Wakiso elderly call for more govt support as hunger, healthcare costs bite

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Elderly residents of Bulenga Village in Wakiso district have urged the Government to prioritise their welfare, particularly access to food and healthcare, as the country approaches another election period marked by heavy political spending.

The concerns were raised last week during a community event at Wisdom Preparatory School, Bulenga.

The event attracted about 30 elderly people who received food items, including sugar, bread, soap and rice under the annual Sack of Hope Initiative supported by the Mehiel Foundation through Celedi Community Empowerment.

Several beneficiaries said the assistance highlighted the daily hardships older persons continue to face, including hunger, illness and inability to afford medical care.

Margaret Makumbi, one of the beneficiaries, said that many elderly people often go without meals and struggle to access treatment when they fall sick.

“At our age, getting basic items like soap, sugar and food is very difficult," Makumbi said.

“Most days, I sleep hungry, and when I get sick, I don’t always have money for treatment," she added.

Moreso, Makumbi said, while community support offered temporary relief, long-term solutions were needed, particularly in healthcare.

Local leaders at the Wakiso event said the elderly remain among the most vulnerable groups despite their growing needs.

Nantume Husinah, the Secretary for Women's Affairs at Local Council One (LC1) in Bulenga village, said elderly people face challenges ranging from social isolation to limited access to healthcare due to high medical costs.

“Supporting older persons through food aid and healthcare is not just assistance, it is a sign of respect,” Nantume said.

She noted that such support helps strengthen their sense of belonging within the community.

Secretary for Older Persons in Bulenga, Catherine Nanyanzi, said poverty and chronic illness remain the biggest challenges affecting the elderly.

Nanyanzi noted that many older persons suffer from conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic back pain and joint complications, yet are unable to afford medication.

“As the country heads into the election period, a lot of money is spent on political activities, but elderly people are often forgotten," Nanyanzi said.

Celedi Community Empowerment team leader Mayanja Sulaiman said while community-led initiatives help ease immediate suffering, they cannot replace government responsibility.

“Programmes like Sack of Hope provide short-term relief, but sustainable support for elderly people must come from long-term policies, especially in healthcare," Mayanja said.

While initiatives such as food distribution continue to offer temporary relief, community members highlighted that lasting change will depend on deliberate government investment in elderly welfare programmes nationwide.

SAGE programme

It should be noted that the Government already has an elderly empowerment initiative, which has proved to be transformative.  

The Special Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) programme is part of the Government's efforts to implement the National Social Protection Policy, which aims to reduce poverty and vulnerability among marginalised groups, including PWDs. The initiative has, according to the Government, lifted nearly half a million seniors from destitution. 

Speaking during a monitoring visit at Lira City’s Ngetta Zonal Agricultural Research Institute on September 11, 2025, where beneficiaries lined up for bi-monthly cash transfers, Amongi said the programme now blankets all 146 districts, directly empowering 495,720 elderly citizens, including 297,432 women (60% of recipients).

"SAGE has evolved from a pilot project into a strong national programme, transforming the lives of nearly half a million older persons across the country," she said, underscoring its role in advancing Vision 2040 and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Since its 2010 launch, the initiative has disbursed shillings 810.9 billion to citizens aged 80+, with Amongi emphasising how the funds have revolutionised nutrition, healthcare access, and dignity for Uganda’s most vulnerable elders.