Bushenyi, Uganda — 22 August 2026
The annual Thanksgiving celebration of the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID) and the Banana Industrial Research and Development Centre (BIRDC) in Bushenyi was marked by messages of gratitude, fellowship and renewed commitment to community service.
Before the thanksgiving service began, the Director General of PIBID/BIRDC, Rev. Prof. Florence Isabirye Muranga, joined other religious leaders, including the Bishop of West Ankole, Rt. Rev. Johnson Twinomujuni, and the Bishop of Busoga, Rt. Rev. Prof. Dr. Grace Lubaale, in recognising the importance of supporting the wellbeing of staff and the wider community.
One of the key activities highlighted during the occasion was the provision of health and medical care services, with an emphasis on prevention and treatment. The initiative was presented as an important intervention intended to improve access to healthcare and support the wellbeing of people connected to the institution and the surrounding community.
The health programme was also supported by the Bushenyi District health authorities, with the Director of Health Services taking part in efforts to make the initiative possible. The focus was placed on preventive healthcare, early attention to illness and access to treatment for different health conditions.
The development was particularly significant given the size and activities of PIBID/BIRDC, which operates in Bushenyi as a centre for banana research, processing, value addition and related agricultural development. PIBID’s work includes banana value addition and the production of products such as Tooke flour.
Rev. Prof. Muranga has continued to lead PIBID’s work in advancing banana industrialisation and value addition in Uganda. The initiative has also increasingly linked its agricultural work with nutrition and public health, including campaigns promoting nutritious banana-based products.
The health intervention therefore formed part of the broader message of the Thanksgiving celebration: that institutional development should go hand in hand with caring for the people who make the work possible and the communities that benefit from it.
The presence of Bishop Twinomujuni and Bishop Lubaale further gave the occasion a strong religious dimension, as the gathering combined thanksgiving to God with reflection on service, responsibility and community wellbeing. Bishop Lubaale is the current Bishop of Busoga Diocese, having been consecrated and enthroned in December 2025.
The Thanksgiving proceeded successfully after the opening activities, with participants moving on to the main programme of giving thanks and celebrating the work and achievements associated with PIBID/BIRDC.
The occasion served as a reminder that thanksgiving can extend beyond celebration to practical acts of service, particularly in areas such as healthcare, nutrition, agriculture and community development.
