Tension and disappointment are brewing among youth living in the ghettos of Mukono District, who claim they never benefited from the money President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni pledged to support them with in 2023.
In December 2023, President Museveni promised to give each ghetto Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization (SACCO) Shs100 million to help members start small businesses and improve their livelihoods. The initiative, launched under his nationwide ghetto empowerment program, aimed to transform struggling urban youths and steer them away from poverty and crime.
However, nearly a year after the funds reportedly hit the SACCO accounts in July last year, many residents in Mukono’s ghettos say they have not seen a single coin of the promised money. They accuse their leaders of diverting the funds for personal gain and sidelining genuine beneficiaries.
Semakula added that the betrayal has left many ghetto youths disillusioned, warning that without government intervention, some may revert to criminal activities as a means of survival.
Another resident, Zahara Namuswa, a single mother living in Mukono’s ghetto, accused their chairperson, Ssalongo Dickson Maziga, and his executive committee of mismanaging the funds. She said that despite repeated demands for accountability, the leaders refused to explain how the money was spent.
Other leaders, such as Kayira Alvin, who heads a ghetto group in Beganzi, Mukono Central Division, said they tried to follow up on the funds but were told that the money had been handled by “officials from above.” He noted that the controversy has created mistrust and divisions among the youth, as some beneficiaries were allegedly selected based on favoritism and political connections.
When contacted for comment, the embattled ghetto chairperson, Ssalongo Maziga Dickson, dismissed the allegations as baseless. He insisted that some beneficiaries had indeed received loans but misused the funds.
He further revealed that General Christopher Damulira, the Director of Criminal Investigations, had earlier advised them to keep politics out of the ghetto empowerment program, noting that some individuals were using it to sow divisions among the youth.
The SACCO treasurer, Daudi Were, echoed Maziga’s defense, urging members to remain patient as efforts continue to reconcile records and resolve misunderstandings.
Despite these assurances, frustration remains high among the ghetto children and youth in Mukono. Many fear that without proper oversight, the President’s initiative—which was intended to uplift them from poverty—may instead deepen their sense of neglect and hopelessness.
As investigations continue, residents are calling on State House to intervene directly to ensure that future disbursements of ghetto funds reach the rightful beneficiaries.
