President Museveni has fulfilled the shs10 million pledge he made to vendors at Kayunga daily market in Wakiso town council.
The cash was delivered by the Special Presidential Assistant in charge of Communications at State House, Ian Gumisiriza Jeremiah.
Speaking during the function, Gumisiriza tipped the market vendors to fully embrace all government wealth-creation programs as a way of improving their livelihoods and creating more jobs.
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He noted that through the Kayunga Daily Market Vendors Cooperative Savings and Credit Society Ltd, vendors are well positioned to tap into government programs such as Emyooga, the Parish Development Model (PDM), and skilling hubs, enabling them to access low-interest loans and stay ahead in development.
"When the President supports you with money through the SACCO, and you already own one stall, you will have the freedom to borrow and open another one. But you can't run both stalls at the same time, so you will need someone to help you, which means you will be creating jobs in the process," Gumisiriza explained.
He further cited success stories from across the country, saying many people who were previously unemployed benefited from the President's free skilling hubs.
"We have heard testimonies from people we met while traveling with the President during campaigns. Many were once jobless, but after joining the free skilling hubs, they acquired skills, started businesses, created jobs, and are now employing others," he emphasized.
The Pledge
The shs10 million pledge was made by President Museveni in 2015, when he stopped at the market while en route to Destiny's Bridge Gombe Primary School.
At the time, the President promised the vendors' SACCO a seed fund of shs10 million after engaging them on several issues affecting their livelihoods.
He also urged the vendors to take advantage of the peace ushered in under President Museveni's leadership, which has enabled business stability compared to past regimes.
"Some people from different regions of Uganda can attest that in the past they built small, substandard grass-thatched houses because they feared displacement due to war. That is why President Museveni prioritized peace across the country, so that everyone can work freely without fear for their businesses or lives," Gumisiriza added.
Gumisiriza thanked the vendors and the SACCO leadership for their patience and resilience, and advised them not to forget to vote for President Museveni on January 15.
He clarified that the SACCO funding was not a bribe, but rather part of the President's responsibility to support the people, noting that the SACCO had earlier faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Bringing this money now does not mean we have come to bribe you to vote for President Museveni. The SACCO faced challenges during COVID-19 and almost collapsed," he said.
"However, I thank the members for remaining resilient and reviving the SACCO. After our assessment, we found it back on track and ready to utilize the funds. We relayed this to the President, and he honored his pledge by releasing the money, which I have officially handed over to the SACCO leadership today."
He also encouraged vendors to fly the national flag without fear, saying patriotism should not be misinterpreted as support for any political group.
"Some people wrongly associate flag-wearing with support for certain political parties, but the national flag is a symbol of unity and pride for all Ugandans," he said.
Wakiso Town Council Mayor Fredson Mukalazi thanked the President for fulfilling his pledge and urged vendors to use the funds responsibly.
"We are happy that the President has finally fulfilled his promise. This seed capital will help vendors grow their small-scale businesses through access to low-interest loans," Mukalazi said.
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Hamidah Nabunya, the SACCO treasurer, also expressed gratitude to the President and appealed for additional support, citing the impact of COVID-19 and increased membership.
"We are grateful for the money promised in 2015. However, we request additional funding because COVID-19 severely affected our businesses, and our membership has significantly increased since then," Nabunya stated.
Meanwhile, Paddy Mutume, the NRM Vice Chairperson for Wakiso Town Council, praised government programs and announced that the area had secured two slots under the Parish Development Model, thanking the President for his continued support to vendors.
The event was also attended by local council NRM candidates seeking to represent Wakiso Town Council at the district level for the next five years.
