Fred Mbazira, an aspiring Member of Parliament for Budiope West in Buyende district, is advocating for a return to traditional cash crops as a key strategy to alleviate poverty within the region.
Speaking to the community of Makanga in Buyende Town Council, Mbazira, who is vying for the MP seat on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket, urged residents to embrace the cultivation of crops like coffee, cotton, and cocoa, along with high-value vegetables like green pepper and fruits like watermelon.
Mbazira drew a stark contrast to the past, reminiscing about Busoga’s historical prominence as a major cotton producer. He highlighted how families previously thrived, utilizing cotton revenue to cover essential expenses such as education, healthcare, and housing construction. He lamented the shift towards lower-value crops like maize, cassava, potatoes, millet, and sorghum, which are now often treated as cash crops.
“These food crops are essential for food security, and every family should cultivate them,” Mbazira acknowledged. “However, for genuine poverty reduction, we must deliberately plant and commercially grow known high-value cash crops.”
He argued that this renewed focus on cash crops is crucial for the overall development of Budiope West. Pointing to the example of Western Uganda, he emphasized the link between agricultural productivity and infrastructure development. “Government can’t make roads in Buyende when the area is producing and putting nothing on the market,” Mbazira stated. “Western Uganda is able to get roads because they produce milk, matooke, Irish potatoes, and benefit from tourism.”
Mbazira’s argument centers on the idea that increased agricultural output of high-value crops will stimulate economic activity, attract investment, and ultimately justify government investment in infrastructure improvements within the region. This, he believes, will create a positive cycle of growth and prosperity for Budiope West.
He concluded his address by appealing to the people of Makanga and Budiope, urging them to support his candidacy during the upcoming NRM primaries. He framed this as the first crucial step towards achieving his vision of representing Budiope West in parliament in 2026 and driving the region’s economic transformation through a focus on cash crop production.
The message resonated with many in the community, who are eager to see a return to the economic prosperity they once enjoyed. The success of his message will be tested during the NRM primaries, where voters will decide if Mbazira’s vision for a cash-crop driven future resonates with their aspirations for Budiope West.
