The Kyabazinga of Busoga, His Majesty William Wilberforce Gabula Nadiope IV, has thrown his full support behind a new partnership with State House designed to uplift Busoga through agricultural transformation and youth leadership development.
The partnership aims to empower farmers with modern post-harvest handling skills and to establish a leadership school for children and youth,marking a major step toward reducing post-harvest losses and nurturing the next generation of leaders in Busoga.
A high-level delegation from State House,led by Senior Presidential Advisor on Special Duties Mr. David Kenneth Mafabi and Special Presidential Assistant Ms. Nabirye Barbra Nana, visited the Kyabazinga recent-ly at his Jeenge Palace in Bugembe, Jinja City.
The delegation presented two major proposals that focused on tackling persistent challenges in post-harvest handling and promoting youth leadership education across the Busoga sub-region.
Speaking during the meeting,Mafabi revealed that farmers in Busoga continue to suffer enormous losses—up to 70 percent of their produce—due to poor post-harvest management practices and the absence of adequate processing and storage facilities.
He emphasized the urgency of establishing a Post-Harvest Service Law Center that would work alongside the government’s Par-ish Development Model(PDM) to promote value addition and improve food security.
“We need to ensure proper packaging and transportation to prevent food loss and enable exports,”Mafabi stated, noting that better handling and modern processing could unlock new market opportunities for Busoga’s agricultural produce.
Nabirye Barbra Nana underscored the importance of both quality and quantity in agricultural production,describing them as essential ingredients for sustainable wealth creation.
She also unveiled a set of educational books she has authored for children under ten years,designed to teach wealth creation, entrepreneurship, and key life
Skills that encourage self-reliance from an early age.
“The goal is to nurture a generation that is both economically empowered and socially responsible,” Nabirye explained, adding that empowering children with financial literacy early in life would help break cycles of dependency in the region.
The second proposal focused on the establishment of a leadership school for children and adolescents aged 8 to 18 years.
According to Mafabi, the envisioned school would blend academic learning with mentorship and leadership training, providing young people with a strong grounding in cultural values, patriotism, and economic innovation.
His Majesty the Kyabazinga of Busoga, William Wilberforce Nadiope Kadhumbula, has said the proposed leadership academy will help shape disciplined and visionary leaders capable of driving development in Busoga and beyond.
During a meeting for the purpose of developing the proposal, the Kyabazinga described the ideas as “timely and transformative,” pledging his full support for their realization.
“These are very good initiatives. We need value addition and leadership development to move Busoga forward,” His Majesty remarked, noting that the region’s progress depends on a combination of innovation, education, and modern technology.
The Kyabazinga urged the team to prepare detailed concept papers for implementation, emphasising the need to incorporate digital tools such as Zoom to enhance learning and outreach beyond the classroom.
He commended Mafabi and Nabirye for their dedication and visionary thinking, saying their commitment demonstrated the growing collaboration between Busoga Kingdom and State House in advancing community-based development.
“The Kingdom values partnerships that directly impact our people’s livelihoods and strengthen our human capital,” he added, reiterating his belief that youth empowerment and agricultural reform are key to Busoga’s socio-economic transformation.
The meeting at Igenge Palace drew attendance from top Busoga Kingdom officials and traditional leaders representing all eleven chiefdoms.
The delegation was led by the Issabalangira of Busoga, Samuel Nkuuru Zirabamuzale, and included the Kingdom’s Permanent Secretary, Godfrey Samanya Ssajjabi, the Minister of Finance, Owek. Ivan Kiirya, as well as members of the Royal Family.
The discussions ended on a hopeful note, with both State House officials and the Busoga leadership pledging continued collaboration to ensure that the proposed programmes become a reality and bring tangible benefits to the people.
