Senior Reporter
RDC Mbarara, Turyabagyenyi Emmanuel Kateera, announced that the Ugandan government has allocated 20 million shillings as a special enterprise grant to four groups. Each group received five million shillings for investment in enterprises aimed at generating income to alleviate poverty.
Turyabagyenyi made this announcement while addressing groups of older persons and people with disabilities at an engagement meeting held at the district council hall in Kamukuzi. He clarified that this funding supplements other government-funded programs such as the Parish Development Model (PDM) and the Presidential Initiative on Wealth and Job Creation (Emyooga).
The RDC highlighted challenges reported by elders and people with disabilities, including extortion, corruption, and poor service delivery by sub-county development officers, which deterred participation due to lack of information.
In a stern message, Turyabagyenyi warned public servants, particularly sub-county community development officers, who are unwilling to work, to resign. He also cautioned against corruption, urging those with such intentions to resign immediately to avoid arrest. Turyabagyenyi emphasized that instances of community development officers demanding money from grant beneficiaries should be reported to the police and the RDC’s office for investigation.
Mbarara District Community Development Officer, Hirally Muhumuza, explained that the special enterprise grant targets elderly individuals aged sixty to seventy-nine, including pensioners, who are part of enterprise groups. Among the groups benefiting are the Rubindi Elders Matooke group and Kashanda.
