The Secretary General of Jenga Taifa, Otkol Simon Ochom has called government to allocate land to his organization such that members can be able to engage in Agriculture to help the .. Policy of Food and Feed security.
Ochom made this call while receiving documents from Simon Okello and Francis Opwonya from Atiak sub county, Amuru District who leased his organization 1000 acres of land on January 19, 2023.
He revealed to the reporters that Jenga Taifa is an umbrella Association that brings together Veterans, ex-security service personnel from all security organizations and Widows of the deceased security personnel all over the country.
“ Jenga Taifa has got the funds to invest in Agriculture so as to help boost government policy of growing enough food to feed the nation but the limiting factor is lack of enough land on which we can carry on our activities“. Ochom said.
He added: “ We have UGX 230 billion which we are planning to invest in Agriculture in our first phase so we need land in all parts of the country from which we can do farming“.
Simon Okello whose family leased the land to Jenga Taifa said that the lease is for 15 year and is subject to be renewed basing on the users if by the end of the lease period they will be in need of extension of their tenure.
The chairman of the Association Rt. Lt Yunus Byuma who also addressed journalist in the same press conference at Pan African Square said that although the Association is targeting 4 million benefactors, only 15, 400 have registered so far.
Byuma said that in their business proposal, they are planning to start with Bee keeping in Atiak Sub County, Amuru District and that they have also identified government land lying ideal in the districts of Mpigi, Teso and Busoga and they will ask government to allocate such land to them for agricultural development.
He also said his Association will help to monitor government programs and investment such that the funds invested in does not end up in hands of individuals for personal developments and they will be giving the president reports regularly on how the funds are being utilized in the intended areas.
By George Bukenya
