Bunyoro youth urged to form SACCOs to enhance livelihoods
HOIMA, July 21, 2026 – Youth in the Bunyoro Sub-region stand to benefit more from government programmes, opportunities in the oil and gas industry, and improved livelihoods if they form Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations [SACCOs], according to a top government official.
The call was made by Canon Benson Turamye, the Executive Director of the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority [PPDA].
He was speaking on Thursday during the official opening of the PPDA Mid-Western Regional Office, located in Kijungu Cell, Hoima East Division, Hoima City.
Turamye said there are numerous opportunities available to help young people join the money economy, but noted that many prefer to work as individuals rather than in organised groups.
He revealed that PPDA has reserved opportunities for young people to participate in public procurement, but only a few have taken advantage of them because they are not adequately organised.
“We have provided opportunities for the youth to take a share of public procurement, amounting to 15% of procurement budgets, but they have to be organised. They have to be registered, even if it is as a community-based organisation or a SACCO. This is the easiest way and it is not necessarily a requirement to be registered with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau,” he said.
Turamye added that the government had also established the Youth Livelihood Programme to provide financial support for income-generating activities, but stressed that such initiatives primarily benefit organised and prepared groups.
“All these opportunities are deliberately provided to support the youth because they are many, and the country is at risk if they are not engaged in productive work, have money in their pockets and have jobs,” he added.
He said the new PPDA regional office will regulate 446 procuring and disposing entities, including local governments, noting that the initiative is part of the Authority’s strategy to bring services closer to the people while promoting transparency, accountability and compliance with procurement laws and guidelines.
“We envisage that this office will become a centre of excellence for procurement governance in the Bunyoro region, supporting districts and MDAs that we regulate to comply with procurement rules and procedures, strengthen procurement planning and contract management, promote fair competition and ultimately enhance value for money in public expenditure,” he said.
Hoima City Resident Commissioner Hajji Baduru Mugabi pledged to mobilise young people to take advantage of such opportunities so they can improve their livelihoods, noting that the biggest challenge facing the youth is a lack of information.
He also welcomed the opening of the regional office, describing it as long overdue.
Mugabi said the office would strengthen compliance with procurement procedures and guidelines, which are sometimes ignored by duty bearers. He added that the numerous development projects underway in Hoima City and the wider Bunyoro region require close oversight to ensure that procurement processes are properly followed.
“Just in the last two years, government has spent more than Shs 3 trillion in this region. In Hoima City alone, two years ago we spent Shs 55 billion under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development programme [USMID], and now we have Shs 13bln to spend under USMID. Two years ago, we spent Shs 480bln on Hoima City Stadium, while works worth Shs 26bln are ongoing at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital. These are significant investments that must be properly managed, and without expert support from an authority like PPDA, we could face serious challenges,” he said.
Hoima City Mayor Edward Isingoma said the establishment of the PPDA regional office had come at the right time, given the numerous infrastructure projects, including those in the oil and gas sector, being implemented in the region.
He said effective oversight of procurement processes is essential to ensure value for money and efficient service delivery.
“The opening of PPDA offices here is timely because there is substantial government investment in the region, including the construction of Kabalega International Airport, oil roads, Hoima City Stadium and the upgrading of health facilities. All these projects go through the procurement process. Having the office here will strengthen oversight of procurement systems to ensure procedures are followed, improve efficiency and effectiveness, and ultimately guarantee value for money and better service delivery,” he said.
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