The Ministry of Gender has tasked security officials with investigating the disappearance of two motorcycles supplied to a beneficiary group, as a nationwide assessment examines accountability and the impact of the government programme.
The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development has launched an investigation into the disappearance of two motorcycles supplied to a beneficiary group under the government’s Jua Kali programme in Lira City, raising concerns about accountability in the use of public resources.
Mercy Faith Lakisa, the Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, said security officials accompanying a ministry monitoring team had taken up the matter to establish what happened to the motorcycles and whether they had been sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of.
“We had a group that received two motorbikes, but there was a bit of contention because we couldn’t produce the motorbikes. We didn’t know where they are, and we didn’t see them,” Lakisa said.
She warned beneficiaries against selling or exchanging government-supplied equipment for money, saying those found culpable would face consequences.
“Even if it is spoilt, we want to find it there in the store. Exchanging it for money is a no,” she said.
The Jua Kali programme was introduced following a presidential directive in the 2016/2017 financial year to support existing informal enterprises with tools and equipment to improve productivity, formalise their operations and create employment opportunities.
During the monitoring exercise, Lakisa visited beneficiary groups involved in motorcycle-based community services, catering and poultry farming to assess how they had used the equipment provided and whether the support had improved their businesses.
She said some groups had made progress, including saving money from their activities and planning to expand into other enterprises.
Lakisa cited a catering group that had accumulated about Shs500,000 in savings and was considering venturing into poultry farming using proceeds from its services.
However, she said inadequate equipment had constrained some beneficiaries’ ability to meet customer demand and expand their businesses.
A women’s catering group, for instance, had received three saucepans, while the Angwet Angwet events group had been supplied with a tent and about 100 chairs, which Lakisa said were insufficient to meet larger orders.
“When someone wants to hire you as an events group and you cannot offer more than one tent or 100 chairs, they may go to another group that can provide a better package,” she said.
Lakisa said the ministry was preparing a status report on the programme to assess its performance and support calls for additional funding to reach more beneficiaries and help existing groups expand their enterprises.
She said the programme could help address youth unemployment if more young people and community groups were supported to establish sustainable businesses.
At BAF Chicken Poultry Farm in Lira City West Division, the minister found that the enterprise had received an incubator under the programme in June.
Daniel Ogwang, the farm’s general manager, said the incubator had a capacity of 1,200 eggs and was expected to enable the enterprise to produce day-old chicks once its parent stock arrived.
He said the farm currently buys chicks from Kampala, increasing transport costs and exposing the birds to stress and possible mortality before they reach the farm.
“Once we start hatching directly from the farm, it will reduce the cost and help us extend our services to many farmer groups within the community, both in Lira City and beyond,” Ogwang said.
He added that the enterprise serves women, young people and other farmer groups interested in poultry farming.
Pamela Mbabazi, a productivity research officer at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, urged beneficiaries to put the equipment to productive use, maintain proper records and use the support to create opportunities for other community members.
“When you receive this equipment, please do not sit down and keep it under your bed. Make sure you utilise this opportunity to grow yourself and grow the community around you. Because, for example, this incubator is going to be able to be used by, actually, the whole community,” Mbabazi said.
She said shared facilities such as the poultry incubator could benefit more people if managed effectively.
Stephen Odongo, the Deputy Resident City Commissioner of Lira City, said coordination among government agencies and local leaders was necessary to ensure public interventions translated into tangible benefits for communities.
“The revolution we are in right now is a revolution of mindset. Where we should be in a position to transition from what has been affecting our communities for a very long period of time and move towards a practical step that will help benefit our people on the ground,” he said.
The monitoring exercise is part of the ministry’s efforts to assess the performance of the Jua Kali programme, identify implementation challenges and establish whether equipment supplied to beneficiary groups is being used for its intended purpose.
The investigation into the missing motorcycles is expected to establish their whereabouts and determine whether any wrongdoing occurred.