Rt. Hon. Justine Lumumba Kasule, the Minister for General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister, emphasized the significance of teamwork, describing it as essential for individuals to create an enjoyable world.
Officiating on the third day of the Busoga Prayer Week at St. Stephen’s Church, Rubaga, Jinja City, the former National Resistance Movement (NRM) vocal secretary-general explained that prayer is a gathering that fosters unity in the community.
In a special church service at the Catholic worship center on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, the minister was represented by former Minister of Lands, Housing, and Urban Development, Daudi Migereko, who emphasized that Busoga needs a collective effort for significant progress.
“As expressed by the Holy Scripture, I couldn’t agree more with the idea that we need one another, and it is a commandment for us to work together to make this world enjoyable for all,” Lumumba said.
Lumumba, a renowned Catholic believer, highlighted that Busoga has long benefited from the power of teamwork and the rewards it brings.
She stressed, “We recently witnessed the fruits of this teamwork during the June 3, 2023, Martyrs’ Day celebrations when Busoga provided leadership in organizing the event.”
The minister praised the choice of scripture and the theme for this year’s prayer, “Deepening Regional Cohesion as a Foundation for Sustainable Household Transformation,” calling it a pathway for fundamental change in the region.
The annual prayer week gives leaders and the people of Busoga an opportunity to reflect on the subregion’s progress. However, Lumumba emphasized that the initiative is also a time to seek God’s mercy as they continue to implement the phased 10-year Busoga Development Agenda (BDA).
She acknowledged the steadfast coordination efforts of the Busoga Consortium for Development (BCD) in implementing the Busoga Development Agenda, particularly through the piloting of the Village Agricultural Model initiative.
According to Daudi Migereko, the former head of the Uganda Tourism Board (UTB), while prayer is important, hard work should be prioritized. He highlighted the concept of “God helps those who take action.”
“You can pray and still fail to achieve. You can sleep in this church, but without working, you gain nothing economically,” Migereko told the faithful, emphasizing the need to lead ordinary individuals in hard work.
As the region continues its Prayer Week, Lumumba commended the entire house of bishops and the Regional Khadi under the Busoga Inter-Religious Council, led by Rt. Rev. Dr. Paul Samson Naimanhye Mukembo, the Bishop of Busoga Diocese, for leading prayers for Busoga.
The prayers will conclude with a special regional interdenominational assembly for the people and friends of Busoga at the Luuka District ceremonial grounds on Sunday, October 20, 2024. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is expected to be the Guest of Honour.
