State House Intensifies Emyooga Fund Recovery in Bugisu Amidst Challenges

State House has launched a robust campaign to recover significant funds from the Emyooga program across the Bugisu sub-region. The initiative aims to address concerns over low loan recovery, alleged fraudulent activities, and a widespread belief among some recipients that the money was a political gift rather than a loan.

A dedicated monitoring and coordination team from State House has engaged with leaders from several districts, including Namisindwa, Mbale, Manafwa, Bududa, Sironko, and Bulambuli, as well as Mbale City. Their objective is to assess the program’s status and bolster efforts to reclaim the disbursed funds.

John Turinawe, head of operations at the Emyooga Monitoring and Coordination Unit, highlighted that the low repayment rates are jeopardizing the program’s core revolving fund model. Emyooga was designed to provide accessible capital to organized enterprise groups through SACCOs, with the expectation that repaid loans would be re-lent to other members.

Officials noted that the perception of Emyooga funds as political rewards is partly linked to its launch in 2020, just before the 2021 general elections. Rita Namuwenge, the national coordinator, stated that some beneficiaries still claim President Museveni personally gave them the money.

Financial figures reveal the scale of the challenge. For instance, Namisindwa received Shs1.2 billion and has recovered only Shs450.4 million, while Sironko, which received Shs2.8 billion, has recovered Shs556 million. Similar low recovery rates are reported in Bulambuli and Bududa.

Beyond repayment issues, alleged fraud poses a significant threat. The monitoring team has identified instances of individuals impersonating government officials and soldiers to access funds. Reports also suggest involvement of some technical staff and actors within the implementation structures.

In response, the national team plans to conduct district-by-district and SACCO-by-SACCO operations to recover embezzled funds and return them to the revolving pool. They are also providing training to newly elected local leaders who may lack prior experience with the program.

Despite these challenges, some SACCOs have successfully utilized Emyooga funds for enterprise growth. The State House team is documenting these successes while identifying obstacles faced by other groups, such as registration and marketing issues. Officials are urging beneficiaries to protect their SACCOs, save diligently, and repay loans to ensure the program’s sustainability and continued support for members.

Source: Nile Post