By Gilbert Akampa Kakurugu,
RUKUNGIRI
On Wednesday 23rd March coffee farmers in Rwanyondo Nyakiswhenyi, Rukungiri district were seen jubilating after their coffee processing machine officially started working. Speaking to parrots the farmers said they have been finding hard times transporting their coffee for long distances to have it processed in order to add value and sell at a relatively fair price and compete favorably in the existing market.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Wednesday Twinomujuni who is the sub county chairperson for Nyakishenyi thanked Mr. Alex Bob Rugonde for lobbying for them such an expensive machine and always supporting other activities like construction of feeder roads, sports among others geared to the development of their constituency and Rukungiri district at large.
He also said that the factory will not only benefit the government or the farmers but it will also employ people from there because of the manpower needed to work at the factory.
“When a factory is established here, people who will benefit most are farmers, leave alone the government or the investor” said Twinomujuni.
He said Mr Rugonde has also contributed to the construction of some cable bridges through Burungi Bwansi and this has earned them a chance to get donors who have also given support to construct more cable bridges after watching their videos on social media doing communal works on the roads and bridges that were in a poor state.
Donors from the United states of America in partnership with the Ministry of Works and Transport are set to construct three cable bridges in Nyakishenyi sub county Rukungiri district in order to improve on service delivery and easy access to markets for their farm produce since Nyakishenyi is well known for coffee farming.
Cue in Wednesday on the factory
They will start with Kafujo bridge that will connect three villages of Rushebeya , Ndarangi and Kahama in Murama parish followed by Kigarama bridge in Ngoma parish and another bridge that will be connecting Nyakyishenyi to Buyanja subcounty through Rwayundo parish.
Our reporter spoke to some of the jubilating coffee farmers who said they can’t wait for 2026 and vote Mr. Bob Alex Rugonde saying that he did a great job by providing them with coffee seedlings and now the coffee processing machine.
A one Atuhwere Andrew and Several others were heard calling Mr. Rugonde as Mr. Ntunguka (Development).
We also talked to Mr. Rugonde if he is planning to vie for the Rubabo seat that is currently occupied by Hon. Namanya Naboth who is there for his first term on the FDC ticket, he said he is very ready to represent the people of Rubabo.”I have managed to serve the people of Rubabo and Rukungiri at an individual level, why can’t I represent them if voted into office” said Rugonde. Bob Alex Rugonde is a procurement officer at UCDA (Uganda Coffee Development Authority)
