Central Region Emyooga Sacco leaders have been advised to avoid politicizing the Emyooga initiatives if they wish to succeed.
According to Harriet Nakamya, the Gomba RDC, the program is designed solely to enhance the socio-economic transformation of communities.
She urged the leaders to focus more on adopting a savings culture to transform their lives, rather than engaging in petty politics and perceiving the program as politically motivated.
"The challenge in central region which is not in western, is cheap politics, whatever government brings on board, there is politicking. Cheap politics is failing government programs. So leaders please, if we can ignore cheap politics, we can progress well in all government programs that they are bringing on board," Nakamya said.
She stated that the Emyooga Programme is successful in other regions because people view it as an opportunity for personal transformation rather than as a political tool.
"In western region, people are doing well, because Emyooga initiative is a program which targets same person doing the same work in the same area but because of cheap politics in central, we are failing them." She added.
She made this call during the training of Central Region Emyooga Sacco leaders, who embarked on a five-day exchange visit organized by the Microfinance Support Centre to Kabarole District to receive training and learn from the better-performing Emyooga Saccos
Nakamya also urged them to focus more on farming to ensure their homes have food, emphasizing that this will help them develop a savings culture.
She pointed out that a home without food cannot save effectively.
"Without food, you can do nothing" she said.
The RDC implored Sacco leaders to utilise this exchange visit as a learning opportunity and to implement the insights gained over the five days when they return to the Central Region.
Emmanuel Mbogha, the Zonal Manager in charge of Kabarole District, emphasized to Central Region Emyooga Sacco leaders the importance of differentiating the Emyooga programme from politics, tribal issues, and cultural matters, noting that it is purely a business initiative.
"Emyooga is business and I am very happy to report that we have very good Saccos that are performing very well, and this is an effort of so many stakeholders right away from the RDC offices, NGOs, churches and other religion religious affiliations that have supported us to ensure that we have a breakthrough for this program."
He emphasized the importance of good leadership, stating that a Sacco cannot successfully grow without it.
"We must have faithful leaders and the faithful leaders who support government programs, who do not boycott them, and this is attributed to the teamwork."
About 24 Central Region Emyooga Sacco leaders are on a five-day exchange visit to established and high-performing Emyooga Saccos in Kabarole District to receive training on improving their own Saccos.