EDITOR
Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) in Kanungu District are racing against time to meet strict new accountability measures under the government’s Emyooga program, or risk missing out on additional funding.
The Microfinance Support Centre’s Kabale regional office has rolled out updated compliance guidelines requiring all Emyooga SACCOs to submit detailed lists of individual beneficiaries who received funds from 2021 to 2024. The move is part of a broader push by the national Emyooga Secretariat to enhance transparency and track the impact of the poverty alleviation initiative.
The announcement has sent shockwaves through SACCOs across the district. Many are now scrambling to compile and digitize records that were previously not required when initial seed capital—ranging from UGX 20 million to UGX 50 million—was disbursed with minimal documentation.
Speaking at a sensitization workshop in Kihihi Town Council, Emyooga field officers Remmy Origaba (Kinkizi East) and Agatha Musimenta (Kinkizi West) made it clear that SACCOs that fail to submit the required documentation by Wednesday will not qualify for the third tranche of seed funding.
“This time round, there will be no compromise,” said Origaba. “Every SACCO must prove where the money went and who benefited.”
The new guidelines have not only raised the bar for financial transparency but also exposed weaknesses in record-keeping among several SACCOs, prompting urgent calls for technical support to navigate the digital submission process.
Adding to the pressure, the Registrar of Cooperative Societies has intensified enforcement efforts, urging SACCOs to file annual returns and secure permanent registration. Kanungu District Commercial Officer Caleb Muhanuuzi has warned that non-compliant SACCOs risk being struck off the register.
As the deadline looms, SACCO leaders are appealing for immediate capacity-building interventions to help them meet the new requirements. For many, the future of their operations—and access to vital government support—hangs in the balance.
