KOTIDO, February 11, 2026 — Kotido Municipality is grappling with the recovery of funds disbursed to the beneficiaries under the Emyooga programme, a Government of Ugandan initiative aimed at creating wealth and jobs within communities.
Despite receiving a substantial grant of Shs 560 million, recent disclosures indicate that the recovery rate from associated Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisations [SACCOs] remains dismally low. This has raised concerns among local leaders and residents about the programme’s effectiveness and transparency.
Speaking during his handover ceremony last week, the former Town Clerk of Kotido Municipality, Emmanuel Okaja, expressed alarm over the state of the Emyooga recovery efforts.
According to Okaja, of the initial grant, only Shs 30,910,000 has been saved by the SACCOs, while the actual recovery currently stands at just Shs 6,431,000. This stark disparity highlights a significant shortfall in achieving the government’s objective of uplifting local economies through the initiative.
“The low recovery rate indicates that a large portion of the seed capital remains unrecovered,” Okaja said. “This situation not only hampers the Emyooga initiative but also undermines the economic growth such programmes are intended to foster.”
Okaja’s concerns were echoed by John Lukooki Magezi, the Deputy Resident District Commissioner [RDC] for Kotido, who cited the involvement of “ghost members” in the SACCOs as a major contributor to the poor recovery rates.
During a recent meeting with leaders of various Emyooga SACCOs, some admitted they felt pressured into including civil servants as members, many of whom allegedly lacked genuine commitment to the groups’ objectives.
“It was alarming to see rightful members sidelined as signatories, leaving much of the decision-making power in the hands of individuals without a vested interest in the programme’s success,” said one SACCO leader, who requested anonymity.
While the challenges facing the Emyooga programme have sparked considerable concern, some local leaders are calling for a strategic shift.
Okaja stressed the importance of drawing lessons from similar initiatives, such as the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme [UWEP] and the Youth Livelihood Programme [YLP], which have reportedly achieved better recovery rates. “We need to adopt best practices from these programmes to strengthen the recovery of Emyooga funds,” he suggested.
However, it remains unclear whether the local government will implement effective measures to address the current shortcomings. Community confidence in the Emyooga initiative appears to be wavering, with many questioning the programme’s integrity amid allegations of mismanagement and ghost membership.
Magezi emphasised that the success of Emyooga extends beyond financial recovery. “It is about empowering communities and fostering economic self-sufficiency,” he said, urging leaders to focus on restoring public trust to ensure the initiative fulfils its intended purpose of uplifting local economies and promoting sustainable development.
The Emyooga programme is a presidential initiative launched in August 2019 to transform 68 percent of homesteads from subsistence to market-oriented production by fostering job creation and improving household incomes. It targets 18 specialised categories, including boda boda riders, mechanics, welders, journalists, women entrepreneurs, and market vendors, among others, providing seed capital to SACCOs managed by the Microfinance Support Centre [MSC].
https://thecooperator.news/bushenyi-stakeholders-meet-to-map-recovery-of-emyooga-funds/
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