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His Highness Won Ateker Raphael Otaya, the Paramount Chief of the Kumam, has announced a package of transformative interventions for the Kumam community following his engagement with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni earlier this week at State House.

Speaking during a press briefing at his home today, His Highness informed the Kumam people that the President had granted 12 university scholarships for science students from the Kumam community.

Each district where the Kumam are domiciled will nominate two first-year science students to benefit. In addition, the Kumam Cultural Institution has, from its own limited resources, offered tuition support to 18 more university students, a move His Highness described as a good starting point in uplifting the region’s education.

On economic development, the Paramount Chief revealed that 1,300 acres of land have been secured in Okile for a ranch project. The ranch will serve as a hub for mechanized agriculture, factories, and industries with the support of foreign development partners. “In this ranch our development partner in Canada has accepted to develop it and will soon avail us the development plan” he said.

This ranch is not only about farming,” he emphasized, “it is about transforming our land into a center for modern production and industrial growth.”

Another key highlight from the State House engagement was a cattle rehabilitation program aimed at restoring household incomes to Teso. The initiative seeks to provide financial redress to individuals and families who lost livestock during past insurgencies and cattle rustling episodes. The government views the programme as a crucial pillar for economic recovery in the region, alongside other initiatives such as the Parish Development Model (PDM), Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), and Emyooga.

According to His Highness, the President agreed that every homestead in Teso will receive five cows, each valued at Shs 1.5 million. The program is expected to take immediate effect once it is tabled before Cabinet on Monday. “The President was jovial and very assuring,” His Highness noted, adding that the initiative would go a long way in rebuilding the livelihoods of families in the sub-region.

His Highness also announced strengthened ties between the Kumam Cultural Institution and development partners including World Vision, Redeem International, Drug Free World, and the Uganda Red Cross. The partnerships will bring programs targeting youth empowerment, health, drug awareness, and blood donation campaigns. He appealed to the Kumam community to embrace and support these initiatives for the collective development of the society.

On a related note, His Highness clarified that the 300 scholarships announced at state house under the Office of the Prime Minister for Teso students will also include the Kumam community. He said these government scholarships are designed to serve all groups in the sub-region, and Kumam students are assured of benefiting.