President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has delivered on his promise to provide 36 motorcycles to 12 ghetto Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) in the Kampala Metropolitan Area.
The motorcycles were handed over by the State House Comptroller, Ms. Jane Barekye, during a ceremony held at the Gaza Tough Empire, a well-known ghetto structure in Bwaise.
Each SACCO received three motorcycles to boost their income-generating activities.
The beneficiary SACCOs include Kawempe North Ghetto Cooperative Society Ltd, Masajja Para Zone Ghetto Youth Development SACCO Ltd, Kasokoso Ghetto Cooperative Society Ltd, Kawempe South Ghetto Cooperative Society Ltd, Makindye West Youths with Skills Cooperative Society Ltd, Kampala Kisenyi III Ghetto SACCO Ltd, Rubaga Kakeeka Zone Dwellers Cooperative Society Ltd, Nakawa Division Ghetto Cooperative Society Ltd, Makindye East Ghetto Youth Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd, Nansana Division Ghetto SACCO Ltd, Kasangati Ghetto Community SACCO, and Mukono Industrial Area Ghettos SACCO Ltd.
While delivering the motorcycles, Ms. Barekye conveyed President Museveni’s message urging the ghetto youth to work hard, stay disciplined, and love their country.
“The motorcycles you have received are not meant to sit idle in your offices but to enhance the incomes of your SACCOs and further your prosperity,” Barekye emphasized.
The distribution of motorcycles follows President Museveni’s earlier pledge of shs1.2 billion to the 12 SACCOs, made during a meeting with ghetto SACCO leaders at State House Entebbe in July 2024.
The funds were intended to help the SACCOs engage in small businesses, artisanal work, and other income-generating activities.
Ms. Barekye also reminded the ghetto youth of the government’s ongoing support for their enterprises and called for transparency in managing their SACCO funds.
“The money provided by the President is to uplift your standards by increasing household incomes. We will monitor your progress to ensure that it is used for its intended purpose of getting you out of poverty,” she added.
Brig Gen. Christopher Ddamulira, Director of Crime Intelligence and coordinator of the ghetto structure project, expressed his gratitude to President Museveni for fulfilling his pledges and acknowledged the positive changes within the ghetto communities over the past three years.
“Ghetto areas that were once hubs of criminality have now transformed into progressive and hardworking communities,” Brig Gen. Ddamulira remarked.
The national chairman of ghetto structures, Shafik Kalyango, assured Ms. Barekye that the shs1.2 billion received in July has already been put to use, with members accessing the funds for their projects.
“We are very happy to receive our motorcycles today. I thank President Museveni for understanding the ghetto people and allowing them to participate in national development,” Kalyango said.
As part of the ongoing efforts, Maj. Emmanuel Kuteesa, another coordinator of the ghetto structure project, informed the State House Comptroller that steps are being taken to ensure ghetto youth acquire national identification cards, enabling them to open bank accounts and transition into serious business ventures.
