President Museveni has said that government of Uganda is on track to establish working spaces that will accommodate the most vulnerable citizens in a bid to admit everyone into the money economy.
Over the years Museveni advocated for the accommodation of Uganda’s majority 68% into the money economy.
According to the President, Ugandan households need to shift away from subsistence agriculture to commercialised practices.
As one way of empowering Ugandans to go commercial, Museveni said the government recently began the construction of 21 ultra-modern markets across the country under the Market and Agricultural Trade improvement Program (MATIP)
MATIP is a government program implemented by Ministry of Local Government with an overall goal to contribute to poverty reduction and economic growth through enhanced commercialization of agricultural produce and other merchandise.
Museveni made the remarks while meeting NRM leaders from Busia at Madibira Primary School grounds in Busia municipality.
According to Museveni, East Africa region provides a bigger market compared to individual member states and cited an example of China with a population of 1.4 billion that he said is still looking for markets for its goods in other countries, despite having a big population.
“We need to be closer to our brothers from Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, DRC and Sudan so that we talk to them to open their borders so that goods can move freely. Whoever produces something good can easily sell in each other country’s market. “
He asked the party leaders to preach the gospel of East African integration to the entire population so that they appreciate the rationale behind the idea of coming together.
Museveni underscored the role of all Africans to advocate for integration so as to provide for a bigger market for products.