BUSHENYI – We have seen members of 11th Parliament coming back to their Constituencies on recess to evaluate the progress of Emyooga funds and required to furnish parliament with their field findings.
The government recommends each Constituency to have 18 groups including Boda- Bodas, Journalists, Carpenters, welders , fishermen, mechanics, performing artists, veterans, produce dealers, Salon operators, market vendors, restaurant owners, PWDS, Youth leaders, Elected leaders, tax operators and Women entreprenuers. Each group is supposed to get 30 millions Ug shillings with exception of Elected leaders that gets 50 millions. This means each Constituency in Uganda gets 560 millions Ug shillings under Emyooga funds’ program. Wakiso and Kampala got 50 billion Ug shillings.
Suffice to say; It must noted that government of Uganda has spent alot of money in this Emyooga funds and it’s ultimate mission is to give a revolving fund to members on the grassroot to develop themselves because members are well arranged according to their business, skill and production interest. This Emyooga fund was directly wired on the Emyooga fund Saccos after completing the required paperwork like registration and associated training. Many Emyooga funds Saccos have received money and are ably doing well. In Bushenyi – Ishaka municipality; so far out of 18 groups, 17 groups have received making it to 530 millions Ug shillings. It’s only Fishermen Sacco that hasn’t received but it’s paper work is over waiting rebursement of funds from the centre. The Emyooga Fund Sacco leaders opened to their area MP Hon Kabuura Derrick Beimukye that there were no cases of extortion .Hon Katusiime Annet Mugisha – Bushenyi District Woman Member of Parliament discovered that 12 groups out of 18 got in Igara East Constituency, where as 13 out of 18 groups in Igara west got. The Bushenyi RDC madam Jane appealed to area MPS to do domineering role to promote Emyooga funds’ program since they are mandated to approve budgets of such programs that touch lives of their voters and are equally mandated to supervise such programs. Madam RDC Inferably said it would be insensitive and anti- development for any Ugandan M.P to talk ill about Emyooga funds.
Notably, the Emyooga funds’ program faces multiplicity of challenges despite it’s good impact. Cases in point include inter alia; the loan tenure period is very short where members are requested to return borrowed money in six months. It must be noted that the status-quo has been exacerbated by Covid 19 Lockdowns where most businesses have been affected thus negatively impacting loan servicing by members. Most members request that they should be given a year and above to service their loans . Members have revealed that preconditions to access loans are hinderance like looking at number of shares one has, paying insurance and form costs . They suggested that costs should favour all people irrespective of their socio-economic status. They revealed that there is high demand for funds by members hence a need to increase seed capital in the Saccos. It was noted that certain Saccos need more money to engage in business like welders need alot of money since welding inputs are high, journalists need cameras, computers that are very expensive, performing artists need alot of money to carry out audio recordings and making videos. It was Inferably noted that the amount be increased to meet the Saccos’ demands. There is need to engage MPS and local Leadership in the supervisory work of Emyooga funds. Emyooga funds’ Saccos need regular trainings by Commercial / finance officers but it was observed that facilitation funds are not there to fulfill this cause. It was discovered that Emyooga funds Saccos that got solid trainings are doing well and therefore it means regular trainings to these Emyooga funds Saccos can inculcate financial discipline and accountability of Emyooga funds. Any one found corrupt in the Emyooga funds should face long arm of law to deter others that would want to manifest recalcitrant behaviour.
Pertinent to say; the objectives of Emyooga funds’ program is very good and it’s impact is being felt as it’s causing Citizenry economic empowerment. The onus remains on the Parliament Speaker and his Deputy to clearly evaluate submissions by members of parliament. I have clearly followed submissions by members of parliament in 8th, 9th and 10th Parliaments. There has been weakness by opposition members of parliament and even NRM leaning members that lack ideological purity who believe that it’s their audacity to defame and soil every government program. The 11th Parliament should be seen as a pro People and pro development parliament entirely on forefront to cause social-economic transformation of Uganda . The past parliaments especially opposition members of parliament and some other Camouflaged NRM members of parliament invested in negative propaganda on floor of parliament as only yardstick to show case their performance.Conversely , the Citizenry would love to see Emyooga funds being increased and mitigating weaknesses of Emyooga funds instead of talking ill about Emyooga funds’ program. Thus, it would be disengenous and stratagem in nature for a member of parliament to submit on floor of parliament that Emyooga funds program is entirely bad . The noble and cardinal duty of 11th Parliament is to generate strategies on how best to improve Emyooga funds’program vis -as-vis the fore-mentioned challenges. Should 11th Parliament delve into negative propaganda against government programs , the dream to cause social economic transformation of Uganda will be impossible. Indeed opposition members of parliament must be at forefront to make sure that these government programs reach the targeted recipients and public funds are well accounted for. When members of parliament invest in only negative propaganda to catch attention of Cameras in public gallery as their voters remain impoverished, one is inclined to conclude that their personal interests supercede the welfare of masses.probably this explains why voters keep voting out large number of members of parliament . Let 11th Parliament read between lines before 2026 as villagers sort you out@ Dr. Tanga Odoi voice.
H.E Museveni has been on forefront to cause social economic transformation of Uganda. He has been seen single-handedly preaching economic gospel of fighting household poverty by referring to Four Acre model system, Emyooga funds now is talking about Parish Model Project which all is destined to cause Citizenry economic empowerment. The 11th Parliament should be seen supplementing H.E Museveni’s efforts to cause Social economic transformation of Uganda. Members of parliament must cause baranzas and use media to expound and disseminate these government programs , approve budgets and cause supervision of these programs. Uganda’s citizens love to see actions of 11th parliament other than “Political choreography” and Political negative propaganda that defined some members of past parliaments hence becoming liability to populace intrests. The Political literacy of citizens increases each day and 2026 is not far for voters to make their Political choices based on Meritocracy of candidates.
IAM NOT TEACHER BUT AWAKENER- Robert Frost.
The writer, Igambirine III Hillary is a patriotic Ugandan and a motivational speaker at Great lakes Education motivational Speakers
