SIMPSON M
The Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, is set to conduct a nationwide “proof of life” re-verification exercise for beneficiaries under the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) beginning in April 2026.
The exercise aims to identify deceased beneficiaries and eliminate inactive accounts following reports that some funds have continued to be accessed even after the rightful recipients had passed away. In some cases, relatives or other individuals have reportedly continued to withdraw the funds.
According to the Rukungiri Municipality Principal Community Development Officer, Johnbosco Twesigomwe, the re-verification process is intended to remove so-called “ghost beneficiaries” from the payroll and improve the efficiency of the program. Previous investigations indicated that more than 24,000 SAGE beneficiaries were suspected to be non-existent or deceased but still listed as active.
Authorities note that failure to report deaths of elderly beneficiaries has contributed significantly to the problem, allowing continued disbursement of funds to inactive accounts.
Under the exercise, all beneficiaries will be required to physically present themselves at their designated payment points with valid National Identification cards for verification. Those who fail to appear risk having their payments suspended. However, special arrangements will be made for beneficiaries who are unable to travel, with verification teams expected to visit them at their homes after completing the main exercise.
Guidelines for the SAGE program require families to report the death of a beneficiary to the parish chief. In cases where next of kin intend to claim any remaining funds, they must present a death certificate and legal documentation, including letters of administration, to the relevant authorities.
The government says announcements will be made through radio and other channels to inform beneficiaries about the exercise, which is scheduled to commence in late April 2026.
