By Mary Karugaba
and Catherine Bekunda

MPs have demanded for a list of microfinance beneficiaries since 2003 before approving additional funds to the Microfinance Support Centre.

They were meeting officials from the centre, led by the state minister for microfinance, Ruth Nankabirwa.

The MPs noted that the Government had injected a lot of money into microfinance and they needed to know if it was reaching the intended beneficiaries.

The committee chaired by Stephen Mukitale (NRM) also demanded that the officials explain the recovery process for the money so far loaned out.

“Before the loan is approved, Parliament needs to ensure that the Government’s interventions reach the poor. We do not want the repeat of the Entandikwa. This money should not be taken as a gift since we are approaching elections,” Birahwa warned.

The Government in 1996, lost billions of shillings loaned out in the Entandikwa scheme. Most beneficiaries said the money was free.

The officials were appearing before the committee to defend $27m (about sh54b) loan request to finance the rural income and employment enhancement project.

The centre executive director, Charles Byanyima, said the Government has so far disbursed about sh57b since 2003 and needs about sh566b by 2014.