President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has urged the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom (BKK) to promote wealth creation among its subjects, citing commercial agriculture as a key industry.

Museveni, in his message, which was delivered on October 11 at the Rukurato Chambers in Hoima City, where hundreds gathered for the fourth edition of the Kabalega Independence Run, noted that commercial agriculture is one of the four pillars of wealth creation.

He noted that the government’s current efforts are to eradicate poverty among communities, especially at household levels, with different interventions including commercial agriculture.

“Our efforts are now straightforward to address poverty at household levels. I therefore urge the Bunyoro Kitara Kingdom to bind our people together by engaging them in profitable enterprises in the four sectors of commercial agricultural industry,” Museveni said.

Besides agriculture, other efforts are in tourism and hospitality, information and technology and industrialisation, he added.

Meanwhile, the president also recognised the efforts of the great ancestors in setting up centralised administration, calling for unity among the communities, encouraging the people of Bunyoro to draw inspiration from Omukama Cwa II Kabalega by preserving their cultural identity, promoting unity and embracing the Runyoro language.

Museveni also emphasised unity, which he said helped communities easily get markets for their commercial products. He warned against tribalism and divisions that could undermine the sub-region’s development efforts.

While speaking on her own behalf, Mugasa said the government recognises the importance of productive economic activities in improving household incomes and called on the kingdom leadership to encourage its subjects to take advantage of available opportunities.

This year’s run, which focused on promoting coffee growing in Bunyoro, raised funds intended to purchase and distribute coffee seedlings to farmers across the Bunyoro sub-region.

During the run, Raymond Omara emerged as the winner in the 21-kilometre race, while Augustine Kyaligonza won the 10-kilometre category.

Others included Godfrey Agaba, who took the five-kilometre race, and Michael Tumusime, who won the two-kilometre race.

Dr James Isagara Kisoro, the Executive Director of the Kabalega Foundation, which organises the annual event, said the run is designed to support different causes each year.

He explained that this year’s focus on coffee growing is intended to encourage agricultural production and support farmers in Bunyoro through the distribution of coffee seedlings.

According to Kisoro, the initiative will encourage more farmers to venture into coffee growing, strengthen household incomes and contribute to the wider economic development of the Bunyoro sub-region.