Kampala youths struggling to access youth livelihood funds

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kampala Youths are struggling to access funds under the Youth Livelihood Program. URN talked to a couple of youths who applied and qualified but have not received the funds for financial year 2018/2019.

Jonathan Mugagga, heads a 15 member group- Nanganda Lukuli Youth Unisex Salon. The group located in Nanganda zone, Lukuli Parish in Makindye division had planned to open-up a salon in the area. Mugaga says his group fulfilled all the requirements including registering members, opening a bank account and getting an area of operation.

The group presented its proposed project which was assessed and passed by Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA and the Ministry of Gender. He says KCCA visited the premises they wanted to set up their business and later trained members on financial management and how the entire program operates.

All youths who get funds are required to return them periodically. This group had been promised 7.5 million Shillings. Mugagga says that since then, they have not received any funds and yet received no substantial answer from KCCA despite several attempts to follow-up on the funds.

One of the group members of Nanganda Lukuli Youth Unisex Salon Joab Alinanye says that his hopes are now shattered. When he was introduced to the program, he thought it was time to put his Berber skills to use. His dreams have not come true and yet still spends money to visit the division in a bid to follow-up on the program.

Another group Railway Wabigalo Youth Agro-Produce Suppliers has also been struggling to receive funds since last year 2018 when they completed the registration, assessment and training process.

The ten member group pitched an Agro-supply project that was accepted by government and was promised eight million shillings. The group would deal in agricultural produce.

One of the members, Lawrence Mukiibi says that they had booked a place to operate, identified suppliers and even made bookings of the supplies. They have since lost the place they had booked and the supplies, he says. The group had planned to stock supplies during the boom harvest late last year.

Benarld Mukiibi, the chairperson of Railway Wabigalo Youth Agro-Produce Suppliers says they have asked severally that KCCA releases the funds but in vain. He says KCCA has been tossing them since last year. He is losing hope and wondering if the money is really available.

Government created the Youth Livelihood Fund in the 2013/2014 Financial Year to respond to existing challenges of unemployment among the youths. Mukiibi says this has not come true for the youths in Kampala who have not received the funds.

Kiyemba Mudathiru of Amazon Youth Carpentry and Joinery Project in Luwafu Parish says that KCCA has kept promising and not delivering on the funds. He says he together with other groups have reached KCCA but in vain.

Sometimes they are told to wait for a few weeks while sometimes they are told that the problem is with the Ministry of Finance. He says his group members think he is sidelined them.

He says they had put a lot of hope in the program and even borrowed money to undergo the different stages of registration and bank account opening. Despite the efforts, Kiyemba is discontent that their efforts have not paid off.

Lubaga South Youth Councilor Ismail Damba told URN that several group in Lubaga division are affected.

Other groups said to be waiting for the funds include Kimwanyi Wandegeya Youth Dry Cleaners, Lugoba Kazo Angola Youth Goad Rearing and Namere Kawempe II Youth Piggery in Kawempe Division, Kontafrica Kamwokya II Youth Groundnuts project, Zone IV Old Kampala Youth Restaurant and Sserwanga Mengo Youth Boutique in Central Division.

On 12th August 2019, the chairperson of the Youth Councilors Forum Derrick Nyeko wrote to the Ministry of Finance expressing concern about the delayed Funds. He also brought to the notice of the Ministry that the youths are planning to demonstrate.

Nyeko however says that the Ministry has not made any response. However, the spokesperson of the Ministry Jim Mugunga told URN that the Ministry had nothing to do with the funds since they released KCCA’s budget for 2018/2019. The Authority has the mandate to determine specific expenditure centers for the 477.62 billion shillings allocated to it, Mugunga said.

Our efforts to talk to KCCA were futile as the spokesperson Peter Kaujju was not available on several attempts.

*****

URN