Kitgum district has received UGX1.68 billion under the Presidential initiative on Wealth and Job Creation Initiative, Emyooga.  

Kitgum Resident Commissioner William Komakech who is also the district Emyoga program coordinator says the funds have been disbursed to the three constituencies of Chua East, Chua West and Kitgum Municipality with each receiving UGX560 million.   

Emyooga, a Runyankore word literally meaning a group of people doing the same thing is a presidential initiative program on wealth and job creation as part of government efforts to improve household incomes in the country.  

According to Komakech, the initiative targets 18 clusters in each constituency where each beneficiary borrows and saves part of the disbursed funds in a bid to alleviate poverty and improve household incomes within themselves. 

The benefitting clusters include; boda boda motorcyclists, taxi operators, salon operators, restaurants owners, welders, youth leaders, women entrepreneurs, persons with disabilities, journalists, performing artistes, carpenters, veterans, fishermen and elected leaders. 

The Kitgum district Commercial Officer Alex Opira says the various business sector SACCOs cluster will each receive 30 million shillings, while each SAACO group for elected leaders will receive 50 million shillings.   

Opira says the district technical team is apparently training all the 54 beneficiary groups before formalizing the formation and management of the different SAACO groups before they begin accessing the funds.     

According to Komakech, Kitgum is amidst the first 14 districts in the entire country and also the first district in the Acholi Sub region to receive the funding under the first phase of the program’s implementation.

Rwenzururu Given Special Consideration

Meanwhile, Government has given the Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu-OBR cultural institution special consideration under the Emyooga program.  The cultural institution is to receive separate funding under the same program to specifically cater to veterans and leaders as defined within the Kingdom structures.

This is in addition to other groups from the kingdom that have already submitted their request for funding.  Recently, the office of the president rolled out “Emyooga” with the aim of helping organized groups to access funding through a revolving fund. 

The initiative targets Ugandans especially in the informal sector who come together in form of Saccos under 19 clusters namely Boda boda riders, taxi drivers, restaurants, welders, market vendors, women entrepreneurs, youth leaders, people with disabilities, journalists and performing artists among others.

In a meeting with the members from the cultural institution and elders on Sunday evening, the Acting Executive Director Micro Finance Support Centre-MSC, Hellen Petronilla Masika, said they have given the kingdom special consideration given the multiple challenges including conflicts and disasters that has affected its economy.

She said 5 groups from each of the two categories will receive Shillings 560M allocated to the five constituencies in the district. Masika says the same consideration stretches out to Bundibugyo and Ntoroko districts where the kingdom extends its influence.

Ritah Namuwenge, the Chairperson Emyooga coordinators in State House, said that the government intends to work with every institution, which shares a similar agenda of transforming society. 

She added government desires to use OBR as a lead-in guiding people to embrace development programs put forward by government and other development players.  

Enock Muhindo, the former speaker of the cultural institution welcomed the gesture from the government as a step towards consolidating the relations between government and OBR.

He acknowledged that the kingdom has been affected by challenges such as floods and it’s important that it’s steered towards developed.

John Kule Muranga, the Prime Minister, Obusinga Bwa Rwenzururu, said the inclusion of the kingdom in the Emyooga program is a huge relief to a kingdom that has been struggling to find resources to support its current and former leaders.

During the meeting, members agreed to present 10 groups for consideration within two weeks. Kasese District is expected to receive Emyooga funds this week, according to the MSC acting director.