Emyooga leaders urged to clean up registers, revive SACCOs ahead of loan recovery drive
SOROTI CITY, May 6, 2026 — Leaders of Emyooga SACCOs in Soroti City have been directed to streamline their membership registers and revitalise dormant savings groups ahead of a government crackdown on loan recovery.
Speaking during the annual general meetings [AGMs] of 13 Emyooga SACCOs over the weekend, the Soroti City Commercial Officer, George William Tukei, called for active member participation, not inflated membership lists.
“It is not about having 30 members on paper when only seven attend meetings. We need members who participate and are able to save,” Tukei said.
He noted that some SACCO leaders fear enforcement measures because they themselves defaulted after being among the first beneficiaries. He urged them to repay their loans received from government in order to credibly demand accountability from others.
“Settle your loans, because enforcement will come, with or without embarrassment,” he warned, adding that beneficiaries must take ownership of their SACCOs and stop treating Emyooga funds as handouts.
Tukei revealed that only 13 of the 18 SACCOs in Soroti City West have so far been audited. He cautioned that failure to complete audits could hinder permanent registration and may lead to deregistration, making future reactivation difficult.
He also encouraged SACCO leaders to hold regular monthly meetings to address operational challenges and pass resolutions.
Addressing members, the Soroti City West Deputy Resident City Commissioner, James Small Chemutai, directed the commercial office to conduct monitoring visits to verify how funds are being utilised.
“There are serious irregularities in how these government resources are being handled. These funds are meant to help us move out of poverty,” Chemutai said.
He pledged to restore order in the city before the end of his tenure and urged beneficiaries to use the funds productively.
“A time will come when you will have to account for why you remain poor despite government support,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Emyooga Coordinator for Soroti City, Frances Alengot, warned SACCOs to submit the required certification documents or risk deregistration by the ministry.
She stressed the need for continuous sensitisation, noting that misinformation, particularly claims that the funds were free, had contributed to poor repayment rates.
Emyooga is a presidential initiative launched in August 2019 to promote wealth and job creation by supporting SACCOs across 18 specialised enterprise categories, including boda boda operators, market vendors, hairdressers, welders, journalists, restaurant owners and carpenters. The programme targets households engaged in subsistence production, providing seed capital to boost incomes and livelihoods.
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