State House warns Skilling Hub graduates against misusing loans as President Museveni plans to increase SACCO funding
What the report says
State House Comptroller Jane Barekye has warned beneficiaries of the Presidential Industrial Skilling Hubs to use government start-up loans for productive work, saying President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni may increase support to graduates’ SACCOs only if the current revolving funds are handled responsibly. Watchdog Uganda reported that she cautioned against spending the money on alcohol, bride price and other non-business uses, and urged graduates to first build their enterprises before using profits for personal needs.
Barekye made the remarks during a stakeholders’ meeting at the Tooro Zonal Presidential Industrial Skilling Hub in Kyenjojo District on Tuesday, August 18, 2026. The meeting brought together State House officials, local leaders, SACCO executives and beneficiaries to review the skilling programme, the revolving fund and the model farm linked to the hub, which serves several districts in western Uganda. She said the Shs50 million allocated to each district SACCO was intended as a pilot to help graduates turn vocational training into income-generating businesses.
According to the report, State House is also tightening oversight, including by deploying a finance manager to track loan use. Local SACCO leaders raised concerns that some graduates cannot access funds because they lack national IDs, while asking for some loan conditions to be reviewed. Beneficiaries at the meeting described the programme as life-changing, saying the training and capital had helped them start tailoring, carpentry and other small businesses.
The broader context is Uganda’s effort to link vocational skilling with access to startup capital and local enterprise growth. State House officials also encouraged district leaders to support graduates through contracts, supervision and practical follow-up so the programme remains sustainable.
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Wakiso District Local Government has donated 50,000 tree seedlings to 52 farmers as part of efforts to increase tree cover, restore degraded land and mitigate the effects of climate change in the rapidly urbanising district. The seedlings were distributed through the district’s Forestry Department under a tree-planting programme aimed at encouraging farmers, households, institutions and community groups to plant trees during every rainy season. The initiative comes amid increasing urbanisation in Wakiso, which has led to the cutting down of trees to make way for residential and commercial developments. Speaking during the handover of the seedlings at the district tree nursery, Wakiso District Chairperson Eng. Ian Kyeyune said the growing demand for timber and furniture products makes tree planting essential if the district is to protect its environment while meeting the needs of its expanding population. “It is impossible to avoid the demand for timber and furniture given the high rate of construction in Wakiso and the surrounding areas. This gives us a ready market for tree products,” Kyeyune said. He said planting more trees at household level, through farmer groups and institutions, is the most sustainable way of replacing trees cut down for construction, furniture and other purposes. Kyeyune urged more farmers to join the programme, particularly those living on the Bussi Islands, where he said environmental degradation remains a concern. “We need more farmers to come on board and become ambassadors for forest restoration. The trees we cut must be replaced if we are to protect our environment for future generations,” he said. The district chairperson also cautioned beneficiaries against selling the seedlings, urging them instead to nurture the trees as a long-term source of income. “Do not sell these seedlings. Nurture them and turn them into a business. In the long run, these trees can provide income while also helping us restore the environment,” Kyeyune said. The programme is also intended to improve household incomes, with farmers expected to grow trees for commercial purposes. The seedlings distributed include Mugavu, which is also beneficial to banana production; Kilundu; improved Muvule varieties used for furniture production; and exotic Eucalyptus varieties from South Africa, among others. Wakiso District Forestry Officer Harriet Nankya said tree planting is increasingly important as the district continues to experience rapid urban growth. Nankya warned that failure to increase tree cover could expose communities to some of the environmental challenges being experienced in other parts of the world. “Wakiso is one of the fastest-growing urban districts, and tree planting will help protect our people from some of the calamities being experienced in different parts of the world, especially in Europe and the Far East,” Nankya said. She encouraged farmers to seek guidance from forestry extension officers in their respective areas to ensure that the seedlings are properly planted, maintained and managed. The district says it intends to continue distributing tree seedlings during the rainy seasons as part of its broader efforts to promote environmental conservation and sustainable livelihoods in Wakiso.Nile Post