PRESIDENT MUSEVENI BAILS OUT TEA FACTORIES, NURSERY BED OPERATORS WITH 312 BN

By Wilber Muhwezi Kasibante[MK]
In Bushenyi
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President Yoweri Museveni yesterday offered to bail out 36 tea factories and Nursery Bed operators with 312 billion Uganda shillings after the a huge struggle with debts for a long time.
The president told a meeting that sat at Bushenyi play ground yesterday that tea factory owners will receive 200 billion whereas tea nursery bed operators will get 112 billion that they have been demanding from government for some time.
Tea factory owners were represented by Tycoon Hassan Basajabalaba and Nursery bed operators were led by Dr. Francis Runumi from Kigezi sub-region.
Tycoon Basajabalaba told the president that factory owners were chocking on debts that accrued from total fall of prices of processed tea at the international market.
He noted that this was as the result of the war in Russia and Ukrain. He told the president that now the biggest tea market is in Egypt and China.

Tycoon Hassan Basaja
Dr. Francis Runumi explained to the president that Tea Nursery bed operators are being harassed by banks and saccos where they borrowed money to supply government seedlings.
Tea farmers were represented by Mr. Onesmus Matsiko who asked the president for subsidized fertilizers which the president granted.
The farmers and factory owners asked government to put in place law to regulate the tea sector. The minister of Agriculture Hon Frank Tumwebaze in turn assured farmers and processors that the proposed law will be presented to Cabinet soon and later to parliament.
The president asked district chairmen of Bushenyi, Buhweju and Rubanda who were present to explain why tea farmers complained that roads were badly off while government gives each district every FY 1billion shillings to work on these roads.
Chairmen; Jafari Basajabalaba for Bushenyi district and Deo Atuhaire of Buhweju told the president that 1billion was still not enough. President Museveni added 1billion to make them 2 billion such that excuses end permanently.
The meeting was attended by high ranking officials of government who included; deputy speaker of parliament Rt Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, minister of local government Hon. Rafel magyezi, minister of Agriculture Frank Tumwebaze, ICT and national guidance minister Hon. Chris Baryomunsi, Bushenyi district woman MP Hon Annet Katusiime Mugisha among many other dignitaries.