The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Intended beneficiaries of the presidential initiative on wealth and job creation–Emyooga in Nalwanza sub county in Bududa district have quit the programme after they failed to raise membership fee of one hundred and fifty thousand shillings for both membership and share capital.
Recently, the office of the president rolled out Emyooga program with the aim of helping organized groups in Uganda to access government funds and support to increase on their revolving funds within their groups. These group categories include bodaboda riders, taxi drivers, restaurant owners, welders, market vendors, women entrepreneurs, youth, people with disabilities, journalists, performing artistes, veterans, fishermen and elected leaders.
Buwakiyu dealers produce association has over 30 members who formed their group with the intention of trading in produce after they heard of Emyooga program from their community development officer. Sam Wakoko, the chairperson of the group says he has failed to mobilize members to pay 10,000 each as some of them are telling him they even do not have anything to feed their families, forcing them to quit.
He says this issue is not in his group alone but several other groups have also cried out to him about the same thereby requesting the initiator of the program to revise it if the intention to benefit all of them is to be realised.
Intended beneficiaries like Godfrey Mangongo and Issah Wakoko said government would have paid membership for them and then deduct from the Emyooga funds instead of stressing them at this time when they are grappling with making ends meet even in their homes.
Hashim Wafula, the assistant commercial officer of Bududa says this is a policy from government that each member is supposed to pay membership of 10,000 and share capital of 100,000 before becoming beneficiaries of the program.
Wafula says for them, they are there to implement what has already been defined so they cannot adjust anything. He says whoever has not paid membership in any association cannot be called a member of that association or group.
John Watenyeli Nabende, the Resident District Commissioner said they will not allow those who have not paid membership to access the money because for one to become a member of any group, they must have paid membership fee.
******
URN
