BONNA BAGAGAAWALE INITIATIVE LIKELY TO FAIL

The initiative by president Museveni to alleviate the poverty levels in since 2006 countrywide is a good policy. However it is likely that the initiative will not yield the expected results. Following the failure of the Poverty Eradication and Action Plan (PEAP) the first initiative to reduce poverty, there’s no doubt that the Bonna Bagagaawale policy (prosperity for all) will follow suit. As historians say “History repeats itself”.

The governments’ policy of giving funds to only thirty households in every sub county to finance the agricultural activities is quite unrealistic and this can’t lead to prosperity for all.

First, the policy is quite discriminative. Given the fact that all the citizens are equal, they should be given equal opportunities in the side of benefits from the government. If it means giving funds to farmers, led each and every farmer in the sub county whether a peasant or not get access to the funds. For instance in Kapyanga sub county Bugiri district, the population is approximately more than eight thousand household’s majority of which live below poverty line. Therefore, how can extending funds to only thirty households benefit the rest of the sub county population?

Secondly, the policy is likely to increase the income gap between the majority poor and the minority rich. Those who will access the funds to finance their activities are those who are already rich. The addition of the prosperity for all funds to the already rich people will enable them to gain nothing other than massive wealth for their own benefit. There’s nothing that the peasant farmers will benefit and as a result the income gap will widen between the rich and the poor resulting into prosperity for the lucky few.

Thirdly, the high level of corruption that existed during the period of PEAP will not spare the Bonna Bagagaawale policy. In case the lucky few will access the funds, it will be through the avenues of corruption. Bribery and nepotism will guide the whole system of fund allocation. This in the long run will enable people to access the funds even without the skills of managing the agricultural activities. This at the end will lead to mismanagement and hence opening way to the previous viscous cycle of poverty.

Fourthly, many people in Bugiri district are still ignorant about Bonna Bagagaawale initiative. They only hear in radios and TV’s that president Museveni said. They really don’t know how the system operates, the requirements needed and whether the initiative is working or not. When one is asked what is meant by “Bonna Bagagawaale”, automatically the answer will be that president Museveni said “prosperity for all”. They only know that the president said but nothing else.
In addition, Bugiri district is ever in darkness. Power has never been on for more than a month consecutively. Stealing of electric poles has become a taboo and this makes the whole district to lack power for more than two or three months. This has hindered the farmers in carrying out their activities especially in processing. It’s therefore highly doubtable whether Bonna Bagagaawale will achieve it’s objectives in an environment full of load shedding despite the availability of funds by the initiative.

Because of the above factors, people need to be educated to the point of view. People need to know what Bonna Bagagaawale policy is all about, its activities and how one achieves the prosperity following the initiative. Discrimination need to be fought and encouraging the people work in unity.

By
KHISA W ISAAC
Khisaisaac.blogspot.com