President Yoweri Museveni has injected shs1.3 billion into the crime preventers sacco, as part of the shs14.6 billion pledge he made to them.
This was confirmed by Blaise Kamugisha, the national coordinator of the National Crime Preventers Forum while meeting the crime preventers’ leaders from greater Kampala.
He told the leaders that each of the 18 crime preventers sacco in Kampala will receive shs10 million.
“The crime preventers were already organized in saccos and what they needed from government was capitalizing the saccos to the individual members can borrow from their respective saccos,”Kamugisha said.
He noted the shs1.46 billion is the first phase of the shs14.6 billion and that the balance would be released according to how the crime preventers have used the money.
“I am happy the president honored his pledge. This will go far in sustaining the organization by engaging crime preventers in production.”
The crime preventers’ national coordinator however warned that the money is a revolving fund and should not be used by leaders for their own selfish interests or else they risk being arrested and jailed.
“To the leaders, this money is not for eating, partying, marrying or for elections as I have heard some allegations. It is for development of crime preventers and it has to revolve so that more can benefit. Whoever thinks he or she will eat it is mistaken. They will be forced to vomit it,” he said.
Kamugisha noted that whereas each crime preventers’ sacco around the country will receive shs10 million, there are various stakeholders that will play a guiding role in ensuring the funds are utilized well.
“We are in partnership with Afriland First Bank to provide the technical and financial services to avoid money being put in the hands of the leaders. It will only deal will saccos.”
The Nile Post recently exclusively reported that the National Crime Preventers’ Forum (NCPF) that had retreated from the scene is being revived to mobilise support for President Yoweri Museveni ahead of the January 2021 election.
The group still led by Blaise Kamugisha has now been placed under the President’s brother Gen.Salim Saleh who is also the chief coordinator of his 2021 campaigns as the group’s patron.
The rejuvenated crime preventers forum through its structures and the Mayumba kkumi model will be instrumental in canvassing votes for the NRM by playing a supportive role to the ruling party structures but will also be used as a voter protection force for the ruling NRM party.
The UPDF reserve forces commander, Lt.Gen. Charles Otema however noted that the group is not being remobilized for the forthcoming polls but rather for enegaging them into economic activity.
“We are not recalling you for the next year’s elections. Do not let anyone deceive you have been remembered during election time. As your commander, I feel there is a role you can play. I want your Sacco to be the biggest and it will be the biggest. It will have its bank. We want to prepare you that we want peace in the country. You must be watchdogs of the government,”Lt.Gen.Otema told the crime preventers leaders at a meeting in December.
