President Yoweri Museveni has donated Shs 2.8 billion to youth groups in Kampala’s slums as part of his ongoing financial support to ghetto-based savings and credit cooperatives (Saccos).
Last Thursday, Museveni handed over Shs 1.3 billion to youths in the Nakulabye slums of Rubaga Division, Shs 500 million to the Katanga Young People Cooperative Society in Kansanga, Makindye Division, and another Shs 500 million to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) councillors under their Economic Agenda Sacco.
The initiative, spearheaded by the Director of Crime Intelligence, Brig Gen Chris Damulira, aims to economically empower vulnerable youth and curb crime in the city’s informal settlements.
“H.E. the President, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has reinforced support for Kampala ghetto Saccos by fulfilling additional financial commitments. This follows the success of a pilot project led by Brigadier General Ddamulira and Major Emma Kuteesa, which has economically empowered ghetto youth and reduced crime,” said police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke.
With this latest donation, the total amount disbursed to Kampala slum youth in the last two years now stands at Shs 7 billion. In September last year, Museveni allocated Shs 1.2 billion to seven ghetto groups, including Kawempe North Ghetto Cooperative Society Ltd, Masajja Para Zone Ghetto Youth Development SACCO, and Kasokoso Ghetto Cooperative Society Ltd.
In December 2023, an additional Shs 3 billion was distributed, with each of 30 ghetto groups receiving Shs 100 million. However, political analysts argue that despite the billions spent, the impact on the intended beneficiaries remains minimal. Opposition politicians Siraje Kifampa and John Kikonyogo contend that the money fails to create long-term economic change because the recipients lack financial preparedness.
“When you give money to someone who is sleeping hungry, they will just spend it on buying items that give them a decent life. They cannot invest in a business when they are sleeping hungry. Besides, this money in most cases goes to very few individuals who claim to be the leaders of these ghetto groups,” Kikonyogo said.
Kifampa echoed similar concerns, suggesting that Museveni should demand accountability from these groups and assess whether the funds have led to any sustainable businesses. He said the people in slums rarely benefit from such donations because the funds are often mismanaged by self-proclaimed leaders.
Beyond concerns over financial mismanagement, some of these groups have reportedly turned into criminal gangs. For instance, a group known as “Al-Qaeda,” based in Kibuli, was involved in a violent altercation last December that led to the killing of one of their members. In response, security forces dismantled their makeshift structures.
Kikonyogo argues that rather than handing out cash, the government should focus on creating market opportunities for skilled youth.
These are slum African male youths who most probably have two or three kids, a wife and a few girlfriends. The female youths are already done for as inactive citizens sitting at home minding the babies. Nyama ntono, okayana ekuli munkwawa! Now that these agressive male youths are being given handout a second or third time, one wonders if their future and that of their families, will be much better come 2031. They are certainly aware that they are receiving handout to go up country and anywhere else to encourage voters to participate in the coming national elections of the term 2026/2031, where the incumbent can bag another term to govern with the help of additional military force in this poor African country!
For purposes of his selfish and diabolic greed and political expedience; when will our 80-year-old “Problem of Africa”, Gen Tibuhaburwa stop throwing our hard-earned, sweat and blood tax money at the very poverty which he perennially engineers and deceptively/dubiously dispenses, in the name social economic transformation?
39 years and counting, the man deliberately destroyed professionally planned, budgeted for, programmed, industrious and audited Cooperatives that were the backbones and engine of real development and transformation the economy of this country.
For Hell and Heaven’s sake, Ugandans are not paying taxes for Gen Tibuhaburwa to donate to whoever and whenever he pleases for purposes luring more votes during the 2026 election.
I would have no problem if our “Problem of Africa donated the proceeds from the sales of his cattle and/milk from his farms; where he deploys our sons/daughter, in the UPDF whose salary we also pay to herd and guard his laundered cattle.
In other words, because there is no Good without the Good Will; all the Tibuhaburwa’s donations are the immoral, deceitful one and same culture and tradition of concealed public corruption.
No wonder these donations yield no sustainable results/fruits simply because; they are cursed with the dishonesty of the false benefactor.
It is election time and the weak are being bought. By the way it is not his money. It is your sweat you the tax payer and all this should be funded in the name of the Govt. and not an individual.