Deputy Presidential Press Secretary Faruk Kirunda has directed Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and Resident City Commissioners (RCCs) across the Busoga sub-region to immediately recover National Identification cards (IDs) confiscated by illegal moneylenders, warning that the practice is denying citizens access to key government empowerment programmes.
Speaking during an engagement in Iganga on Friday, Mr Kirunda said many residents, particularly women, have been locked out of opportunities such as the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project because their IDs are being held as collateral for small loans.
‘I am ordering RDCs and RCCs in this region to track and recover all IDs held as collateral for loans, a practice that has left many residents vulnerable and unable to access essential government services meant to benefit them economically,’ Mr Kirunda said.
The directive comes as Uganda prepares for the 2026 general elections, where a valid National ID is required to vote.
Mr Kirunda said the government has affordable and accessible funding to support citizens, especially women engaged in small and medium enterprises. He urged residents to avoid moneylenders and instead seek financial services from licensed institutions.
‘Work closely with local leaders, security agencies and the police to identify and recover all withheld IDs,’ he said, adding: ‘Those found guilty of detaining them will face stern legal action.’
According to local officials, more than 500 participants in the Busoga sub-region have applied for GROW loans, but some women have failed to qualify due to lack of land titles or confiscated IDs.
The GROW project, funded by the World Bank, supports women entrepreneurs in trade (42%), agriculture (22%), construction (9%), and professional services (8%). By 2024, Shs73.3 billion had been disbursed countrywide, reaching 2,958 women borrowers across 113 districts and eight cities, with loan amounts ranging from Shs4 million to Shs200 million at interest rates below 10 percent.
Dr Ruth Aisha Kasolo, the GROW Project Coordinator, said the programme targets a specific group of enterprising women and aims to help them sustain and expand their businesses.
‘We want women to benefit from this money to support themselves, educate their children and develop their enterprises,’ Dr Kasolo said.
Busoga has performed well under the project, with Shs3.47 billion disbursed cumulatively: Kamuli District received Shs1.2 billion (67 beneficiaries), Jinja got Shs1.23 billion (75 beneficiaries), and Iganga received Shs666 million (44 beneficiaries). Dr Kasolo said the sub-region is expected to benefit from an additional Shs16 billion in the second phase, with reduced paperwork.
Representing the Minister for Presidency, Col (Rtd) Dhamuzungu Oguli, the patron of RDCs and RCCs in Eastern Uganda, said the government remains committed to empowering its citizens economically.
However, some residents expressed frustration over loan access conditions.
‘You cannot say this is a government project for poor women when banks still ask for land titles,’ said Ms Christine Nakato from Mayuge.