Busoga co-operatives members urged on savings culture
"One of the biggest challenges is that we don't want to save and we don't want to buy more shares, that's the major reason co-operatives are held back but if we practice those two things—savings and buying more shares—we are going to prosper," Hamis Ndote, a co-operator in the Busoga Sugarcane Co-operative Union, says.
The Jinja City Commercial Officer (standing right) addresses cooperators during the Cooperatives clinic at Kakindu stadium in Jinja City on February 4th, 2026, organised by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives. (Credit: Donald Kiirya)
JINJA - Members of various co-operative organisations across the Busoga region have been urged to embrace a savings culture.
"One of the biggest challenges is that we don't want to save and we don't want to buy more shares, that's the major reason co-operatives are held back but if we practice those two things—savings and buying more shares—we are going to prosper," Hamis Ndote, a co-operator in the Busoga Sugarcane Co-operative Union, says.
Ndote made the call as the trade ministry-organised three-day intensive co-operative clinic at Kakindu Stadium in Jinja City concluded. The clinic aimed at diagnosing and treating the systemic challenges paralysing co-operatives and savings and credit co-operative organisations (SACCOS) across Busoga.
The event, which ran February 3-5, 2026, drew thousands of co-operators from 11 districts, three Municipalities, and Jinja City.
The clinic also aimed at offering legal and advisory support, and distribute bylaws to enhance compliance and understanding of co-operative laws.
Sustainability challenges
Gabula Kyankone, working with the Busoga Business Community, a coalition organisation of business enterprises and entrepreneurs, pointed to sustainability challenges, noting that many co-operatives become dormant due to inactivity, lack of regular meetings and absence of income-generating projects.
He also raised governance concerns, including conflicts of interest and a lack of democracy in leadership.
"Sustainability becomes a challenge mainly from lack of activity," Kyankone said, adding that the clinic encouraged starting projects to keep members engaged, because when they talk about money, many people pick up interest.
Other speakers echoed financial management gaps. Meddie Kairanya highlighted poor financial literacy, where entrepreneurs misuse capital on personal expenses instead of reinvesting, leading to stagnation.
Cooperators attendig the Cooperatives clinic at Kakindu stadium in Jinja City on February 4th, 2026, organised by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives. (Credit: Donald Kiirya)
He urged the Government and private sector to provide training in financial and business management, as well as access to machinery for local industries, such as manual soap production, to improve quality and competitiveness.
Badru Lubaale from Busoga Emyooga missionary mobilising team noted difficulties in community programmes, including low savings habits and reluctance to repay government funds, which members sometimes view as personal entitlements.
Efforts to revitalise co-operatives
Trade ministry senior communications officer Khadija Nakakande described the clinic as the first of its kind in Busoga and part of a broader national effort to revitalise co-operatives.
She highlighted widespread dormancy—many registered co-operatives exist only on paper and frequent complaints of mismanagement, including leaders absconding with savings due to members' ignorance of their rights, bylaws, and compliance requirements.
"We have registered many co-operatives, but the majority are dormant," Nakakande revealed.
She said that many SACCOs do not even survive to celebrate their first anniversary because leaders fleece members, taking advantage of their ignorance of the law and by-laws to disappear with lifetime savings.
Issues like poor record-keeping, untracked loans, and ulterior motives in forming groups were also flagged.
"The main reason is that the Cooperative of SACCO leadership does not enlighten the members about the laws," Nakakande stated, adding that most of the members are ignorant of their own rights, which gives the leaders a leeway to fleece them and run away with their savings.
The clinic provided on-site registration for a fee of sh50,000, advisory services, and partnerships with entities like the Uhuru Institute, DFCU bank, CiC insurance Uganda, Microfinance Support Centre (MSC) Uganda and Pearl Bank to support growth.
She noted plans for annual regional clinics across Uganda, following an earlier one in Western Uganda in 2025, with the next targeting the Greater Masaka region.
Jinja city clerk John Choli advised co-operators to unite, adding that the elections are over, saying fragmentation delays economic development.