VANESSA A
Fear and frustration have gripped 33 pensioners in Rukungiri Municipality who say they have not yet received their April pension payments, despite a directive that all pensioners and civil servants should be paid by the 28th of every month.
Speaking to our reporter, the Chairperson of Pensioners in Rukungiri Municipality, Gershom Twesigye, said they were shocked after failing to receive their April payments on time. He explained that when they visited the Human Resource Office for clarification, they were informed that the payment system had changed and that some pensioners had not yet been updated onto the new system.
Twesigye revealed that 33 pensioners are affected by the delay and appealed to the responsible authorities to ensure that their payments are released in time. He added that if the delays persist, pensioners should instead be paid together with civil servants since many of them are elderly, vulnerable, and depend on the money for survival.
The Secretary for Pensioners in Rukungiri Municipality, Edison Muhwezi, also expressed concern over the delayed payments, saying pensioners are entitled to receive their money by the 28th of every month. He accused officials of prioritizing active civil servants while neglecting pensioners.
Muhwezi further noted that the affected pensioners have not received any official communication explaining the delay, something he described as unfair and frustrating.
However, the Town Clerk of Rukungiri Municipality, Isaiah Tumwesigye, assured pensioners that their payments have already been processed and will soon be released. He explained that those affected are mainly individuals who were part of last financial year’s shortfall.
Tumwesigye called upon the pensioners to remain calm and patient as the issue is being handled.
