SOROTI CITY: Hon. Sanjay Tanna Unveils 7 Point Manifesto in Meeting with Teso Delegates

SOROTI CITY: Hon. Sanjay Tanna, a seasoned politician and celebrated businessman, unveiled a compelling and practical manifesto as he seeks to become the National Chairperson of the NRM Entrepreneurship League.

Meeting the Teso sub-region delegates on Thursday 31st July 2025, Hon. Tanna didn’t just present promises, he laid out an entrepreneurial blueprint rooted in lived experience.

With business ventures stretching across Eastern Uganda, including Kumi, Kapchorwa, Soroti, Busia, Mbale, Pallisa, and Tororo, he emphasized that entrepreneurship is the economic engine of Uganda, but has long remained underfunded, under-structured, and under-represented.

“I am not here with handouts, I am here with a plan,” Hon. Tanna told the delegates. “For over ten years, this league has had no proper database of its members. How can we serve people whose existence we don’t even officially record?”

Hon. Tanna strongly warned delegates against being blinded by short-term money being exchanged under the table by some candidates in the ongoing campaign who have no ideas at all.

Tanna said the entrepreneurs who contribute the biggest taxes to the economy have been neglected and left behind because of weak leadership which has failed to lobby and organize formal meetings for decades, for instance he said the other leagues like disability, youth, workers and women have National councils, representation in parliament and are funded by the government.

The entrepreneurs’ league under the NRM has 800 delegates but surprisingly some of the candidates vying for the position of the chairperson Entrepreneurs league in the NRM CEC are using a lot of money to bribe voters but have zero ideas.

“Some candidates are giving between 1.2 million and 1.5 million shillings per delegate, and they’ve met you more than once. That means each of you could have received around 2.4 million to 3 million shillings,” he said.

He then did the Musevenomics math publicly, prompting a reality check:

3,000,000 UGX per delegate × 800 delegates = 2.4 billion UGX spent

Divide that 3 million over the full 5-year term:

3,000,000 ÷ 5 years = 600,000 UGX per year

600,000 ÷ 12 months = 50,000 UGX per month

50,000 ÷ 30 days = 1,666 UGX per day

“You are selling your mandate for less than 2,000 shillings a day. That’s not even enough to buy a chapati and tea. Are your children’s future, your business voice, and your region’s development worth a chapati a day?” Hon. Tanna asked.

These people are spending billions for a job with no salary. Ask yourself — what are they really after? And what will be left for you once they get it?” he posed.

Hon. Tanna decried the historical neglect of entrepreneurs in national programming, contrasting it with the well-funded and structured leagues for youth, women, elderly, PWDs, and veterans.

 “Each of these groups has representatives in Parliament, secretariats, councils, and government funding. But entrepreneurs, who employ the largest number of Ugandans, have none of that. Why?” he asked, drawing loud applause.

He promised to lobby the Central Executive Committee (CEC) and relevant government arms for equal opportunities for entrepreneurs, including councils, secretariat structures, and dedicated government programs just like other special interest groups.

A hint to his Manifesto

Financial Literacy & Bookkeeping Training: Emphasis on basic business skills, tax compliance, and record-keeping for profitability and formalization.

Creation of a National Entrepreneurs’ Database: A digital registry for all entrepreneurs down to parish level, enabling easy access to targeted support, training, and investment.

Value Addition & Regional Product Specialization: Encouraging each region to process and package what they produce, e.g. Teso: Cassava flour, orange juice, and groundnut paste Bugisu: Roasted and packaged Arabica coffee Sebei: Milk processing and potato products.

Marketing Hubs and External Linkages: Setting up regional trade and marketing centers and linking producers to international buyers via export-friendly systems.

Cross-Regional Synergy: Build a collaborative business network connecting entrepreneurs across Uganda for supplies, skills, and bulk marketing.

Entrepreneur-Focused Government Lobbying: Advocate for the creation of entrepreneur-specific councils, funding schemes, exhibitions, and inclusion in national development plans.

Hon. Tanna reminded delegates of his deep NRM credentials, having served in Parliament for two terms, In the Office of the President, driving economic transformation, At the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and as a contributor to national programs like NAADS, Operation Wealth Creation, and the Parish Development Model.

“I am not a visitor to the system. I helped build it. And now I want to help you use it,” he stated.

Hon. Tanna’s campaign is not centered on transactional politics — it is about building a movement of entrepreneurs who understand their power, organize for influence, and leverage government structures to expand wealth creation.

“Entrepreneurship is not just about trade — it’s about dignity, innovation, employment, and self-reliance,” he said. “Let’s stop being the party’s cash cows and start becoming its think tanks.”