Dear visitors, well wishers and citizens of Uganda, I welcome you to Kasese District.
Kasese District is among the best situated places in the world, with the most conducive weather, geographical features, blessed with natural resources like Copper, Cobalt, Lime stone, Lakes, Rivers, Mountains and so many others which you cannot find anywhere else. The marvel is that the vegetation in Kasese, and indeed the whole of Rwenzori region is ever green! The District is predominantly occupied by the Baknozo who live on both the highlands and the lower lands and other ethnic communities that include the Basongora, Banyabindi, Batoro, Banyankole, Bakiga, Baganda, Bateso, Acholis who settle mainly around urban low lands.
The livelihood strategies of the people of Kasese are varied but the major strategies include: Agriculture, Commerce and trade, Wage and self employment, brick making, stone quarrying and sand mining.
Subsistence farming is the main source of livelihood for the rural areas of Kasese. In the urban area, backyard farming is practiced to supplement incomes. Crops grown include Cassava, beans, bananas, vegetables including tomatoes, and greens While Coffee, Cotton and Maize are grown as cash crops. Livestock keeping is wide spread and goats, pigs and dairy farming and commercial poultry farming are big enterprises in the District. Fishing farming is gaining momentum along Lake Edward at Kayanja fishing Village. Women play a major role in agriculture and they are mainly involved in food production though they complain of limited access to land and harsh weather during drought. The major constraints are low prices, limited markets, poor road network and high market dues and limited extension services.
Part of the communities in Kasese both in the rural and urban areas derives their livelihood from small-scale trade. Merchandise sold includes general groceries and hardware. In the rural areas petty trade is dominated by men while the women settle for agriculture as the main livelihood. Women and men in both the rural and urban areas also derive a livelihood from selling foodstuffs such as cassava, sweet potatoes, greens, and matooke in markets. Selling of food stuffs, second hand clothes, charcoal and working in restaurants are also major sources of livelihoods for women.
Employment in Government, Local Government and private sector companies and NGOs is a very big source of livelihood in Kasese District. Men dominate the employment circles by virtue of higher levels of education and access to capital to start up businesses.
Brick making and sand mining have become very lucrative businesses in Kasese because of the impact of increased urbanization that has attracted many people to construction houses in peri-urban areas of the District. Stone quarrying is a livelihood strategy for various groups including children, women, youth and men in highlands.
Special hire, omni taxi and boda-boda (motor cycle) business is a major livelihood strategy for men and youth in the peri urban areas of the District. The business has now also penetrated the rural areas. The transport business is a threat to the agricultural sector as more able-bodied energetic youth join the transport sector as opposed to the agriculture sector.
Basing on all the above, the political arm of the District, that I head is committed to improving the lives of the people, employed and none employed by provision of services that contribute to all social and economic sectors.
In launching of this website, we hope to market and attract stakeholders to come and contribute to the development of this beautiful District, unofficially commonly called The pearl of Uganda.
You are welcome and we hope to get positive criticisms, ideas, suggestions, comments and support that will help us improve and take this District to another level.
Hon. Muhindi Mukombi Erifazi
District Chairperson, Kasese