The Government of Uganda has extended its US$276 million Northern Uganda Social Action Fund Phase IV (NUSAF IV) programme to the Busoga sub-region for the first time. This move aims to tackle household poverty, create economic opportunities, and improve the livelihoods of vulnerable communities. The programme is designed to address persistent poverty in the sub-region, where approximately 840,700 people account for about 12 per cent of Uganda's poor population.
Minister for the Presidency and Budiope West Member of Parliament, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, has warned local government leaders and programme implementers against corruption, political interference, favouritism, and mismanagement of public resources. She emphasized that the success of the initiative depends on transparency, accountability, and the ability of leaders to ensure that the intended beneficiaries receive the support without discrimination or exploitation.
Hon. Babalanda commended the Office of the Prime Minister and the World Bank for their partnership in implementing NUSAF IV. She noted that similar engagements with local leaders had already been conducted in the Acholi, Elgon, Lango, Karamoja, and Bukedi sub-regions. The Minister described the programme as an important opportunity to address persistent poverty in the sub-region.
Despite Busoga's fertile soils, abundant water resources, hardworking population, and considerable agricultural potential, poverty, youth unemployment, and food insecurity remain major challenges. NUSAF IV is designed to address some of these challenges through enterprise grants targeting agriculture, fisheries, and small businesses, as well as labour-intensive public works that provide income to vulnerable households while improving community infrastructure.
Hon. Babalanda placed particular emphasis on the responsibility of local leaders to protect public resources and ensure that implementation follows established procedures. She directed Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) to take an active role in monitoring the programme through regular visits to project sites and beneficiary communities. RDCs should oversee transparent beneficiary selection, follow up suspected cases of fraud and misuse of funds, coordinate stakeholders, and ensure that complaints are properly documented and addressed.
The Minister urged local governments to coordinate NUSAF IV with other government poverty eradication and economic empowerment initiatives to maximise their impact. She cited the Parish Development Model (PDM), Emyooga, the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project, and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurship Programme (UWEP). Local governments should identify areas of complementarity, avoid duplication and double financing, and connect beneficiaries to additional support, agricultural extension services, savings groups, and markets.
Hon. Babalanda warned against elite capture, describing it as a situation where influential individuals manipulate programme processes to secure benefits for themselves, their relatives, associates, or political networks at the expense of vulnerable households. She called for strict adherence to approved beneficiary selection criteria, community verification of beneficiary lists, and the use of authorised payment channels. Public officials were equally urged to declare and manage conflicts of interest.
Key points
- The programme aims to benefit thousands of households in Busoga sub-region.
- NUSAF IV is designed to address poverty, youth unemployment, and food insecurity in the sub-region.
- Local leaders are warned against corruption, political interference, and mismanagement of public resources.
