MUKONO – State Minister for Microfinance Haruna Kasolo has cautioned against the continuous politicking of government programs aimed at poverty alleviation. Kasolo who was speaking at the Emyooga monitoring event organised in Mukono Municipality at Jobia hotel on January 20 said he was dismayed by the many negative sentiments people trade about the Emyooga program.
He said many people keep on saying Emyooga came in the time of political tension but reminded them that the scheme is a government program just like infrastructures such as roads. He was dismayed that people turn poverty alleviation programs into politics.
“People say they are poor and then we bring the money. Upon doing that they say it’s taxpayer’s money, such statements put back our efforts of poverty alleviation. Yes, we are in politics but we shall deliver services. SACCOs are not political parties, they are cash parties. Do all it takes to make them work,” Kasolo said.
He pledged to keep teaching people on mindset change saying if this is done as a team with the local leaders, people will eventually become rich and Uganda will be a better place.
According to Kasolo, Ugandans are isolated in politics and not minding about other developmental programs. He thanked the area MP for his cooperation which makes him a true description of a non-biased service delivery-oriented person.
Mr Namukoze Kirya, acting town clerk of Mukono Municipality told the minister that when the emyooga program came, many people thought the money was for the selected few but they have since done away with the notion due to the various seminars about the scheme.
Mr Namukoze pointed out the low saving culture as one of the challenges affecting the scheme in the region but shared hopes of enhancing it and the recovery rate.
“We want to focus on constant monitoring and evaluation to see that people are running these saccos well. We are going to teach them more on finance literacy, loan management, group dynamics and customer care,” he said.
He added that now that people have the money, they want to see its impact and will do this by moving individual to individual trying to find out how they are making use of the money.
Mukono Municipality Mayor, Elisa Mukasa Nkoyooyo who belongs to the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), shared that much as he belongs to the opposition he has been keen on monitoring government programs like Emyooga.
He said that he has encouraged people to join Saccos from the very start even those who were hesitant.
“Much as most of the elective positions in Mukono were taken up by opposition leaders, we have encouraged people to join Emyooga program. We have very hard MPs here in Mukono but they have all realized that this (Emyooga) program is real and they have encouraged people to join,” Nkoyooyo said.
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