Kikuube politicians pledge to modernise agriculture and boost household incomes

KIKUUBE, January 29, 2026 — The re-elected Member of Parliament for Buhaguzi East constituency in Kikuube District, Steven Asera Itaza, has outlined key service delivery priorities for his second term in office, with a strong focus on modernising agriculture and boosting household incomes.

Itaza said promoting modern farming methods would be at the centre of his agenda to enable local farmers to benefit more meaningfully from agriculture.

He noted that about 85 percent of farmers in the constituency rely on subsistence farming, a situation he said continues to perpetuate poverty in the district.

“In my second term, I will prioritise modern agricultural practices and value addition so that farmers can earn more from what they produce,” Itaza said.

He explained that most farmers in the area grow maize but gain little income from it due to limited processing and marketing.

“Our farmers are largely engaged in maize growing, yet they are not benefiting enough. We want to sensitise them and introduce value addition so that they can process maize into posho and sell it at a better price,” he said. “The maize bran can be used to feed pigs and poultry, while animal waste and chicken droppings can be used as organic fertiliser. This integrated approach will increase incomes and improve yields.”

Itaza added that post-harvest handling remains a major challenge, leading to significant losses for farmers.

“Poor post-harvest handling is still subjecting our farmers to losses, and this is an area we must urgently address,” he said.

Itaza was declared winner of the Buhaguzi East parliamentary race after defeating four candidates: Hillary Kato Bazaara of the National Unity Platform [NUP], and independents Eng. Julius Ahura, Nelson Junjura and Julius Bigirwa Junjura.

According to the official results, Itaza garnered 10,668 votes [44.28 percent], beating his closest rival, Bigirwa Junjura, who received 8,422 votes [34.96 percent]. Ahura polled 3,862 votes [16.03 percent], Kato Bazaara secured 800 votes [3.32 percent], while Nelson Junjura obtained 273 votes [1.13 percent].

Speaking to Cooperator recently, Itaza also pledged to advocate for the creation of new administrative units, arguing that the current parish structures are too large to effectively support development programmes.

“Our parishes are too big. For example, under the Parish Development Model (PDM), each parish receives Shs100 million annually, but this amount is insufficient given the size of some parishes,” he said. “We have parishes like Katanga, which are equivalent to four parishes. In such areas, people may have to wait up to 10 years to benefit from this money.”

He further pledged to advocate for the extension of electricity to areas currently without power, particularly in Bugambe sub-county, to support small-scale enterprises such as welding workshops and salons.

Meanwhile, the re-elected Kikuube District LCV Chairperson, Peter Banura, thanked voters for entrusting him with another term and promised to prioritise service delivery, especially in roads, health, education, electricity connectivity and the fight against land grabbing.

Banura said job creation for young people would be a top priority, noting that unemployment was the most pressing concern raised by youths during his campaign.

“Young people consistently told us that jobs are their biggest challenge, and addressing this will be central to my leadership,” Banura said.

He added that he would mobilise the youth to take advantage of government programmes, including the Parish Development Model [PDM], the Youth Livelihood Programme [YLP], and the Emyooga initiative.

Banura also pledged to promote vocational and skills training to equip young people with practical skills that will enable them to create their own jobs rather than remain job seekers.

Banura, who contested against National Unity Platform candidate Phenekansi Timanyire, won the LC5 seat by a landslide after polling 37,455 votes [85.87 percent], compared to Timanyire’s 6,230 votes [14.13 percent].

https://thecooperator.news/kikuube-disburses-shs-1-45bln-in-pdm-funds-to-new-beneficiaries/

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