SHEEMA
Vice-President Jessica Alupo has urged Christians in West Ankole Diocese to embrace the Four-Acre Model to improve household incomes and contribute to Uganda's economic transformation.
Alupo commended churches for their involvement in government development programmes, including the Parish Development Model (PDM) and Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), which contribute to the country's 10-fold growth agenda.
Her speech, as the chief guest, was delivered by the Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister without Portfolio, Rukia Nakadama, who represented her at the groundbreaking ceremony for St Andrew's Church of Uganda, Rweicumu, in Masheruka Town Council, Sheema District, on Sunday, October 11, 2026.
The function also included a thanksgiving service for Sufficient Kakira, the newly elected Mothers' Union president of West Ankole Diocese.
Before her election to the diocesan position, Kakira served as the Mothers' Union president of All Saints Church, Nakasero, in Kampala.
The Four-Acre Model encourages households to use small pieces of land productively through selected agricultural enterprises, including coffee, food crops, fruit growing and dairy farming. Other activities, such as poultry and piggery, can supplement household incomes.
"Churches have indeed played a great role in spiritual growth and supporting development programmes such as PDM and OWC, which contribute to the country's 10-fold growth agenda. I therefore encourage Christians in West Ankole Diocese to embrace the Four-Acre Model and consider how it can be implemented through our churches and communities," Alupo said.
She commended Rweicumu Primary School for embracing the Four-Acre Model, describing it as a commendable initiative that other schools and churches could learn from.
"I'm pleased to learn that Rweicumu Primary School has already embraced the Four-Acre Model programme. This is a commendable initiative and a good example that other schools and churches can learn from," she said.
Alupo urged residents to work together and develop clear strategies to enable Rweicumu Church of Uganda to become a model institution within West Ankole Diocese.
"This occasion is particularly significant because it demonstrates how our faith, unity, service and collective responsibility can transform our communities," she said.
She commended the Bishop of West Ankole Diocese, Johnson Twinomujuni, for his visionary leadership and said the Government of Uganda was committed to strengthening its relationship with the Church of Uganda and other religious institutions.
Alupo contributed Shs10m towards the construction of St Andrew's Church of Uganda.
The new church building is expected to cost Shs2b. The groundbreaking ceremony was held at the Rweicumu Primary School playground, where Bishop Twinomujuni led a church service and urged Christians to thank God for the progress they had made.
Fred Mugabe, the organising committee chairperson, said the existing church building, which was constructed about 30 years ago, had become old and too small to accommodate the growing congregation.
He said the committee would ensure accountability and value for money throughout the construction process.
More than Shs300m was raised during the fundraising drive towards the construction of the church.
Speaking at the same function, David Bahati, the Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, commended the Mothers' Union leadership for its role in shaping children's values.
"One of the reasons why the country is facing many problems, especially corruption, is the lack of values among our children. One of the roles of the Mothers' Union is to instil these values in children," Bahati said.
Sheema District leaders, including Woman MP Adrine Katusiime and Sheema North MP, thanked the bishop for promoting the gospel of love and unity. They pledged to support church development projects in the district.
Other dignitaries who attended the function included Bukanga MP Steven Kangwagye, Isingiro District Woman MP Lilian Ruteraho and Rwampara County MP Charles Ngabirano.
