Emorimor rallies leaders to deliver, hails women bank initiative

PALLISA - The Iteso Cultural Union leader, Paul Sande Emolot, has called on President Yoweri Museveni to appoint result-oriented leaders capable of accelerating socio-economic transformation in the country.

Addressing a gathering of over 20,000 people during the launch of an anti-poverty women’s village bank in Kibale County in the eastern district of Pallisa, Emorimor said leadership must translate into tangible improvements in people’s lives.

“I want to ask God to work through our beloved President [Yoweri Museveni] and guide him to choose leaders who deliver for the people. Let him ignore the loud and flashy politicians, especially from Teso, so that our citizens do not continue questioning why they grapple with poor service delivery despite having appointees,” he said.

The cultural leader commended Kibale County MP-elect Constantine Okwi for mobilising communities even before officially taking the oath.

“People like our son (Okwi) should and must be considered for further assignments because even before officially assuming his parliamentary seat, he is mobilising our local people out of poverty."

Women at centre of transformation

Inspired by Okwi, the newly unveiled women’s village bank has, within eight months, mobilized 4,800 women organized in 150 groups, generating sh96m in savings.

The fund has since grown to sh146m, with Okwi pledging to build it into a sh1b facility within six years.

The predominantly agricultural Teso sub-region relies heavily on women’s labour in crop production and petty trade, with a few residents involved in commercial farming.

However, high interest rates charged by commercial banks and moneylenders have often frustrated rural women’s efforts to expand their businesses.

Okwi said the initiative directly addresses this long-standing challenge.

“Rural women have long been excluded from formal financial services due to collateral demands and high interest rates. This village bank is a sign of relief.  It restores hope and gives them control over their economic destiny."

He noted that empowering women financially would boost household incomes, improve food security, and strengthen local enterprises across Pallisa and the wider Teso sub-region.

Stella Akello, a widow and one of the beneficiaries, shared her experience.

Okwi donated sh50m to the Anti Poverty Women's village bank Kibale County to help his community get out of poverty. (Credit: Javier Silas Omagor)

“There were nights I could not sleep because of loan pressure. I feared losing everything. Today, I feel safe because we are saving together and borrowing at manageable terms."

Agnes Agwang described the initiative as visionary and timely. “Our leadership is people-centred. They have creatively thought about sustainable freedom for us rural women."

Leaders pledge replication

Leaders from neighbouring constituencies who attended the event pledged to replicate the model in their areas.

Dr Patrick Wakida of Kabweri County in Kibuku district described the initiative as a practical approach to poverty eradication.

“This is the kind of grassroots empowerment we must champion. We are committed to adopting similar approaches to financially empower our people,” he said.

Josephine Ibasaret of Agule County emphasised the importance of inclusive financial empowerment. “When financial systems include everyone, development becomes faster and more sustainable."

Along with their hosts, the visiting political leaders from across the country promised a committed leadership, organised savings and collective effort, and rural communities can steadily chart their own path out of poverty.

Government continues to roll out programmes such as Emyooga and the Parish Development Model (PDM) to deepen financial inclusion and transition households from subsistence to commercial production.

The Kibale women’s village bank complements these national interventions by strengthening the culture of savings and providing affordable credit at the community level, particularly targeting rural women who are key drivers of household economies.

Relief outreach

The event also featured the donation of relief items to families affected by a recent windstorm that left one person dead and hundreds homeless in Pallisa.

Items distributed included iron sheets, cement, food items, basins, jerrycans, and cooking utensils to support the most affected households.

The occasion was crowned with speech after speech while jubilant women sang and danced in celebration.