schemes to boost farming in Adjumani

Adjumani | The Conservative Party presidential candidate, Mr Joseph Elon Mabirizi, has pledged to establish modern irrigation schemes for communities in Adjumani and the wider West Nile region if elected in the 2026 general elections.

While addressing hundreds of residents during a campaign rally in Adjumani, Mr Mabirizi said the region has immense potential for commercial agriculture but lacks the infrastructure to cope with the effects of climate change.

He said his government would prioritise modernising agriculture to help farmers transition from subsistence to commercial production.

“We want to introduce modern farming methods that can push our people into commercial agriculture. But before anything else, we shall focus on educating farmers to understand the best farming practices, and we shall support every region with modern farming equipment,” he said.

Mabirizi noted that Adjumani and the neighbouring districts are endowed with rivers and lakes that could support large-scale irrigation systems capable of transforming agriculture and reducing poverty.

“When we make good use of our rivers and lakes, we can increase production, feed East and Central Africa, and even become a major food basket on the continent,” he added.

He also took a swipe at the government’s Parish Development Model (PDM), describing it as a programme that has failed to lift Ugandans out of poverty.

“PDM is just foolishness; many people who received the money are now begging us not to ask them to return it when we take over leadership because they have not been able to do anything meaningful with it,” he said

According to Mabirizi, Ugandans are hardworking and only need to be empowered with the right skills and opportunities. He argued that real development will come from equipping citizens with knowledge rather than distributing funds without adequate guidance.

During the rally, some residents expressed frustration over what they described as unfulfilled government promises.

Hassan Zubair, a resident of Adjumani Town, challenged the candidate to explain how his promises would be different.

“For years, we have been promised free education, yet we have not felt its impact. In hospitals, we still pay for medicines. You are also promising better services when elected. What assurance do we have?” he asked.

In response, Mabirizi said his commitment to Ugandans predates his presidential bid, noting that he has been supporting vulnerable children’s education for years.

“We are talking about sharing power between regional governments and the central government. This is one way of ensuring services reach you,” he said.