Rukungiri– The Minister of Security Rtd Maj.Gen Jim K Muhwezi has called on local leaders in the Rukungiri district to ban the sale of alcohol during working hours so that people concentrate on the income-generating activities outlined in the Parish Development Model [PDM].
Addressing Christians of his village church Kasoroza Church of Uganda in Nyakagyeme sub- county Rukungiri district during Christmas day celebration prayers, Minister Muhwezi who was accompanied by his wife Ms Susan Muhwezi and family urged the local leaders in the district to enact bylaws stopping people from drinking alcohol during working hours, adding that this will contribute to the success of the PDM now being popularized countrywide.
“People are over drinking during working hours. To my surprise I also saw women busy drinking .This increasing consumption of alcohol by both men, women, youth and old needs to be regulated by formulation of bylaws and putting up strong fines to whoever is caught drinking alcohol during working hours because the rate of alcohol consumption in our community is worrying’’ Minister Muhwezi
The minister added that “Councilors, technical people, religious leaders are busy sensitizing people on Parish Development Model forgetting that there is challenge of increasing alcohol consumption among our people which needs urgent attention from every stakeholder because this problem is making the implementation of government programs which aims at chasing poverty at household levels so difficult asking community leaders to formulate alcohol consumption by laws’’
Minister Muhwezi added that bylaws should be passed immediately to allot more time for PDM and limit time for drinking and redundancy during the daytime.
“We want the bylaw to be passed quickly in our district and we shall push it to all local governments across our country Uganda’’ He added.
He also asked them to embrace government programs aiming at chasing poverty in their homes.
‘’The government has introduced very many programs aiming at chasing poverty in your homes so kindly embrace them and focus more on paving ways that will see your families developing. Don’t waste a lot of your time in opposing them because these programs are yours ‘’. Minister noted.
Delivering his message during Christmas day prayers, the Ven. Ronald Natuhwera the Archdon of Nyakagyeme Archdconary North Kigezi diocese asked Christians to embrace the true meaning of Christmas and desist from involving themselves in immoral acts.
‘’ Many people instead of reflecting on the birth of Jesus Christ and kneeling before their savior have instead engaged themselves in wrong abhorrent acts such as murder, prostitution, adultery, and the abuse of alcohol among others all of which run contrary to the preaching of Jesus’’. Ven. Natuhwera said.
He also asked them to educate their children saying that education is a key to transformation.
I have seen very many children graduating outside our archdconary and none of ours graduated .Am asking myself what went wrong in our place here. Let’s educate our children because education is the only key that unlocks world problems’’. Ven. Natuhwera noted.
The meaning of Christmas.
The Christmas season primarily commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, symbolizing God’s love, hope and salvation for humanity celebrated through traditions like gift –giving, caroling and decorations but also extends culturally as a time of joy, generosity and gathering, often linked to winter solstice themes of light in darkness new beginnings.
It’s a Christian liturgical season and a major cultural holiday, blending religious devotion with secular festivities, focusing on themes of giving, family, and peace.
