KAMPALA: In a touching demonstration of gratitude and the impact of grassroots empowerment, beneficiaries of the Office of the National Chairman (ONC) empowerment initiative from Greater Luwero have returned to thank Hajjat Hadijah Namyalo Uzeiye, presenting her with goats, chickens, matooke, pineapples and other gifts in appreciation of the support that has transformed their livelihoods.
The thanksgiving visit to Hajjat Namyalo, the ONC Manager and Senior Presidential Advisor on Political Affairs, at her Kyambogo office was more than a courtesy call. It was an opportunity for beneficiaries to demonstrate how government-supported empowerment interventions are translating into tangible economic progress among ordinary Ugandans.
The delegation, led by Greater Luwero Regional Coordinator Wasswa Abdulkarim Tamale, comprised local leaders and beneficiaries from Nakaseke and Luwero districts, who shared inspiring testimonies of businesses established, enterprises expanded and household incomes improved through the initiative.
Since its introduction in 2023, the ONC empowerment programme has supported 466 families in Greater Luwero through the distribution of productive assets and business equipment. These include 279 poultry beneficiaries, 117 goat beneficiaries, 51 salon equipment recipients, 12 welding equipment beneficiaries and seven washing bay equipment recipients, alongside sewing machines.
One of the beneficiaries, Seviiri Hakeem from Ziroobwe Town Council, revealed that his poultry business had grown from 200 to approximately 500 chickens after receiving support during Hajjat Namyalo’s empowerment visit to the area.
Kavuma Twaha, a farmer from Bamunanika Constituency, also praised the initiative for creating opportunities for rural communities to become economically self-reliant, while Kirungi Aisha and Nakafero Florence testified that the chickens and goats they received had helped improve their families’ livelihoods.
The beneficiaries expressed gratitude to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni for supporting an NRM government agenda that prioritises household wealth creation and for appointing leaders such as Hajjat Namyalo to champion practical empowerment at the grassroots.
In her response, Hajjat Namyalo thanked the delegation for returning with testimonies of progress, commending them for putting the resources to productive use.
She challenged beneficiaries to remain hardworking, expand their enterprises and treat the support as a foundation for sustainable wealth creation rather than temporary assistance. She also encouraged them to embrace other government wealth-creation programmes.
The ONC Manager reaffirmed her commitment to mobilising more resources through well-wishers and stakeholders to extend empowerment opportunities to additional households, assuring those still awaiting support that efforts were underway to reach them.
The delegation also appealed to President Museveni to continue supporting the ONC’s grassroots interventions, while requesting improved road infrastructure along the Kisuule-Kapeeka, Ziroobwe-Kikyusa and Bamugolodde routes to facilitate trade, agricultural transportation and economic development.
The visit offered a powerful reflection of the NRM government’s wealth-creation vision in action, with the ONC under Hajjat Namyalo continuing to connect government empowerment programmes to ordinary citizens.
For the 466 Greater Luwero families, the initiative has provided an opportunity to turn productive assets into businesses, income and improved livelihoods. Their return with goats, chickens, matooke and pineapples was a heartfelt expression of appreciation and a testimony to the value of empowering communities to become economically productive.
