GULU CITY, June 4, 2025 –– The Gulu City Local Leaders’ Emyooga SACCO in Bardege-Layibi Division is set to disburse Shs 70 million in loan to member savings groups this month.
Patrick Yoorach, Chairperson of the SACCO, confirmed that disbursements will begin on next Monday, starting with the group “Mok-Tami,” which applied for Shs 29mln. “We are issuing loans based on members’ savings contributions to the SACCO,” he said.
He noted that the SACCO had previously faced challenges with the bank in processing their account, but these have since been resolved. The initial loan amounts will range between Shs 400,000 and Shs 4mln, with a six-month repayment period, as per guidance from the Community Development Officer [CDO].
Yoorach emphasised that, during his two-year tenure, he is committed to ensuring accountability and warned against misusing the funds. He criticised some members of the community for believing the funds are a political reward and thus not repayable. “This money is not free. It is meant to empower and transform lives,” he said.
The SACCO is also expecting an additional Shs 20mln from the government and plans to request this from the Microfinance Support Centre.
Yoorach recalled that the SACCO was established in 2019 during the COVID-19 pandemic, initially receiving Shs 50mln. Of this, Shs 30mln was disbursed to three groups, although recovery was poor. “This time, we are determined to do better,” he said.
Innocent Olara, the SACCO’s Loans Officer and a member of Rubanga Mamiyo Saving and Loan Association, stated that loan disbursement will follow strict guidelines and that loan officers have been appointed in each group to monitor repayments.
Principal Commercial Officer for Gulu City, George Nickolas Kidega, urged SACCO leaders to lend only to members with genuine businesses. He advised that only seven members per group should receive funds initially, to ease monitoring of repayments.
“All loan repayments must be made directly to the bank – not to loan officers or fellow members,” he warned. “We are in a digital age and should avoid risky cash handling.”
Kidega also revealed that Gulu City was allocated Shs 720mln from the Microfinance Support Centre to benefit 36 SACCOs across Gulu West and East divisions. So far, only 11 SACCOs have each received Shs 20mln, leaving about Shs 600mln unutilised due to incomplete applications.
“This poses a challenge if the President visits to review the project’s impact, as the funds are not yet revolving among members,” he said. He reminded the public that Emyooga funds are intended to support business activities, not for general handouts.
Kidega criticised SACCO leaders who have failed to recover loans from members and said the rollout of the Parish Development Model [PDM] has diverted attention from Emyooga. “Sixteen groups are still active in Gulu City, but many others have shifted focus to PDM,” he noted.
He also warned that beneficiaries of the PDM programme would not be eligible for Emyooga funds.
Caroline Auma, Assistant Deputy Resident City Commissioner for Pece-Laroo Division, commended President Yoweri Museveni’s government for supporting SACCOs in the Acholi Sub-region. She called on group leaders to carefully assess beneficiaries’ businesses before releasing funds.
“As the President’s representative in Gulu City, we will continue to monitor Emyooga closely to ensure it contributes to household incomes and the national economy,” she said.
The Emyooga project, launched in August 2019, is a presidential initiative aimed at promoting wealth creation and employment through support to organised groups engaged in market-oriented production. It targets the transformation of approximately 68 percent of Ugandan households from subsistence farming to commercial livelihoods.
https://thecooperator.news/gulu-city-urges-owc-to-deliver-coffee-seedlings-on-time/
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