Return Shs400m 2016 youth fund-Minister Mateke tells Rukiga groups

By Moses Agaba

Rukiga

Rukiga is struggling to recover more than 400 million Shillings that were given to women groups under the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program-UWEP and Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) funds.

The fund was set up by the government in the 2015-2016 financial year, to mainly improve access to financial services by women and equip them with skills for enterprise growth, value addition and creation of a market for their products and services. The funds are given to women with already established business enterprises who receive interest-free revolving credit to strengthen their enterprises. YLP is a nationwide government intervention intended to improve the socioeconomic status of vulnerable youth aged 18-30 years by equipping them with skills and start-up capital to improve their quality of life.

On Tuesday during the belated, International Youth Day celebrations, Joshua Katabazi a youth leader from Rwamucucu Sub County Rukiga District asked the government through the State Minister of Youth and Children Affairs Sarah Nyirabashitsi Mateke who was the guest of honour that government needs to

“ Hon Minister many youths and women that took the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Program-UWEP and Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) funds have abandoned their homes have go into hiding as they don’t have the money to repay as the NRM Government is known for being a peoples government we ask that they be forgiven “. Said Katabazi

Gibs Barigayomwe, The Rukiga youth chairperson, said after getting the money, many beneficiaries reportedly shared the money among themselves and dissolved the groups saying that they have about 12 youth groups in the district, but the majority of the youth fled the district after sharing the money. Other youths had no experience in managing their businesses and some got excited after seeing money and misused it. We will continue to sensitise them to see that they recover the money to enable others to access it since it’s a revolving fund.

Mateke called on the beneficiaries to return the funds so that others can benefit from the programmes saying that ever since the YLP started, Rukiga District has received Ugx 453.7m but only Ugx 53m has been recovered adding that under UWEP, the government disbursed Ugx 480.4m to the district but only Ugx 184m was refunded.

She said that if Rukiga is to get money again, they have to first show that the beneficiaries start repaying because this is the money that will be given to other youth and women so that they can also benefit, If they do not recover the money the district will not get money for your district,” the minister said.

Nyirabashitsi added: “Let me be point blank, the percentage you are going to get will depend on how much you have recovered. For women, I want to thank them because they are trying, but we also request that the women who have the money, please you pay back so that we can give you more funds.”

Fred Nayebare Kyamuzigita the Rukiga Resident District Commissioner (RDC), said some youth were not trained and sensitized on project selection before they were given the funds.

He said some of the youth misused the money or invested it in unprofitable projects, which is affecting the recovery as of now they are striving hard to see that they recover at least half by the end of this year. If they fail, then some of them will be arrested.

Mateke Nyirabashitsi also decried the rise in domestic violence, gender-based violence, child abuse and child abandonment cases, saying these hinder the development of families and the country.

“Every month, we register 40 cases of domestic violence. We get 40 gender-based violence cases per month, 20 cases per month of parents abandoning their children, and 30 cases of child abuse, which is very sad,” she said.

International Youth Day is marked annually on August 12. The day is used to promote awareness and draw attention to youth issues in the world and also for governments to evaluate the different policies, programmes and interventions put up to empower youth.