Museveni orders audit of Shs 231bn veterans’ wealth creation funds
President Yoweri Museveni has directed leaders of veterans’ associations to convene for a comprehensive audit of more than Shs 231 billion disbursed over the years under government programmes aimed at improving the livelihoods of veterans. The directive was issued during this year’s virtual Heroes’ Day celebrations held at State House, Nakasero. Museveni said the meeting […] The post Museveni orders audit of Shs 231bn veterans’ wealth creation funds appeared first on The Observer Media Ltd.
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President Yoweri Museveni has directed leaders of veterans’ associations to convene for a comprehensive audit of more than Shs 231 billion disbursed over the years under government programmes aimed at improving the livelihoods of veterans.
The directive was issued during this year’s virtual Heroes’ Day celebrations held at State House, Nakasero. Museveni said the meeting would establish how funds distributed since 2008 were utilised and whether the intended beneficiaries received the support allocated to them by government.
According to the President, the review will revisit resolutions reached during a 2009 meeting with veterans’ leaders, at which the government agreed to provide Shs 5 million to each recognised liberation war leader and his spouse.
The meeting also resolved that other cadres who participated in the liberation struggle would each receive Shs 1.5 million. Museveni said the audit would determine how much each category of beneficiary received and assess whether the programme achieved its objective of improving household incomes among veterans.
He clarified that the Shs 231 billion under review does not include agricultural inputs distributed through Operation Wealth Creation (OWC), which he described as a separate intervention.
Museveni recalled that when OWC was launched, he directed that veterans’ families be prioritised among the first beneficiaries of seedling distribution to support commercial agriculture.
The President said OWC leaders would also participate in the planned meeting to account for the implementation of those interventions.
While acknowledging that many veterans have since died, Museveni said government would explore mechanisms to ensure that surviving family members, particularly children, continue to benefit from programmes established in recognition of their parents’ contribution to the liberation struggle.
He also proposed reforms to the management of veterans’ savings and credit cooperative organisations (Saccos), arguing that smaller, community-based structures would improve accountability and make services more accessible to members.
Drawing parallels with the Parish Development Model (PDM), Museveni suggested that veterans’ Saccos be organised closer to communities to strengthen supervision and participation.
The President further announced plans to establish seedling multiplication centres at presidential farms, including Kawumu Presidential Farm and Gomba Presidential Farm, to ensure a steady supply of quality planting materials for veterans engaged in agriculture.
He said the initiative would complement existing wealth-creation programmes and boost productivity among veterans’ households.
Museveni cited examples of beneficiaries who had invested government grants in livestock and coffee farming, arguing that proper utilisation of modest capital can significantly improve rural livelihoods.
Earlier, Alice Kaboyo, the minister of state for the Luwero Triangle, reported that the government has paid one-off gratuities to 13,681 veterans in the current phase, bringing the cumulative number of compensated civilian veterans to 93,514.
She also highlighted ongoing interventions, including housing construction, rehabilitation of education infrastructure, enterprise grants and the distribution of iron sheets. Kaboyo called for increased funding to expand affirmative action programmes in the Luwero, Rwenzori and Busoga sub-regions.
The planned audit is expected to scrutinise nearly two decades of veterans’ support programmes as the government seeks to strengthen accountability and improve the effectiveness of wealth-creation initiatives targeting former liberation fighters and their families.
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