Captain Mike Mukula, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Chairperson for Eastern Uganda, has pledged to lobby for the inclusion of a coffee value-addition plant for the Bugisu sub-region in the next NRM manifesto. Speaking during the funeral of Captain Bill Manyifu, the son of former Mbale Municipality Mayor Richard Masaba (alias Kanindo), in Bulambuli on Saturday, Mukula emphasized the need to promote Bugisu’s unique Arabica coffee variety.
“We must come together to ensure that the people of Bugisu add value to their local product and become rich,” Mukula urged local politicians, calling for collective efforts to advance the coffee initiative. He also highlighted the absence of an international stadium in Eastern Uganda, stressing that it would be part of the NRM’s plans.
“We need an international stadium. The north has a stadium, the west now has one in Hoima, and Buganda has a stadium. Eastern Uganda must have a stadium in the next manifesto,” Mukula said.
Additionally, Mukula called for efforts to restore Mbale to its former glory. “During the colonial and immediate post-colonial periods, Mbale was the cleanest town in East Africa. Hon. Nandala and Papa Umukuka, we must work together to make Mbale the jewel of Eastern Uganda,” he said.
At the same event, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the Budadiri West Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Bugisu Cooperative Union, emphasized unity as a key factor for the region’s development. He criticized the persistent disunity in Bugisu, attributing it to selfish leadership.
“Other regions are progressing because they focus on development and overlook minor issues. We must learn from them,” Nandala said. The Umukuka Jude Mudoma echoed similar sentiments, lamenting the lack of unity among the Bamasaba.
He criticized local politicians for failing to engage with his efforts to address key issues in the region. “I have repeatedly invited MPs for meetings, but only one or two show up,” Mudoma said, challenging leaders to prioritize unity and collaboration for the betterment of Bugisu.