Aine Siggy
The government yesterday announced that it was set to help people it termed as vulnerable with financial assistance through mobile money.
This is aiked at helping groups of people that are likely to be affected the most by the covid 19 presidential guidelines ained at stopping the spread of the deadly covid 19 pandemic.
This announcement was made by the prime Minister Rt Hon Robinah Nabbanja after a meeting with the national COVID 19 taskforce.
Nabbanja said that unlike last year when the government gave out food in form of posho and beans, money would be given out this time.
She said that this would be done because last year’s exercise of giving out food was characterised by corruption. This rendered a lot of people to hunger since they did not get the government food.
She however said with the mobile money, administration costs will be cut down and it’s easier to monitor MTN and Airtel unlike people that give our food.
Nabbanja went ahead to say that a committee would go ahead to identify the vulnerable groups.
She further said that people who have been working on a hand to mouth basis will be considered first.
She further said that details from NIRA and local council authorities would be used to determine these vulnerable groups.
Questioned by NBS journalist Simon Kaggwa Njala whether the amount to be given out will be Ugx 1million, Nabbanja said that this was a lot of money which the government could not afford.
“This stimulus package is going to be an on-off.
How can you think about UGX 1 million? We don’t have that money. Aren’t you a Ugandan?” Nabbanja said.
She further added that government would start with the urban poor. Nabbanja said that it’s not possible to give out money to the whole country at once because the government cannot afford it.
However, this announcement has been met with widespread mixed feelings as people feel that the government does not have the capacity to carry our such an activity.
These feel the money won’t get to the right destinations and will instead be embezzled by government officials.
