NELSON K
Nyarushanje local leaders have called on the government to establish additional SAGE-receiving centers to alleviate the challenges faced by elderly vulnerable residents. Speaking to our reporter, Nyarushanje Elder Councillor Tugarwana Naris Tom emphasized the difficulties experienced by elders in accessing their pensions due to the region’s rugged terrain and highlands.
Tugarwana explained that the hilly nature of Nyarushanje makes it particularly challenging for elderly residents to travel long distances to the existing pension distribution points. Additionally, he noted that some elderly individuals lose their SAGE entirely when illness prevents them from collecting it, whether they are at home or hospitalized. He urged the responsible government departments to address these concerns by increasing the number of SAGE distribution centers and deploying adequate personnel to serve the elderly population more effectively.
Nyarushanje Subcounty Speaker Tumwesigye Alex echoed these concerns, pointing out that blindness, physical disabilities, and extreme old age prevent many vulnerable residents from traveling to distribution centers in distant locations such as Kabuga, Bwanga, Mugyera, and Nyabushenyi. He emphasized that establishing more centers would make these services accessible to the elderly population.
Jackson Ndyanimanya, the Rukungiri District Elders Chairperson, highlighted that the issue is not confined to Nyarushanje but is common across other sub-counties as well. He proposed that the government should increase the monthly pension from UGX 20,000 to UGX 50,000 and lower the eligibility age from 80 years to 70 or 75 years to better support vulnerable elders.
Meanwhile, Dr. Prof. Ezra Suruma, the former finance minister of Uganda, cautioned the government about the need to proceed carefully when considering reforms in the pension sector. In his book Advancing the Ugandan Economy, he dedicates a chapter to social security, urging the government to strictly vet foreign pension managers before opening up the industry for competition.
These calls for reform underscore the pressing need to improve pension distribution systems and ensure they are accessible to all eligible elders, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach areas.
