Kazo District Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Jennifer Muheesi, has intensified her years-long push to uplift constituents through economic empowerment, faith-based welfare, and infrastructure upgrades—building on initiatives she first championed during her 2021 election campaign.
From Saturday, March 15, to Sunday, March 16, 2025, Muheesi’s office buzzed with activity as over 200 Muslims, including 110 households, registered for zakah—an Islamic almsgiving obligation. This marked the first time many in Kazo’s Muslim community accessed the support.
The Capital Times has learnt that many Muslims in Kazo had long heard about zakah but had never received it until now.
During an interactive session, attendees expressed their appreciation for Muheesi’s efforts, with some calling her “nabi” (angel) in acknowledgment of her role.
Barekye Bombakare, a resident of Bitsya said, “We have been Muslims since birth and have always heard about zakah, but none of us had ever received it until Hon. Muheesi came in. We have seen some people being taken to Kampala for similar programs, and we hope the rest of us will also get support.”
Beyond zakah, Muheesi shared information about other ongoing programs for Muslims in Kazo, including mosque construction, fasting-related feeding initiatives, and water provision to mosques.
She pledged to advocate for more support in education, economic empowerment, and access to clean water.
“I want to assure you that my commitment to the Muslim community in Kazo is unwavering. We are working to improve living conditions, education, and household incomes,” she said.
Muheesi also urged the people of Kazo to support President Museveni’s government, encouraging them to vote for him in the 2026 elections.
The meeting concluded with Muheesi distributing five kilograms of maize seeds to each attendee, urging them to plant when the rains begin.
Beyond her engagements with the Muslim community, the MP’s weekend agenda began a day earlier at St. Catherine Girls Secondary School, where she launched a clean water project in partnership with China’s Yoshuwa Living Water.
The initiative replaces contaminated dam water—previously shared with livestock—with a safe supply, addressing years of cholera and typhoid risks.
Muheesi emphasized that this initiative is not just about health but also about empowering students, especially girls, by removing barriers to education.
“This is about dignity and ensuring our girls thrive,” Muheesi said, linking the project to broader goals of education and health equity.
Hon. Muheesi has long been an advocate for girl-child education, aiming to elevate St. Catherine Girls Secondary School to the ranks of top-performing institutions such as Maryhill High School, Bweranyangi Girls, and Kibubura Girls.
She believes that infrastructure projects like this are essential in helping young girls succeed academically and build a better future.
“Our children won’t have to miss school because of cholera or typhoid anymore,” said one parent, emphasizing the life-changing impact of this initiative.
The success of this project is credited to the strong partnership between Hon. Muheesi and Yoshuwa Living Water, which provided the technical expertise and funding necessary for the installation of modern water purification systems.
Central to her legacy, however, is the Muheesi Coffee Growing Promotion Initiative—nicknamed “Little Brazil”—a program launched in 2019 during her first parliamentary campaign.
Over five years, the project has distributed 500,000 high-yield coffee seedlings, trained farmers in modern techniques like terracing and organic pest control, and initiated construction of storage and processing facilities to cut out exploitative middlemen.
These combined efforts have led to a bountiful coffee harvest, with farmers hailing the initiative as a lifeline that has revived their fortunes.
“This program revived us,” said one farmer, clutching a tarpaulin provided for drying beans. “We went from struggling to now educating our children.”
While Muheesi’s recent zakah drive and water projects have drawn praise, some constituents remain cautious. “Politicians often make promises, but she’s kept working even after elections,” remarked a local trader, acknowledging her sustained focus.
Undeterred, Muheesi insists her vision for Kazo is long-term. As attendees of the zakah event departed with 5kg maize seed packs—a gesture timed for the planting season—the MP reiterated her commitment: “Better livelihoods, education, and healthcare aren’t about campaigns. They’re about building a future Kazo deserves.”
Collectively, these initiatives reflect Muheesi’s commitment to addressing the diverse needs of her constituents and fostering sustainable development in Kazo District.