Masaka City Woman MP Justine Nameere says she will lobby financial institutions to offer affordable loans and seek increased Parish Development Model funding to support traders and low-income households.
State Minister for Local Government and Masaka City Woman MP Justine Nameere has pledged to fight exploitative money lenders and lobby for affordable credit to protect residents from crippling debts and the loss of property.
Nameere said she would engage financial institutions and other stakeholders to explore ways of bringing lower-interest loan facilities to Masaka City, particularly for traders, small-scale entrepreneurs and low-income earners who struggle to access affordable financing.
She made the remarks while addressing her supporters in Nyendo, Masaka City, following the dismissal of an election petition filed by her political rival, Rose Nalubowa, challenging her victory.
On October 21, the High Court in Masaka dismissed Nalubowa’s petition, ruling that although irregularities occurred during a vote recount, she had failed to prove that they substantially affected the election outcome.
The court ordered Nalubowa to pay the costs of the petition.
Nameere said the legal dispute had affected her ability to concentrate fully on her leadership responsibilities but maintained that she was now ready to focus on residents’ concerns and improve service delivery.
She said some residents were struggling to repay loans from commercial lenders and money lenders, with high interest rates leaving borrowers financially distressed and exposing some to the risk of losing their property.
“We need financial institutions that can offer our people affordable loans at reasonable interest rates. Our traders and other residents should be able to borrow money to develop their businesses without being trapped in endless debts or losing the property they have worked so hard to acquire,” Nameere said.
She said affordable credit was important for supporting small businesses, creating jobs and improving household incomes. She pledged to engage financial institutions and other stakeholders on opportunities to establish or expand lending services under more favourable terms.
Beyond access to credit, Nameere pledged to address challenges affecting residents, including inadequate market facilities, education needs and the welfare of low-income earners who depend on street-based businesses for their livelihoods.
She said she would engage relevant authorities to identify practical solutions for traders and other vulnerable groups, adding that market improvements and support for people operating in difficult conditions should be among the city’s priorities.
“My responsibility is to serve the people of Masaka and work towards finding solutions to the challenges affecting their daily lives. We need to pay attention to our traders, improve market facilities and ensure that vulnerable people are not left behind in the city's development,” she said.
Nameere also pledged to lobby the government for increased funding under the Parish Development Model (PDM), which channels revolving funds through parish-level savings and credit cooperative organisations to support income-generating activities.
Government figures show that Shs4.4 trillion had been transferred to 10,589 parishes nationwide by June 30, 2026.
She said additional resources would enable more beneficiaries to access financing, invest in productive ventures and reduce their dependence on expensive borrowing.
“We need to lobby for more resources under the Parish Development Model so that more of our people can benefit. When residents receive the support they need and invest it in productive activities, they can improve their incomes, support their families and contribute to the development of our communities,” Nameere said.
She urged authorities responsible for implementing government poverty alleviation programmes to ensure that support reaches intended beneficiaries and translates into tangible improvements in household livelihoods.
In a message of reconciliation, Nameere called on Nalubowa and other political leaders who opposed her during the election period to put aside their differences and cooperate on issues affecting residents.
She said political competition should not prevent elected leaders and their opponents from working together to improve service delivery and advance development initiatives.
“Elections are over, and our people expect us to deliver. I call upon Rose Nalubowa and all other leaders, regardless of their political affiliation, to join hands with us so that we can work together to improve the lives of the people of Masaka,” she said.
Nameere maintained that her priorities were to improve access to affordable credit, support vulnerable residents, strengthen household incomes and address challenges affecting service delivery across Masaka City.