The Nabagereka (Queen) of Buganda, Sylvial Naginda has appealed to people of Buganda kingdom and Uganda in general to develop a culture of self reliance by working hard to fend for themselves if they are to develop.
The Nabagereka
She says if everyone worked hard enough to sustain themselves and ensure better life for themselves, there would be less poverty and lack as is being witnessed today.
The Nabagereka was speaking at the opening of the Buganda Forum conference at Hotel Africana which was aimed at discussing how to end poverty in Buganda and Uganda.
She said while getting help and support from others is good and should be encouraged, it is better if those coming to help find when an individual or community has done enough work to improve their own situation so that the new help enables further improvement.
During the same function, experts who presented key note addresses called for new models of economic growth in order for Uganda to develop with most Ugandans experiencing better life.
Prof. Augustus Nuwagaba of Makerere University says the government should think of investing more in agriculture since it is the sector that employs more Ugandans.
He says the government should support adding more value to agricultural products and supporting farmers to benefit from agriculture markets before liberalising everything to leave free market forces to determine demand and supply.
Prof. Nuwagaba says that left on their own, many farmers cannot manage to compete with big farm producers supplying to the same local or foreign markets.
Mohamed Ahmed of the Aga Khana Development Foundation appealed for a more people development oriented mentality in the planning and governance processes of Uganda.
The annual Buganda Conference was closed by his Royal Highness the Kabaka of Buganda, Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II.
The king said the current limitations of cultural institutions in the country are behind the current poverty and appealed for cultural institutions to be given a bigger role in the public affairs and development activities of the their peoples.