The government has announced new market funds aimed at supporting market vendors to expand their businesses across the country.
Speaking during a presidential campaign rally held at Works Playground in Entebbe Municipality, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Presidential Candidate who also the President of Uganda, General Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, said the funds will be accessed through the Uganda Microfinance Support Centre.
Museveni noted that the initiative targets market vendors nationwide and will provide affordable borrowing to help traders grow their enterprises.
He said the initiative is intended to strengthen small-scale businesses and improve household incomes. The announcement was met with applause and excitement from supporters at the rally.
The NRM presidential candidate also confirmed plans to establish regional wealth creation funds to support sectors of the economy that have not yet fully benefited from government financing. He said the funds will be rolled out with specific financing schemes and urged citizens to actively monitor their utilisation to ensure accountability.
Museveni revealed that the initiative will integrate various groups, including local leaders, fishing communities, ghetto youth, and other underserved sectors. He further announced plans to increase Parish Development Model (PDM) funding to 300 million shillings per parish in the next phase.
Addressing the needs of fishing communities, Museveni acknowledged that the current one million shillings allocated under PDM is insufficient to support fishing-related businesses. He said government will introduce a dedicated fishing fund with higher capital, to be accessed within fishermen’s areas of operation to reduce travel challenges.
Museveni also tasked residents of Wakiso District to closely monitor the use of government funds to ensure they achieve their intended objectives. He urged PDM beneficiaries to take ownership of the programme at parish level as a way of curbing corruption among officials.
The NRM presidential candidate further outlined several wealth and job creation initiatives for Wakiso District, including skills development and artisanship, smart eco-factories, fish processing plants, peri-urban commercial agriculture, tourism, and real estate development. He said these sectors offer significant employment and income opportunities to support the district’s rapidly growing population.
Museveni also assured residents of Entebbe and Wakiso District that government will expedite the completion of major road projects, including the Kisubi–Nakawuka–Mpigi road, the Nakawuka–Nateete road, and other ongoing works, to improve transport, mobility, and business operations.
