KAPCHORWA, October 20, 2026 — Kapchorwa Municipal Council has called for increased vaccination of livestock and poultry against contagious diseases, improved access to financial services for women and stronger recovery of funds disbursed under government livelihood programmes.
The resolutions were adopted during a council sitting last Friday at the Kapchorwa Municipal Council offices in Kapchorwa Municipality.
The meeting considered issues concerning animal health, community development, women’s economic empowerment and the sustainability of government-funded livelihood programmes.
The resolutions were presented by Ruth Chekwemboi, Chairperson of the Social and Community-Based Services Committee, and Chemangei Sande Alfred, Chairperson of the Works, Production and Technical Services Committee.
Council calls for livestock vaccination
Presenting the report on works, production and technical services, Chemangei urged farmers to vaccinate their livestock and poultry against preventable diseases.
The council identified anthrax and foot-and-mouth disease as major threats to livestock, alongside Newcastle disease, which often affects poultry.
Chemangei said farmers needed to work closely with veterinary officers to access vaccination services, identify disease symptoms early and report suspected outbreaks to the relevant authorities.
“Farmers need to understand the importance of vaccinating their animals against contagious diseases. Prevention is essential in reducing losses, protecting livestock and poultry, and safeguarding the livelihoods of our communities,” he said.
He also called for closer collaboration between municipal authorities, veterinary personnel and farmers to improve awareness of animal health and strengthen disease prevention.
Animal diseases can cause significant economic losses through livestock deaths, reduced productivity, veterinary costs and restrictions on the movement and sale of animals. Newcastle disease can similarly cause substantial losses among poultry farmers, affecting household incomes and food security.
The council said its advocacy efforts would encourage farmers to adopt responsible livestock management practices and seek professional veterinary guidance on vaccination schedules and disease control.
Anthrax requires particular attention because it can be transmitted from infected animals to humans. Farmers are advised not to handle or slaughter animals suspected of having anthrax and to report suspected cases immediately to veterinary authorities.
Council seeks improved access to loans for women
Meanwhile, Chekwemboi, who chairs the Social and Community-Based Services Committee, presented matters concerning community empowerment, with emphasis on improving women’s access to financial opportunities under the GROW project.
The council resolved to continue engaging financial institutions to identify ways of improving women’s access to loans and ensuring that more women benefit from available financing opportunities.
Chekwemboi said women needed adequate information and support to take advantage of financial opportunities that could help them establish or expand businesses and improve household incomes.
“We need continuous engagement with banking institutions so that more women can benefit from the Grow Loan initiative. Women play an important role in household development and community transformation, and improving their access to financing can help them strengthen their businesses and incomes,” she said.
She said collaboration between local government and financial institutions was necessary to identify and address barriers that women face when seeking financial services.
Such challenges may include difficulties understanding loan application procedures, meeting lending requirements and managing repayment arrangements.
The council said continued engagement with financial institutions would also encourage beneficiaries to understand loan conditions, use borrowed funds productively and fulfil their repayment obligations.
Council pushes recovery of YLP, UWEP funds
The council also called for continued engagement with beneficiaries of the Youth Livelihood Programme [YLP] and Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme [UWEP] to strengthen recovery of funds and ensure the sustainability of the programmes.
The two government initiatives were established to support young people and women to undertake income-generating activities and improve their economic circumstances.
The council noted that the long-term sustainability of revolving fund programmes partly depends on beneficiaries repaying the funds according to the agreed arrangements, allowing the recovered money to support other eligible groups.
Chekwemboi said local leaders and technical officers should maintain contact with beneficiaries, follow up on outstanding payments and sensitise them about their repayment obligations.
“Continuous engagement with the youth and women who benefited from these programmes is necessary. We must encourage beneficiaries to fulfil their repayment obligations so that the recovered funds can support other eligible groups in our communities,” she said.
The council said follow-up should also help identify challenges affecting repayment and enable authorities to engage beneficiaries on practical solutions.
Rather than treating recovery solely as a collection exercise, the municipality can use the process to understand challenges beneficiaries face in running their enterprises and meeting repayment schedules.
Relevant programme officers can, where necessary, guide beneficiaries on their obligations and procedures provided for under the applicable programme guidelines.
Council seeks stronger community development
The resolutions adopted during the council sitting reflect the municipality’s efforts to address agricultural risks while expanding economic opportunities for women and young people.
The council’s priorities include promoting livestock and poultry vaccination, improving women’s access to financing under the Grow Loan initiative and strengthening recovery of funds provided through YLP and UWEP.
Effective implementation will require cooperation among councillors, municipal technical staff, veterinary officers, financial institutions, community leaders and programme beneficiaries.
The council said the resolutions provide a framework for further engagement and follow-up aimed at protecting farmers’ livelihoods, increasing women’s economic participation and ensuring that government livelihood funds continue to benefit communities across Kapchorwa Municipality.
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