Museveni pledges sh5b to support Kawempe mechanics, garage owners

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President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged sh5b to support the Kawempe Division Mechanics and Garage Owners’ Association, as part of his wealth creation initiative aimed at empowering the urban poor.

Museveni made the pledge through his senior presidential advisor on service delivery, Yiga Kisakyamukama, also known as Majjambele, while addressing mechanics and garage owners from Kawempe Division at Twin Tower Hotel in Makerere-Kavule, Kampala, on Monday (September 15).

He said wealth creation is the foundation of national transformation and urged mechanics and garage owners to take advantage of government support by organising themselves into productive units.

Faridah Nambi, the NRM flag bearer for Kawempe North MP addressing mechanics and garage owners on wealth creation. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)

“I want every Ugandan to be part of wealth creation, whether as a commercial farmer, a mechanic, or garage owners. You must either be an owner, a worker, or a trainee. This is how we move forward as a country. That’s how we end backwardness and poverty,” he urged.

Museveni pledged to buy a 100-square-foot piece of land worth sh4b, on which he plans to construct a state-of-the-art garage. Membership will be open for life to Savings and Credit Cooperative Organisation (SACCO) members.

“The government plans to inject sh1b in SACCOs that shall be formed in all the 22 parishes in Kawempe Division as part of the strategy to promote saving culture among those who earn little money but wish to own massive investments in future,” Kisakyamukama added.

He clarified that those not in SACCOs would receive a toolbox fund worth over sh1.5m, following complaints that some garage masters had previously misappropriated donated support. He said this would be done after members were verified.

Verification will be carried out within seven days by the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) parish chairpersons, parish internal security officers (PISOs), subcounty internal security officers (GISOs), and the resident city commissioner (RCC).

Kisakyamukama named the 22 parishes, which include Bwaise I, Kanyanya, Kazo, Kyebando, Makerere I, Makerere University, Makerere II, Makerere III, Mulago I, Mulago II, Mulago III and Mpererwe. He noted that garages, catering businesses, and spare parts suppliers play a critical role in maintaining productivity.

He further explained that Museveni had earlier pledged government support to garages and service providers in Kampala during Parish Development Model (PDM) visits. This support includes equipment such as breakdown trucks, tyre inflators, welding machines and loaders.

A group of mechanics and garage owners signing before the workshop on SACCOs formation kick started at Twin Tower Hotel in Kavule. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)

Kagenyi Lukka, the deputy resident city commissioner for Kawempe Division, condemned disunity among mechanics and garage owners, saying it had stalled development. He urged them to unite, share knowledge and best practices, and improve professionalism to restore the industry’s reputation.

In recent years, Uganda’s garage industry has struggled with a lack of formal training and adherence to standards. Lukka suggested that garage owners form a body to promote standards and professionalism.

Faridah Nambi, the NRM flag bearer for Kawempe North MP, praised mechanics for creating a job hub and said Museveni’s support was aimed at building systematic revolving funds to multiply wealth.

“Every one of you pays taxes, and when President Museveni comes here with an offer for all of you to work towards fighting poverty, it calls for your commitment to support his initiatives, be it PDM or Emyooga funds to lift your families out of poverty,” she said.

Museveni decries corruption in SACCOs

Museveni also emphasised the need to eliminate corruption in SACCOs, warning that those implicated in embezzling funds such as PDM, Emyooga and SACCO money risk arrest and prosecution.

Garage owners and mechanics from Kawempe division speaking on issues that affect them at Twin Tower Hotel Kavule. (Photo by Isaac Nuwagaba)

“I carry with me a directive from Museveni to arrest anybody who is engaging in dubious deals to cheat other garage owners and mechanics of their donated support,” Kisakyamukama said.

“I have given sh20m cash to you now and I want you to share it equally from here, but the money which is coming shall carry with it arrests to those implicated in corruption scandals, especially the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) enforcement teams which have cheated hawkers for very many years,” he added.

Recently, Museveni also pledged support for roadside vendors and small businesses, with the aim of lifting informal workers out of poverty.