Museveni Orders Audit of Shs 231 Billion in Veterans' Wealth Creation Funds

President Yoweri Museveni has mandated a comprehensive audit of approximately Shs 231 billion disbursed over the years to support government wealth creation initiatives for veterans. This directive was issued during the virtual Heroes’ Day celebrations.

The audit will scrutinize how these funds, distributed since 2008, have been utilized and whether the intended beneficiaries have received their allocated support. A key focus will be revisiting resolutions from a 2009 meeting where government committed Shs 5 million to liberation war leaders and their spouses, and Shs 1.5 million to other cadres. The review aims to ascertain the amount each category received and the program’s overall success in enhancing household incomes.

President Museveni clarified that the Shs 231 billion does not include agricultural inputs provided through Operation Wealth Creation (OWC). He recalled prioritizing veterans’ families for OWC seedling distribution to foster commercial agriculture and indicated that OWC leaders would also participate in the upcoming meeting to account for their interventions.

Acknowledging that many veterans have passed away, the President stated that the government would explore ways to ensure surviving family members, particularly children, continue to benefit from these programs. He also proposed reforming veterans’ Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations (Saccos), suggesting smaller, community-based structures similar to the Parish Development Model, to improve accountability and accessibility.

Further initiatives include establishing seedling multiplication centers at presidential farms to ensure a consistent supply of quality planting materials for veterans involved in agriculture. These efforts are intended to complement existing wealth-creation programs and boost veteran household productivity. The Minister of State for the Luwero Triangle, Alice Kaboyo, reported that over 13,000 veterans have received gratuities in the current phase, with ongoing support including housing and enterprise grants. She also advocated for increased funding for affirmative action programs in specific regions.

The impending audit seeks to enhance accountability and the effectiveness of wealth-creation strategies for former liberation fighters and their families.

Source: The Observer (Uganda)