
“Speaker, you made a pronouncement regarding tractors that were given to Northern Uganda by the President. And the pronouncement was simple, that the Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Finance make sure that the tractors that they gave to the peasant farmers in Northern Uganda, specifically Acholi sub-region and Pader district do have ploughs with them. Up to this day, tractors are parked, they are rusting in the district, peasant farmers move by, they only have a glance and the tractors aren’t being used. I request that you direct that the tractors be availed with ploughs so that our farmers can receive them“– Christopher Komakech MP (27.11.2024)
Back in August 2022 … Minister Frank Tumwebaze launched the Over-the-top Tractor Scheme, which was planned to procure and deliver 6,000 tractors. Now over two years later. That Scheme is falling apart, and it hasn’t really been operative that long.
Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry & Fisheries have failed the peasant farmers, which it promised to help here. We can just wonder how the tenders and what was the plan of the Ministry here. As the Tractor aren’t even in use, the ones they have bought as they are missing vital equipment to use them. That’s like having a factory, but not building it for the resources surrounding.
Just read the quotes here:
“It isn’t only in Acholi region, but in many parts of the country, these tractors were given and the Minister promised that they were going to procure the ploughs and this hasn’t been done. I undertake to inform the Minister of the urgency of this matter so that he comes to Parliament and gives us the latest position” (Mario Obiga MP – Minister of State for Urban Development, 27.11.2024).
It is just amazing how I could see this one coming from a mile away. I wrote this back in August 2022: “We can wonder, if Tumwebaze ever looked into that or even cared to see how it worked. It is sort of ushering in the mechanical agricultural revolution by the parish model. In such a manner, that can be seen as similar to the ones of the Soviet. There are so many questions to this… not only the funding and the supposed operation of it. After that… how is the oversight? What are the goals? Are it to buy over 6,000 tractors and that’s it? What happens after that? If there is no plan or sort of objective after that. What does it really do? Except making the MAAIF busy and have something to say in Parliament” (Minbane – ‘Opinion: Minister Tumwebaze over-the-top tractor scheme…’ 22.08.2022).
Two years later I was right in my assessment, because this is how they do. They are preoccupied and making schemes, but never ever think how to make them work. Instead of just launching it and making headlines. The government isn’t assessing, making logistical plans or even have framework for how to make things operational. That’s why Tractors like these lingers and unused in the Northern part of the Republic. The state procured Tractors, but had no plans or sought to check out what equipment the peasant farmers needed. Therefore, they are just rusting and not being used.
This is public wastage of funds. MAAIF and the Minister should know better, but we know his one of the untouchables in this regime. So, nothing will happen to him. Even if he does epic failures like this. Peace.













