Ghost beneficiaries have been found on the list of vulnerable people who are supposed to get the Shs100,000 covid-19 cash handouts that is set to be distributed by government.
Last week, Betty Among the Minister of Gender, Labor and Social Development (MGLSD) announced that government will release Shs54.7Bn that will be distributed among 501,107 vulnerable Ugandans who have been affected by the lockdown.
The identified beneficiaries Minister Among said were; Bus/Taxi Drivers Conductors, baggage Carriers, wheel barrow pushers, touts, traffic guides and loaders in Taxi, Bus parks and stages and others, those working in commercial Centres such as Kikuubo, bar men, DJs, Barmaids waiters, bouncers and restaurant workers. Others are Food vendors in Bus Taxi Parks and Arcades Artists Musicians Comedians Producers and Promoters.
On Friday this week the leadership of Kireka (D) Village, Kireka Parish in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District registered 2000 members who are set to be part of the beneficiaries.
By 10am when we arrived at the offices where registration was being conducted, at least 500 residents had been registered.
The village leadership led by Suleiman Kayira, the LC1 Chairperson had formed a committee that consisted of four Secretaries who were registering beneficiaries.
However, it emerged that the team was registering everybody without asking what job one does, as long as they are residents.
“Policemen and women, all kinds of people are also being registered. The people registering are the ones putting for us the jobs we do; they don’t ask you the type of employment as long as you have the ID,” Sharon said one of the residents who had lined up.
“As long as you are a resident of this place, they only ask you for your National Identity Card or your NIN number,” she added.
To ascertain Sharon’s claim we moved closer to one of the registration table, people were flocking and without asking them their details, the registrars were just asking for National IDs.
Shockingly, even people who couldn’t make it to the venue were being registered.
Some of the locals showed up with details of their relatives and friends and registered on their behalf. In the queues, dozens were seen brandishing multiple national ids.
Kayira said that the ministry gave them a target of only 2000 people which was filled at around 3pm and the process was closed.
