GULU, February 12, 2025 – The Anyim pa Drivers Association, under the Aswa Taxi Operators’ Emyooga SACCO in Gulu district, has acquired a used taxi worth Shs 18 million, which is expected to significantly boost their daily incomes.
The association’s taxi is the first to operate on the Gulu-Awach route, a route that has primarily relied on motorcycles and tuk-tuks. The owners charge passengers 8,000 shillings for a trip to Awach, which became Gulu district’s new headquarters following Gulu Municipality’s elevation to city status on July 1, 2020.
The taxi was officially commissioned by John Bosco Tumwesigye, the Gulu Resident District Commissioner, on January 19, 2025, and has since started bringing money to the association’s bank account.
Patrick Kitara, the Focal Person for the Emyooga Programme in Gulu district, explained to theCooperator News that the group purchased a second-hand vehicle due to limited funds, which prevented them from buying a brand-new taxi.
“The taxi association has 12 members. They were able to mobilise 30 percent of their savings, amounting to Shs 5.7 million, and we provided them with Shs 19 million to purchase the vehicle,” he said.
Kitara also mentioned, “The district has retained the logbook of the taxi, as the vehicle is not yet the property of the Anyim pa Drivers Association until they have repaid the full amount.”
Kitara encouraged other members of the public to embrace the Emyooga Programme to pursue income-generating projects, highlighting that the government initiative offers affordable credit to beneficiaries, in contrast to the higher interest rates charged by commercial banks.
According to figures from programme implementers, a total of 1,180 individuals in Gulu district have benefited from Emyooga Programme since it was launched in the district.
Mario Akena Onek, the Chairperson of the Anyim pa Drivers Association, shared plans to acquire a second taxi to further expand their transportation business. Akena noted that the association was formed in 2021, with the primary goal of lifting its members out of poverty.
The Emyooga Programme is a government initiative launched in August 2019. It focuses on 18 sectors, including boda-boda riders, women entrepreneurs, carpenters, salon operators, taxi operators, restaurant owners, welders, market vendors, and political leaders, among others.
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