Mukono ghetto leaders have lauded President Yoweri Museveni for giving them financial and logistical push in a new round of financial support towards youth in poor neighborhoods to start small income generating projects.
There was excitement in Kame Valley Market at the offices of Mukono Ghettos, as managers of the ghetto saccos walked in with a plaque cheque, in the name of “Mukono Industrial Area Ghetto Savings and Credit Cooperative Society Ltd. Amount Ugx100 million.”
Vendors in the market said they never expected the money to come soon, and joined the managers of the sacco in a dance.
“We thank President Museveni for fulfilling his pledge made at Kololo on December 20, 2023 that he would give each ghetto division Sacco at least Ugx100 million,” Salongo Mazinga, the coordinator of ghettos in Mukono district.
Mr Mazinga explained that members of the ghetto saccos have been undergoing training to prepare them to receive these funds. “We trained and we are still training them to learn financial skills such as savings, and entrepreneurship development.”
“The president asked us to ensure there is impact out of these funds and we are going to mobilize these youths to turn away from crime, and instead join the money economy.”
Mazinga says their meeting with the president was historical and beneficial because the head of state was directly engaging with real ghetto people.
“The president promised each division three motorcycles, two of which to be used for boda boda to earn our offices some money to run the office. One motorcycle is for office work.”
Ms Nyumera Shamira, Mukono Ghetto Office secretary appreciated Crime Intelligence bosses, including Gen Christopher Ddamulira and Major Emmanuel Kuteesa, Afande Acwam Enoth, and security in Mukono for suppo rting them in their work.
“We pray they continue supporting us as we advocate for more benefits for the ghetto community in Mukono.” Ms Nyumera said.
Mukono ghetto Sacco has about 1100 members. However, the association works with ghettos across Mukono district.
Ghetto on top
President Museveni on July 31, met the leaders of the ghetto SACCOs in Kampala Metropolitan Area, including Mukono at State House Entebbe, where he disbursed Ug1.2 billion.
The group included 100 ghetto youth leaders who are also the heads of the 12 ghetto SACCOs in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono.
The beneficiaries of the SACCOs are from; Rubaga Kakeeka Zone dwellers, Kasangati Ghetto Community, Kampala Central Division, Nakawa Division, Makindye East, Kawempe South, Makindye west, Kawempe North, Mukono industrial, Kasokoso, Nansana division and Masajja Para Zone ghetto in Makindye.
During the meeting, the President underscored the role of the ghetto people in the liberation of Uganda.
“What you call ghetto people, in the 1950s used to be called “Abawejere” and they were centred around Katwe. When Uganda was fighting for Independence, much of the activities were around Katwe and I think the first offices of the Uganda National Congress were located in Katwe and that is where I think Dr. I.K Musazi and Dr. Barnabas Kunuka and others operated from. Even Augustino Kamya who organised the boycott of Indian goods in 1958 was from Katwe,” the President said.
President Museveni also rallied the ghetto youths to hold their leaders accountable and demand what is meant for them.
The President cautioned the ghetto youths against being used by politicians with selfish motives who always land them into criminality.
The Minister of Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda who President Museveni baptized as “Mama Ghetto”, thanked the Ugandan leader for the support towards the ghetto people, a manifest that they are part and parcel of Uganda and contribute toward the development of Uganda.
The Director of Crime Intelligence and project coordinator, Brig Gen. Christopher Ddamulira said the ghetto project started under the guidance of President Museveni in March 2022 and he has been working on it with his team under the leadership of the Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda and the State House Comptroller, Ms. Jane Barekye.
“Previously, these ghetto youth did not have leadership but one thing which we did was to create leadership from the youth themselves, so we conducted elections through which we got leaders at zone, parish and division level.”
He added that the structure was launched by the Minister of Internal Affairs in August 2022 at Lugogo Indoor Stadium and upon the launch, they started on the process of organising the youths into SACCOs because they noticed that previously a number of people would lobby from the government for the ghetto youths, get resources, which never reach the intended recipients.
Brig. Gen. Ddamulira further noted that the intervention has started yielding fruits by tremendously reducing criminality in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono.
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