RUKIGA – Rukiga Member of Parliament Patrick Kiconco Katabaazi has called on the Government to expedite the implementation of the Cabinet resolution to lower the eligibility age for the Social Assistance Grant for Empowerment (SAGE) from 80 to 65 years.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!He made the call during the launch of the Rukiga District Community Skilling Program named “Emikono Yeitu” at Kyeerero Playground in Bukinda Sub-county, where State Minister of Gender and Culture Mary Kuteesa Kamuli officiated as the chief guest.
Under the government-funded Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) program, vulnerable Ugandans aged 80 and above currently receive a monthly stipend of UGX 25,000 to help meet their basic needs and live with dignity.
MP Kiconco expressed concern that although the Cabinet passed a resolution in November 2025 to lower the eligibility age from 80 to 65 years, the decision had not yet been implemented due to the lack of allocated funds in the budget for the 2026/2027 financial year.
The resolution to lower the age for SAGE eligibility was officially announced in November 2025 by then-Minister of State for Older Persons, Dominic Mafabi Gidudu.
During a press briefing, the former minister indicated that an additional UGX 252.16 billion would be injected into the program for the 2026/2027 fiscal cycle, raising the total SAGE budget to UGX 373.36 billion—up from the baseline of UGX 121.2 billion.
However, MP Kiconco, who was involved in the early development stages of the SAGE program while working as an economist at Parliament, expressed concern that almost a year later, the resolution had yet to be implemented.
“Therefore, I am requesting you, Hon. Minister, to remind those concerned, especially in Cabinet, that it is high time the government began supporting our elderly citizens aged 65 and above, as was resolved last year,” he stated.
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In response, Minister Mary Kuteesa Kamuli acknowledged that the Cabinet resolution had been passed and that President Yoweri Museveni had approved the idea. However, she explained that the government was still conducting a feasibility study before implementing the plan.
She added that the increasing life expectancy of Ugandans, now around 68 to 70 years, implied that the number of SAGE beneficiaries could overwhelm the available resources if the government rushed to extend support to those aged 65 and above.
“You know, Ugandans are no longer dying as early. Many are now living to 68–70 years,” she said, noting that the government was considering a phased approach to lowering the age limit for SAGE, rather than rushing to reduce it from 80 to 65 years all at once.
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The “Emikono Yeitu” Skilling Program, scheduled to commence next month (October), is funded by District Woman MP Dr. Sylvia Arinaitwe with support from her development partners.
According to the skilling coordinator, Mrs. Pamella Kihumuro, 42 training centers will be established across the district, providing free training in skills such as bakery, liquid soap making, shoemaking, craft, and weaving.
Dr. Sylvia Arinaitwe noted that the program’s major objective is to provide an alternative to the absence of a District Technical Institution, and also help up to 33% of Ugandans in Rukiga join the money economy through self-employment.
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The Rukiga District LC.5 Chairperson Simon Mutebi Rwamagyenda passionately urged men not to mistakenly assume that the ongoing skilling program was exclusively targeting women alone.
He further called upon the youths to eagerly seize this golden opportunity and acquire practical, hands-on skills that would help them survive and thrive in an environment where jobs are increasingly scarce.
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Although the government has been running several regional skilling hubs under the Office of the President, the hub facilities were not sufficient given the large number of Ugandans seeking training opportunities, with the launched Rukiga Skilling Initiative slated to add on.
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