Kamwenge District LCV Chairperson Joseph Karungi has asked the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to provide transport support to refugee leaders to ease mobilisation as government rolls out a new cash transfer programme for elderly refugees.
Karungi made the call on Tuesday during the inception of the Social Cash Transfer for Elderly Refugees (SCTER) programme at Nakivale Refugee Settlement, as government officials began engagements with district authorities on the implementation of the programme.
SCTER, a sister programme to the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE), is being rolled out across Uganda’s 13 refugee settlements to provide financial support to vulnerable elderly refugees.
Under the programme, refugees aged 80 years and above will receive Shs25,000 per month, effective this month.
Karungi said Kamwenge District would actively participate in the implementation of the programme but noted that refugee leaders need transport facilitation to effectively mobilise and sensitise beneficiaries in the settlements.
John Paul Magezi, who represented the Acting Commissioner for Refugees, said Kamwenge has continued to provide a welcoming environment for refugees.
Magezi said the inception meetings started on Tuesday at Nakivale Refugee Settlement and will proceed to Kikuube District as government moves to operationalise the programme in the settlements.
Meanwhile, Kamwenge Deputy Resident District Commissioner Loy Namara Batuuze called for a review of the programme’s age threshold from 80 to 70 years.
Namara said lowering the eligibility age would enable more elderly refugees to benefit from the government cash transfer.
The SCTER programme is intended to strengthen social protection for elderly refugees and provide them with regular financial assistance to meet their basic needs.