Musasizi Urges Church to Promote Economic Development and Fight Household Poverty

Kabale: Uganda’s Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Henry Musasizi, has urged the Church and religious leaders to use their pulpits to promote economic development and support government efforts to fight household poverty.

Musasizi said church leaders have an important role to play in changing the mindset of Christians by encouraging them to embrace government programmes aimed at increasing household incomes, develop a culture of saving and investment, and avoid unnecessary luxury.

He made the remarks on October 5, while addressing Christians during a thanksgiving Mass for the newly installed Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kabale, Rt. Rev. Bonaventure Bosco Gubazire, at Our Lady of Good Shepherd-Rushoroza Cathedral in Kabale Municipality.

Musasizi said the government has introduced several programmes to fight poverty, but noted that individual Ugandans also have a responsibility to improve their household incomes.

He urged religious leaders to educate and sensitise their congregations about government programmes such as the Parish Development Model, saying the programmes can help households increase their incomes when properly embraced.

He also encouraged Christians to save and invest their money while living within their means and avoiding excessive spending on luxurious lifestyles.

Musasizi said religious leaders can play a key role because many Christians trust their church leaders and are likely to be influenced by their teachings.

He commended the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kabale and the outgoing Bishop, Rt. Rev. Callistus Rubaramira, for their contribution to the socio-economic development of the Kigezi region and for supporting government programmes among Christians.

Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, called on the Church to support government efforts to address malnutrition, which he described as a continuing challenge in Kigezi and other parts of the country.

Tayebwa urged the Church and other leaders in the region to work together to find sustainable solutions to malnutrition, saying the problem requires joint efforts from government, religious institutions and local communities.

The newly installed Bishop of Kabale Diocese, Rt. Rev. Bonaventure Bosco Gubazire, called for continued unity between the Church, government and local communities, saying cooperation among different stakeholders is important for sustainable development in Kigezi and Uganda.