By Aggrey Baba
Ghetto youths in Bugiri District have expressed concern over alleged irregularities in the distribution of UGX 100 million that President Yoweri Museveni allocated to support urban ghetto structures across the country.
The money, which was meant to empower youth operating small-scale businesses, in kiosks and stalls, was distributed in Bugiri under the supervision of the Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr. Paul Mwidu Kalikwani.
However, several youths say the exercise was characterized by disparities, favoritism, and lack of transparency.
Information gathered from the affected youths, particularly those based along Obama Street (the prime ghetto) in Bugiri Town, indicates that some beneficiaries received as little as UGX 50,000 while others got as much as UGX 200,000, while others got nothing at all. The criteria used to determine how much each person received and who qualified for the funds remains unclear.
According to the youths, the funds were meant for ghetto hustlers who earn a living through small ventures like chapati stalls, phone repair kiosks, and second-hand clothes businesses among others.
However, a significant portion of the money reportedly went to landlords and individuals with established businesses, some of whom are not part of the targeted ghetto structures.
There are also reports that certain individuals who benefited from the money had to give a portion back to those involved in the distribution process. Some youths allege that this kickback arrangement was facilitated through individuals close to the RDC’s office.
Efforts by our reporter to obtain a comment from Mr. Paul Mwidu Kalikwani were unsuccessful, as calls to his known mobile contact (ending with 99) went unanswered.
Sources within the RDC’s circles indicate that the funds may have been disbursed before formal clearance from the central government. The matter has reportedly caused unrest among youth leaders and SACCO members who expected equal treatment under the program.
The UGX 100 million funding per division is part of Museveni’s broader plan to support urban ghetto youth and promote self-employment among low-income earners. The initiative was recently announced at Mbogo Grounds in Kawempe, where the President pledged to increase the amount from UGX 100 million per division to UGX 1 billion as part of his long-term youth empowerment strategy.
According to Major Emmanuel Kutesa, the head of the national ghetto youth structures, the program is meant to create economic opportunities for youths in informal settlements through organized SACCOs. In Kampala, several of these SACCOs have successfully used the funds to start and expand small enterprises.
In Bugiri, however, the implementation appears to have deviated from the intended model. Youths who were part of the registration exercise say they followed all procedures but were later excluded from the final list of beneficiaries. Some of them claim that individuals with close links to local leaders dominated the allocation process.
A source within the district confirmed that all Resident District Commissioners have been summoned to State House for a meeting to receive new directives on how to manage and distribute the funds fairly, a meeting expected to address complaints arising from districts like Bugiri, where tensions are already high among ghetto groups.
Youth leaders in Bugiri have since called for an audit of the exercise and a fresh review of the beneficiary lists to ensure the program benefits the intended groups. They argue that if the disparities are not addressed, the presidential empowerment initiative risks losing public trust and failing to achieve its purpose of transforming the ghetto economy.
President Museveni is expected to be in Bugiri, on November 17th, for his campaigns ahead of 2026 presidential elections. The disparities in the distribution of the funds is among the issues the youths expect him to address, saying if he doesn’t take required action, they will not vote for him and other NRM candidates in the upcoming elections. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
