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Vulnerable groups to receive cash by Friday
Uganda's legal tender. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Although the government said the identification exercise would be done by only town clerks, political leaders protested the plan.
People who fall under the vulnerable category in Kampala and other earmarked cities and municipalities will start receiving their Covid-19 relief cash this week, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) deputy executive director David Luyimbazi has said.
Mr Luyimbazi sits on the Kampala Covid-19 taskforce team.
“By Friday, people should have started getting their money but it’s likely to be earlier. The display of the names will be done by Tuesday and we will then send the approved list to the Ministry of Gender for clearance,” Mr Luyimbazi told Daily Monitor yesterday.
He was responding to complaints of why it has taken time for the government to send the cash.
Mr Luyimbazi said the identification exercise had been delayed by inadequate resources and political interference.
However, he said the exercise was done on Sunday and the lists have now been sent to the town clerks of the five city divisions for display before they can be sent to the Ministry of Gender for payment.
The spokesperson of the Gender ministry, Mr Frank Mugabi, confirmed the development.
Mr Mugabi said as of yesterday afternoon, they had so far received 500 names of beneficiaries from the various municipalities, but said their target is 500,000 people.
“Today (yesterday) was the day to start receiving the names and we will be paying what comes in. We hope that by tomorrow (today), more municipalities will have sent in the names of beneficiaries,” he said.
When the President imposed a second lockdown on June 18, the Prime Minister, Ms Robinah Nabbanja, said the government would spend Shs54b on vulnerable people among which include taxi and bodaboda operators, bar attendants, gym instructors and single mothers. Each vulnerable person is expected to get Shs100, 000 by mobile money.
Although the government said the identification exercise would be done by only town clerks, political leaders protested the plan, saying the latter may not know the vulnerable groups.
However, Mr Luyimbazi said the government did not want a humanitarian issue to be politicised, and that’s why town clerks and other security officials were involved to avoid duplication.
“We involved the technical people because we want only the affected people to get the money,” he said.
Asked about cases where some people are missing on the lists which were displayed at city divisions yesterday, Mr Luyimbazi said their teams will handle any anomalies. Mr Mugabi said the lists will allow the government to pay the exact beneficiaries, adding that people should remain calm and verify whether they are genuine.
