The program funded by Irish Aid and the British Department for International Development-DFID commenced in 2009 as an initiative to improve the well-being of vulnerable and impoverished senior citizens by supporting them to get basic needs. Each monthly, beneficiaries receive a stipend of 25,000 Shillings.
There are 153,000 people benefiting from the program in 47 districts currently. These include senior citizens aged 60 in Karamoja and those aged above 65 in the other districts, selected based on vulnerability, number of old people, number of orphans and vulnerable children, and level of poverty.
However, there are calls to have the program rolled out nationwide. But the government says a new modality is being discussed to give the program a nationwide footprint.
James Ebitu, the Director Social Protection at the Ministry of Gender says the countrywide roll-out of the senior citizen's grants could cost over Shs 200 billion annually considering the likely increase in the number of beneficiaries across the country.
Development partners have committed up to Shs 469 billion towards implementation of the program until 2020. The government is using Shs 28.9 billion to sustain the program annually. This includes a provision of Shs 9.9 billion from the consolidated fund and Shs 19 billion from development partners.
Ebitu was speaking during a sensitization meeting with journalists at Golf course hotel on Friday.
The government had initially planned to bring on board the districts of Dokolo, Sembabule, Kasese, Sheema and Mubende this financial year and later in 2018/19 include the districts of Alebtong, Adjumani, Otuke, Moyo and Kumi.
Stephen Kasaija, the head of Program management unit of expanding social protection program called on districts that have not yet benefitted to be patient.
