Teso 50 Years Behind Ankole in Wealth and Development – Opolot, Chairperson of Teso Economic Agenda.
By Peterson Hiirya.
The Chairperson of the Teso Economic Agenda, Joseph Opolot, has said the Teso sub-region is nearly five decades behind Ankole in economic development, standards of living, and overall transformation
Appearing on TBSRadio’s Face the Nation Talk show, Opolot argued that while Western Uganda—particularly Ankole—has built a strategically organized resilient economy that gives money to locals throught the year,unlike Teso that has lagged behind due to poor coordination, disunity and weak economic identity.
Opolot singled out districts such as Kiruhura District, Mbarara District, and Bushenyi District as examples of structured rural prosperity.
He said the Western sub-region has deliberately invested in cattle keeping, banana (matooke) growing, coffee, and tea production, with value addition factories spread across Ankole.
“Every home in Kiruhura, Mbarara and Bushenyi has a matooke plantation, coffee garden, and cows for milk production. That gives steady income to families,” Opolot said.
He added that even a modestly dressed villager in Rwakitura may own over 50 cows and employ workers, a scenario he said is rare in Teso today.
According to Opolot, Western Uganda supplies milk, beef, matooke, tea, and coffee to much of the country, a success he attributes to long-term strategic mobilization by regional leaders, especially President Museveni over the last 60 years.
In contrast, Opolot said Teso’s once vibrant cattle economy collapsed and has not been replaced with a clear economic identity. “Teso lost its identity. Years back, cattle defined us nationally and internationally. Today, there is nothing that defines our economy,” he noted.
Teso remains one of the poorest sub-regions in Uganda. Data from the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) National Household Survey 2023/24 indicates that approximately 709,100 people in Teso live below the poverty line.
While the national poverty rate declined to 16.1 per cent, Teso was listed among regions requiring urgent targeted investment.
Income inequality in the sub-region has also widened, with the Gini coefficient rising from 0.288 in 2019/20 to 0.346 in 2023/24.
Earlier, UBOS reports placed multidimensional poverty in Teso at about 50 per cent, significantly higher than the national average.
Agriculture remains the primary livelihood for nearly 80 per cent of households in Teso, but productivity is low. Studies indicate that about 70 6 of smallholder farmers lack access to formal markets, and fewer than 20 per cent use certified planting materials.
Food insecurity is also severe, with only about 27.5 per cent of households considered food secure and many resorting to crisis coping mechanisms.
Opolot blamed biting poverty, political disunity, and what he termed a “defeatist mindset” for slowing progress.
He urged leaders and stakeholders to mobilize communities into the money economy, identify profitable crops and enterprises, promote value addition, and strengthen market access.
“We must guide our people on sustainable enterprises, support growth, and promote markets so that Teso regains its economic identity,” he said.
He emphasized that without unity of purpose and deliberate economic planning, Teso risks falling further behind regions that have successfully organized agriculture into wealth-generating industries.
