Youth leaders in Namutumba District have raised serious allegations against District Chairperson David Mukisa and his executive team, claiming that funds under the government’s Youth Livelihood Programme (YLP) have been misappropriated.
According to the youth, the funds, meant to empower young people through skills development and income-generating projects, have instead been diverted to the families, in-laws, and associates of district leadership.
The allegations were made during the district’s first youth convention held at Kaiti Primary School under the theme “Mobilizing, Organizing, and Building a Formidable Youth Populace for Social-Economic Transformation.”
The Chairperson of Kiyanyi Sub-county, Edirisa Mukama, expressed the frustration of young people, saying, “This isn’t fair. We are the target group and the majority in this country. This money is meant for us, yet it is benefiting a different category of people.” Mukama appealed to the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development to closely monitor YLP fund distribution in Namutumba.
Introduced in the 2013/2014 financial year, the YLP aims to address youth unemployment through skills training and support for income-generating projects. However, local youth claim that corruption and mismanagement have blocked their access to these opportunities.
Backing the youth’s concerns, Namutumba Woman MP Mariam Naigaga said, “We’ve got a problem here in the district; one person takes all the money meant for the youth and shares it with family, in-laws, and friends, leaving out the targeted people who are struggling. We want to see youth benefiting from the programme, not the same people every time.”
In response, District Chairperson David Mukisa denied any wrongdoing, calling the claims politically motivated.
“What has been said about me are lies. I have never benefited from YLP funds nor given money to my family members and in-laws. Whoever has evidence should produce it. These are politics of hatred and blackmail. As for me, I’m clean,” he said. Mukisa also highlighted the district’s high unemployment rates, noting that 49.8 percent of residents and 18.1 percent of youth lack jobs, calling on the central government to increase YLP funding.
District Community Development Officer Hadadi Babalanda clarified that many youth groups have benefited from the programme, though some have defaulted on their loans, limiting opportunities for others.
“All files showing how funds were disbursed to youth groups are in my office. We urge youth to repay so others can benefit,” Babalanda said.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development, Aggrey Kibenge, emphasized the government’s continued support for youth through the YLP and the Parish Development Model (PDM), which allocates 30 percent of funds at the parish level to youth. He also highlighted the Women Entrepreneurship Fund, which includes young beneficiaries.
Kibenge stressed the importance of proper investment, noting, “We can only develop if we invest in productive ventures that yield good returns. Otherwise, youth will keep getting money and remain poor if not guided on enterprise selection.”
The youth in Namutumba continue to call for transparency and accountability in fund distribution, hoping that government programmes reach the intended beneficiaries.