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Leaders Launch Nawanyingi Investment Forum to Drive Community-Led Development in Busoga

April 19, 2025 | By Tatumwa Benjamin

At the Iganga District Council Hall on Sunday, 13th April 2025, local leaders from Nawanyingi Subcounty convened to officially launch the Nawanyingi Investment Forum (NIF), a groundbreaking community initiative aimed at fostering collective action for social, economic, and cultural transformation.

The forum, whose motto revolves around “collective strength for sustainable change,” brings together residents and professionals originating from Nawanyingi to pool resources, ideas, and innovations to drive grassroots development. The formation of NIF is anchored in Uganda’s national development strategy, which emphasizes the importance of local resource mobilization and organized community associations for inclusive and sustainable development.

“We understand our problems better than anyone else, and we are best positioned to find solutions that are sustainable, rooted in our values, and owned by our people,” remarked Mr. Moses Kyangwa, CEO of Busoga Health Forum (BHF), which has been instrumental in supporting the inception of NIF. Mr. Kyangwa emphasized the urgency for communities to reduce reliance on external aid as international donors begin to withdraw from grassroots financing.
Moses kyangwa

Aims and Objectives of NIF

Nawanyingi Investment Forum was established on the following foundational principles:

  1. Pooling resources to enhance the socio-economic and cultural wellbeing of its members, their families, and the wider community.
  2. Facilitating access to affordable resources to implement key social, economic, and cultural programs.
  3. Establishing a NIF Investment Fund to finance community-driven development interventions.
  4. Coordinating activities that promote the growth and empowerment of the Forum and its membership.
  5. Encouraging member participation in individual and collective development initiatives, emphasizing self-reliance and inclusion.

In his remarks, Dr. Allan Katamba, Treasurer of NIF, highlighted the untapped potential within communities due to a lack of coordination. “Communities are sitting on significant wealth—land, skills, and human capital—but without systems to mobilize and invest these resources, they remain underutilized. This forum provides a platform for organizing and unlocking that potential,” he noted.

A Health-First Approach

NIF has prioritized malaria elimination as its first collective intervention—starting with a mass campaign involving testing, treatment, and indoor residual spraying, all financed through locally mobilized resources. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Uganda bears the third highest global malaria burden, accounting for 5% of global cases and 3% of deaths (2023). Nawanyingi, located in the malaria-endemic Busoga region, has committed to changing this narrative.

Institutional and Political Endorsement

The launch event attracted support from district and national leaders, signaling strong political will behind the initiative. Mr. Ezra Gabula, the LC5 Chairperson of Iganga District, lauded the Forum as a replicable model for other parishes in the district.

“This initiative speaks to the very heart of sustainable development—community-driven, inclusive, and proactive. I will engage our council to pass a resolution encouraging each parish in Iganga to establish similar investment forums,” he pledged
Mr. Gabula Ezra

The Forum’s future programming will span health, education, trade, agriculture, and youth development. Its cross-sectoral strategy reflects a holistic development model, aligning with Uganda Vision 2040 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goals 1 (No Poverty), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Community Leadership and Legacy

Among the notable attendees was Dr. Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe, former Vice President of Uganda and currently a Senior Presidential Advisor on Health and Population. In her keynote address, she applauded the Nawanyingi community for taking ownership of their future:

“What we are witnessing here is a model of self-determination. Investing in health is not just a moral duty; it’s an economic strategy. When communities are healthy, they are productive,” she said.
Dr. Speciosa Wandira Kazibwe

The event was also graced by Prof. Paul Waako, Vice Chancellor of Busitema University, and Eng. Ziria Tibalwa Waako, CEO of the Electricity Regulatory Authority, both of whom are proud natives of Nawanyingi. Prof. Waako emphasized the importance of intellectual and professional diaspora engagement in rural development. “This forum connects us back to our roots, giving us a structured way to contribute meaningfully to our community’s advancement,” he noted.

Dr. Paul Waibale, representing the Board of Busoga Health Forum and a respected public health expert, emphasized the importance of building institutional memory and resilience at the community level. “The future of health and development lies in strong local systems that can plan, finance, and sustain their interventions. NIF is exactly that kind of system,” he said.

As the first of its kind in Iganga District, Nawanyingi Investment Forum stands as a pioneering initiative, merging vision, unity, and grassroots leadership to inspire similar models across Uganda.